Implementation Plan
KOREA DANCE ASSOCIATION
Ⅰ. Purpose
2026 Rising Dance Artist Development Project (KICDC) is a project based on the International Contemporary Dance Competition established in 2010. The goal is to directly experience the current global contemporary dance trends through competitions and networks of domestic and foreign contemporary dancers, discover world-class talented dancers, become an indicator of contemporary dance around the world, and to harmonize, meet, and exchange among dancers around the world.
Ⅱ. policy
A. The event is co-hosted by the Korea Dance Association and Cheonan Cultural Foundation, and organized by the Korea International Contemporary Dance
Competition Organizing Committee.
B. The competition is held once a year and consists of a competition and a gala performance.
C. The participation category will be held in 10 categories of pre-junior, junior(male/female), senior(male/female), untact pre-junior,
untact junior(male/female), and untact senior(male/female).
D. The scope of participation shall be from Sep 29, 1991 to Sep 21, 2014 based on the start date of the competition, male and female contemporary
dance majors from all over the world.
E. Participating works in this competition are individual solo works within four minutes, evaluating the accuracy of techniques, movements, and completeness of
the work, and proceeding in the order of preliminary, semi-final, and final.
F. Through competition in good faith, we are promoting the improvement of the level of dance arts around the world and motivation by winning seven awards in
each category.
G. Proceeds from the event shall be the income hosted by the Korea Dance Association, and shall be used only for the purpose of promoting dance arts.
Ⅲ. Detailed plan
1. outline
A. Competition Name : 2026 Korea International Contemporary Dance Competition
B. Period : Domestic preliminary round - Jul 4, 2026 (Sat)
Global preliminary round - Aug 12, 2026 (Wed)
Final - Sep 28, 2026 (Mon) to Sep 30, 2026 (Wed)
World Gala - Oct 1 (Wed), 2026
C. Venue : Domestic preliminary – Yeongdeungpo Art Hall
Global preliminary - Room 207, Art & Design Center, Sangmyung University
Final – Cheonan art center (Grand Hall)
D. Hosted by : Korea Dance Association, Cheonan Cultural Foundation
E. Supervise by : KICDC Composition of Organization
F. Sponsor by : Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Cheonan-si, FIDAF
2. Contents
A. Preliminary : Semi-final lists will be selected through preliminary rounds.
Date | Program | Venue | ||
May 18 (Mon) - Jun 17 (Wed) | Qualification application received | Domestic | Online(Dance Moa) | |
Apr 15 (Wed) - Jul 15 (Wed) | Foreign | Online(Dance Moa) | ||
Domestic | Jun 5 (Sat) | Domestic Preliminary | Yeongdeungpo Art Hall | |
Foreign | Aug 12 (Wed) | Foreign untact screening and announcement of results | Room 207, Art & Design Center, Sangmyung University | |
B. Finals : The laureate selection is made by proceeding with the semi-final and final.
Date | Program | Venue | ||
Jul 27(Mon) - Aug 12(Wed) | Application of Semi-Final | Domestic | Online | |
Sep 28(Mon) | 9:00 ~ 21:00 | Opening Ceremony & Semi Final(Pre Junior, Junior) | Grand hall Cheonan Art Center | |
Sep 29(Tue) | Semi Final(Senior) | |||
Sep 30(Wed) | Final & Closing Ceremony | |||
Oct 1(Thu) | World Gala | Outdoor Stage of Cheonan Heungtaryeong Dance Festival | ||
C. Participation category
A. Pre-Junior(Solo) - International age 12~14 (no gender division)
B. Junior(Solo) - International age 15~18 (Male, Female)
C. Senior(Solo) - International age 19~34 (Male, Female)
※Age Standard
A. Pre-Junior(Solo) - Sep 28, 2014 to Sep 29, 2011
B. Junior(Solo) - Sep 28, 2011 to Sep 29, 2007
C. Senior(Solo) - Sep 28, 2007 to Sep 29, 1991
D. Participation Qualification
1) Preliminary Participation Criterion
Domestic Participants (Choose One) | General | - Must be a Korean national - Must have no grounds for disqualification in the relevant competition category, regardless of place of residence or activity |
Regional Special Selection | - Must be a Korean national - Must reside, study, or be professionally active outside Seoul (*Must be studying or professionally active in the relevant region at the time of participation) |
International Participants | General | - Must be able to participate in the on-site competition - Must be a non-Korean national - Must have no grounds for disqualification in the relevant competition category |
Untact | - Must be unable to participate in the on-site competition - Must be a non-Korean national |
2) Preliminaries exemption condition (Semi-final directly)
