Same-sex dancing at the ISTD Grand Finals

Posted on November 24, 2011

Same-sex dancers Benedikt Kraus and Thorsten Dreyer enjoyed a “fabulous weekend at the ISTD competition in Blackpool” on November 5–6.

Benedikt said: “It was great to compete on the holy floor in the Empress Ballroom. We were the first male same-sex couple to hit the floor only to be followed by one in the qualifiers competitions. It felt amazing! And even better as we took trophies home.”

The pair won the Viennese Waltz Couple competition in Silver/Gold in their age group and Benedikt came second in the Solo Waltz event. “So overall also a very successful weekend,” said Benedikt, “and we thoroughly enjoyed making same-sex dancing more visible in the traditional dance circuit. We certainly will be back!”

For a report on the ISTD Grand Finals, see the January issue of Dance Today, out on December 18.

Photograph courtesy of Benedikt Kraus

Nicola Rayner

Nicola Rayner was editor of Dance Today from 2010 to 2015. She has written for a number of publications including The Guardian, The Independent and Time Out Buenos Aires, where she cut her teeth as a dance journalist working on the tango section. Today she continues to dance everything from ballroom to breakdance, with varying degrees of success. Her debut novel, The Girl Before You, was published last year in paperback, ebook and audiobook.