A video from our Stockholm qualifier in February 2026 has been circulating in recent days. It shows two competitors on stage making gestures that imitate Asian facial features.
These gestures were offensive and hurtful, even if they were not meant that way. We apologize to the dancer at the center of that moment, to the Korean and Asian dance community, and to everyone who was hurt to see this happen on our stage.
We also failed in the moment. Behavior like this has to be stopped right there, on stage and in front of everyone, and we did not do it. We are sorry, and we take full responsibility for that. From now on, every MC and competition coordinator at our events is expected to stop this kind of behavior on the spot.
We have spoken with both competitors. They have apologized publicly, and they told us it was never meant to hurt anyone. We believe them, and we know they regret the hurt it caused. It is a reminder for all of us that on a World Cup stage, in front of dancers from every country, what we do can be felt very differently from what we meant.
What we are doing:
- The two competitors involved are suspended from all Bachata Social World Cup competitions until 31 December 2026.
- We have published a Code of Conduct that applies to everyone at our competitions: competitors, judges, MCs, coordinators, staff, partner organizers and our own team.
- Before every event, we brief MCs and competition coordinators on the Code of Conduct and on what to do when something happens on stage.
- Anyone can raise a concern with us at info@bachatasocialworldcup.com, before, during or after an event.
The Bachata Social World Cup exists to bring dancers from every country together. We believe in accountability, and in people's ability to learn and grow. This is not about shaming anyone: it is about learning from it, as an organization and as a community, and making sure behavior like this has no place in our competitions. We look forward to welcoming both dancers back.
Bachata Social World Cup Team