Largest number of countries: 64 in 2006, from all 5 continents.
Held for 26 consecutive years
Organized by a high-level national institution specialized in dance.
Maximum publicity: announced 1 year earlier, covered by dozens of dance magazines and newsletters, emailed to over 100,000 dance professionals in 200 countries.
Not to be confused with festivals, conferences, workshops, symposiums, trade fairs etc., while containing their most important features
Official recognition: endorsed by ministries and government agencies.
Scientific Committee composed of university professors from 7 countries
Full texts submitted for approval - no abstracts.
Deadline for proposals is one month before the Congress.
No keynote speakers, no invited guests, no visitors: only registered participants, that is select professionals.
Time allowed is equal to all conferees.
Full proceedings, including all texts, videos, music, pictures etc. posted on a website, viewed by tens of thousands.
All forms of dance are represented: ballet, modern, folk, ballroom, contemporary, traditional, classical etc.
All approaches: teaching, performing, research, therapy, criticism, recreation, management, journalism etc.
Including: performances, classes, research reports, lecture-demonstrations, exhibitions/sales, video projections, visits etc.
A large dancer's bag with gifts given to each conferee, including: certificate, parchment for wall framing, program, posters, badges, stickers for school entrance and for car windshield, a book, tourist information, handouts etc.
Venue is a prestigious building in the city center.
Organized directly by an association, not a private business.
Staffed entirely by volunteers, members of the association.
No other meeting in the world has more than 3 of the above 22 features.