| Domestic Participants (Choose One) |
| - Participants who have qualified for the main competition through the Domestic Preliminary Round (General/Regional Category) - Must have no grounds for disqualification in the relevant competition category, regardless of place of residence or activity | |
Regional Quota (Regional Preliminary Round) | - Participants who have qualified directly for the main competition through regional competitions organized by the 16 regional branches of the Korea Dance Association or other recognized regional quota competitions - Must have no grounds for disqualification in the relevant competition category | ||
Exemption through Other Competitions |
|
International Participants | General |
| |
Untact |
|
E. Competition Category
A. Pre-Junior | Round Ⅰ | Solo within 4 minutes (Semi-final) |
Round Ⅱ | Solo within 4 minutes (Final) | |
B. Junior | Round Ⅰ | Solo within 4 minutes (Semi-final) |
Round Ⅱ | Solo within 4 minutes (Final) | |
C. Senior | Round Ⅰ | Solo : 3 - 4 minutes (Semi-final) |
Round Ⅱ | Solo : 3 - 4 minutes (Final) |
3. Semi-final Exemption Special Support Contest
Among the domestic competitions designated by the 2026 KICDC Organizing Committee held within Jul 2026 (until Jul 31), domestic and foreign winners
recognized by the Korean Government Military Manpower Administration will be given the privilege to participate in the Semi-Final list as follows.
(Except for 2025 KICDC semi-finalists.)
Name of Competition | Hosted by | Type of Award |
2026 Dong-A Dance Competition | The Dong-A Ilbo | - Top two winners in the High School Contemporary Dance Division - Top two winners in the Senior Men’s Contemporary Dance Division - Top two winners in the Senior Women’s Contemporary Dance Division |
2026 57th Dance Competition for Elementary, Middle, and High School Students | Korea Dance Association | - Top two winners in the Upper Elementary School Contemporary Dance Division (Regulation/General) - Top two winners in the Lower Middle School Contemporary Dance Division (Regulation/General) - Top two winners in the Upper Middle School Contemporary Dance Division (Regulation/General) - Top two winners in the Lower High School Contemporary Dance Division (Regulation/General) - Top two winners in the Upper High School Contemporary Dance Division (Regulation/General) |
2026 Korea Contemporary Dance Competition
| Korea Contemporary Dance Association |
- Top two male and top two female winners in the Lower High School Division - Top two male and top two female winners in the Upper High School Division - Top two winners in the Senior Men’s Division - Top two winners in the Senior Women’s Division
|
2026 63rd National New Dancers Competition | Korea Dance Association | - Top two winners in the Men’s Contemporary Dance Division - Top two winners in the Women’s Contemporary Dance Division |
2026 Seoul International Dance Competition | Seoul International Cultural Exchange Association | - Top two winners in the Pre-Junior Division - Top two winners in the Junior Contemporary Dance Division - Top three winners in the Senior Men’s Contemporary Dance Division - Top three winners in the Senior Women’s Contemporary Dance Division |
2026 7th BIDF Busan International Dance Festival Dance Grand Prix | Busan International Dance Festival Organizing Committee | - Top two winners in the Pre-Junior Division - Top two winners in the Junior Division - Top three winners in the Senior Division |
2025 Korea International Contemporary Dance Competition | Korea Dance Association | - Top two winners in the Pre-Junior Division - Top two winners in the Junior Division - Top three winners in the Senior Men’s Division - Top three winners in the Senior Women’s Division |
※ Participants MUST prove by sending the certificate of award.
※ Due to the nature of the domestic competition, if there are several people eligible for Semi-Final direct privileges because the categories (elementary, middle,
high school, lower, and upper grades) are different from international competitions, the final direct winner will be decided by the organizers..
4. Participating Works
A. Each domestic and international participant shall perform one individual solo work. The duration of the work shall not exceed four minutes.
For the Senior Division, however, the work must be between three and four minutes in duration.
B. Participants in the preliminary and main rounds shall submit the following required materials
to the Secretariat of the Korea International Contemporary Dance Competition, the organizing body of the competition.
