From October 29 to November 1, Baku will once again become a true world capital of dance for four unforgettable days. Celebrating its 5th anniversary, the Azerbaijan Dance Festival will bring together world-class stars, champions, and talented dancers from more than 20 countries on one stage. This year, the organizers have prepared an especially ambitious program featuring spectacular performances, meetings with internationally renowned artists, dozens of dance showcases, a wide range of global choreography styles, incredible energy, and the unique atmosphere of a major international event - all set to leave festival guests with unforgettable memories.
"For me, the Azerbaijan Dance Festival is an opportunity, on the one hand, to showcase the multifaceted nature of the dance sector and, on the other, to realise my idea that ballroom dancing, in all its diversity, should firmly take its place in Azerbaijani culture, becoming one of the country’s hallmarks and celebrating the strength of the country. After all, a dance culture that is not limited to national dance leads us back to the first ballet of the East, which was staged in Azerbaijan and presented in Baku. And I am confident that with each passing year our festival brings us closer to the time when we will see mass participation in dance sport in Azerbaijan.
In 2019, an event took place in Baku which, to many, looked like a beautiful experiment: bringing together fine jewellery art, the atmosphere of a sophisticated social evening, and performances by outstanding dancers from around the world in one space. It took place at the famous Four Seasons Hotel Baku, and it was there that the Night of the Dancing Diamonds project began. The name proved to be prophetic.
Several years later, the Night of the Dancing Diamonds project gave birth to a new international project, Azerbaijan Dance Festival, which brought together sport and art, World and European Championships, professional dancers and Pro-Am, children and adults, Ballroom, Latin, Smooth, Argentine Tango and other disciplines, and became its flagship. In 2026, our project celebrates its fifth anniversary. And this year, the anniversary Night of the Dancing Diamonds ceremony opens the Azerbaijan Dance Festival, which is a true celebration of dance in all its diversity…" We spoke with Olga Krasnyanskaya - President of the international dance company SRDS and one of the visionaries and creators of the Azerbaijan Dance Festival project - about the history of the festival, Azerbaijan, American Smooth, art, and why dance has the power to become part of an international cultural dialogue.
Q: Olga, in 2026 the Azerbaijan Dance Festival celebrates its fifth anniversary. When you think back to the very beginning, did you believe that the idea would grow to such a scale? A: Our festival is slightly younger than the “anniversary project”, but that did not prevent it from gaining tremendous momentum in the dance industry and becoming one of the world’s favourite dance tournaments, attracting athletes from England, Europe, Asia, Russia, America and Japan.
Otherwise, I would never have started it. In 2019, our goal was not simply to organise another dance tournament. I had always wanted to create an event in which dance would be perceived as something broader than competition.
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