Bali hosts Asia-Pacific’s first licensed The Summit Championship competition.
Indonesia has become the first country in the Asia-Pacific region to host The Summit Championship, after the organizers of the Indonesian International Latin Festival & Asia-Pacific Salsa Summit secured an official licence from the New York-based international Latin dance competition.
The announcement was made by Billy Fajardo, co-founder and co-owner of The Summit Championship, who confirmed that the Indonesian International Latin Festival & Asia-Pacific Salsa Summit had been appointed as the championship’s first official licensee in the Asia-Pacific region. Fajardo said Indonesia’s strategic location made it an ideal destination to host the competition.
With the licensing agreement in place, the inaugural The Summit Championship in the Asia-Pacific will be held in Kuta, Bali, from 30 July to 3 August 2026 as part of the Indonesian International Latin Festival & Asia-Pacific Salsa Summit. The five-day event will bring together dancers, instructors, judges and performers from across the region and beyond.
Welcoming the event, Indonesia’s Vice Minister of Creative Economy Irene Umar said the competition would provide a platform for dancers from around the world to compete, collaborate and exchange culture and knowledge. Umar also encouraged participants to uphold sportsmanship while embracing the learning experience.
Highlighting the event’s international appeal, organizers expect between 300 and 500 dancers and performing artists to participate in the inaugural edition, with around 70 percent projected to come from overseas. Participants are expected from Australia, Japan, South Korea, China, Singapore, Malaysia, India, New Zealand and Indonesia.
Looking beyond this year’s event, Executive Producer Tiara Josodirdjo said organizers aim to attract more than 1,000 participants in future editions. Josodirdjo said the festival seeks to expand international collaboration while inspiring more young people to embrace dance as a healthy and positive lifestyle that connects people through the universal language of music and movement.
Alongside the championship, the festival will feature Salsa and Bachata competitions, workshops in Salsa, Bachata and Kizomba led by international instructors, as well as social dancing sessions, community networking events and after-parties featuring judges, instructors and DJs from around the world.
By combining competition, education and cultural exchange, the festival aims to strengthen international collaboration while further establishing Indonesia as a destination for international Latin dance events in the Asia-Pacific region.
Source: ANTARA News