Golden Dance Awards NI 2026

The Golden Dance Awards NI take place on Saturday 26 September 2026 at Culloden Estate and Spa, Belfast. This is the third year of the awards, which honour dance schools, studio owners, teachers, choreographers, dancers, artists, volunteers, and the organisers of feiseanna, festivals and competitions across Northern Ireland.

Ballet is one of 13 awards in the Dance Style Excellence group, so ballet dancers, teachers and schools are judged for a style award alongside jazz, Irish, Highland, tap, contemporary and the rest. Ballet dancers can also enter Dancer of the Year and the Pre-Professional Dancer / Performing Arts Student of the Year award.

The awards were co-founded by Catherine Hughes and Danielle Hughes Quinn, both former dancers, with the stated aim of building "a prestigious platform that celebrates the talent, creativity, and dedication within the industry". Class4Kids is title partner and Dance World is a partner.

Categories, judging criteria and the nomination form are on the organiser's site at danceawardsni.com.

• Ballet and dance teachers, choreographers and dance assistants working in Northern Ireland
• Dance schools of any size: up to 100 students, 101 to 250, and 250 or more
• Solo dancers aged 9 and under, 13 and under, and 17 and under
• Pre-professional dancers and performing arts students aged 18 and over
• Primary schools, secondary schools and universities or colleges running dance programmes
• Feis, festival and competition organisers, dance photographers, dance content creators, and dance parents

The awards night covers more than 40 titles across seven groups:

• Special recognition: 11 awards, including Choreographer of the Year, Up & Coming Choreographer of the Year, Dance Teacher of the Year (10+ years teaching), Up & Coming Dance Teacher of the Year, Dance Assistant of the Year, Dance Photographer of the Year, Dance Parent Award, Community Engagement Dance Award, Equality Diversity & Inclusion Award, Dance for Wellbeing Award, and the Lifetime Achievement Award for 30+ years teaching
• Dance Style Excellence: 13 style awards including ballet
• Dance school awards: Small (up to 100), Medium (101 to 250) and Large (250+) School of the Year
• Dancer of the Year: aged 9 and under, 13 and under, 17 and under
• Education awards: Primary School, Secondary School, and University or College of the Year
• Event awards: Dance Competition, Feis or Festival, and Project or Initiative of the Year
• Performing Arts Student (song and dance) at 9 and under, 13 and under, 17 and under, plus Pre-Professional Dancer / Performing Arts Student of the Year (18+), and Group Performance of the Year, which must be performed live on the night

Saturday 26 September 2026, Culloden Estate and Spa, Belfast.

The organiser has not published start times, ticket prices or a nomination closing date. Check danceawardsni.com or email info@danceawardsni.com before making travel plans.

Ballet is judged in the Dance Style Excellence group, alongside jazz, Irish, line, Highland, tap, hip hop, cheerleading, acro, contemporary, lyrical, freestyle and other. Ballet dancers are also eligible for Dancer of the Year at 9 and under, 13 and under and 17 and under, for Performing Arts Student of the Year at the same three ages, and for Pre-Professional Dancer / Performing Arts Student of the Year at 18 and over.

Awards night: Saturday 26 September 2026.

Nominations: submitted through the official nomination form. Solo audition entries for Dancer of the Year, Performing Arts Student of the Year and the Pre-Professional award must include video of up to two minutes, uploaded to Dropbox and emailed to info@danceawardsni.com with the performer's full name, dance or performing arts school, and age category. Entries without video are not judged. Finalists are notified by email.