5. Application Procedure and Required Documents
A. Application Procedure
1) Application Period
■ Domestic Preliminary Round: May 18 (Mon) – Jun 17 (Wed), 2026
■ International Preliminary Round: April 15 (Wed) – Jul 15 (Wed), 2026
2) Application Method: Online application
3) Required Documents
① Preliminary
Domestic and International Preliminary Rounds: Online Application | |||
| Submission document | Details | |
1 | Application Form | - Complete the application online | |
2 | One Photograph | - One high-resolution identification photograph | |
3 | Music File | - Rename the file as follows: Division – Name – Title of Work (e.g., Senior Men – Hong Gil-dong – Title of Work) - Music cannot be changed on the day of the competition. - An edited music file of no more than four minutes must be submitted. | |
4 | Participation fee | - Domestic Preliminary Round entry fee: KRW 200,000 - The depositor’s name must match the participant’s name. | |
| 5 | Copy of ID |
| |
| 6 | Consent Form |
| |
| 7 | Copyright Documents |
| |
| 8 | Video Submission (International Preliminary Round Only) |
| |
| 9 | Safety Training Completion Certificate | - In accordance with Article 11-4 of the Public Performance Act and Article 9-4 of its Enforcement Decree, performers, the person responsible for overall safety, and safety management personnel participating in a performance must complete the applicable safety training to ensure the safe management of the performance. - Participants must complete the safety training as part of the performer course. | |
② Finals
Online Application | |||
| Submission document | Details | |
1 | Application Form | - Complete the application online | |
2 | One Photograph | - One high-resolution identification photograph | |
3 | Music File | - Rename the file as follows: Division – Name – Title of Work (e.g., Senior Men – Hong Gil-dong – Title of Work) - Music cannot be changed on the day of the competition. - An edited music file of no more than four minutes must be submitted. | |
4 | Participation fee | - Main Competition Entry Fee: KRW 200,000 (the exchange rate on the date of payment will apply). * Participants granted direct entry to the Semi-Final and participants who have qualified directly for the main competition through regional competitions organized by the 16 regional branches of the Korea Dance Association or other recognized regional quota competitions must pay the Semi-Final entry fee without exception. (The same required documents and supporting evidence as those for the preliminary round must be submitted.) * Participants who qualify for the Semi-Final through the KICDC Preliminary Round are exempt from paying an additional Main Competition entry fee and are only required to submit the participation application. * The depositor’s name must match the participant’s name. | |
| 5 | Copy of ID |
| |
| 6 | Consent Form |
| |
| 7 | Copyright Documents |
| |
| 8 | Safety Training Completion Certificate | - In accordance with Article 11-4 of the Public Performance Act and Article 9-4 of its Enforcement Decree, performers, the person responsible for overall safety, and safety management personnel participating in a performance must complete the applicable safety training to ensure the safe management of the performance. - Participants must complete the safety training as part of the performer course. | |
6. Award : The following awards will be selected through the evaluation of the contest of the judges.
Category | Rank | Prize Money | The number of people | ||
Contemporary Dance | Grand Prize (one of the gold prize winner) | ￦2,500,000 KRW | 1 | ||
Pre - Junior | Gold | ￦400,000 KRW | 1 | ||
Silver | ￦300,000 KRW | 1 | |||
Bronze | ￦200,000 KRW | 1 | |||
Mayor of Cheonan-si | - | 1 | |||
Chairman of KDA | - | 1 | |||
| Organizing Committee Chair's Award | - | 1 | |||
| Jury Leader | - | 1 | |||
Pre - Junior (untact) | Gold | ￦100,000 KRW | 1 | ||
Silver | - | 1 | |||
Bronze | - | ||||
1 | |||||
Junior | Gold | Each/￦600,000 KRW | 2 | ||
Silver | Each/￦400,000 KRW | 2 | |||
| Bronze | Each/￦200,000 KRW | 2 | |||
Mayor of Cheonan-si | - | 2 | |||
Chairman of KDA | - | 2 | |||
| Organizing Committee Chair's Award | - | 2 | |||
| Jury Leader | - | 2 | |||
Junior (untact) | Gold | Each/￦200,000 KRW | 2 | ||
| Silver | Each/￦10,000 KRW | 2 | |||
| Bronze | - |
| |||
Senior | Gold | Each/￦2,000,000 KRW | 2 | ||
Silver | Each/￦1,500,000 KRW | 2 | |||
Bronze | Each/￦1,000,000 KRW | 2 | |||
Mayor of Cheonan-si | Each/￦500,000 KRW | 2 | |||
Chairman of KDA | Each/￦400,000 KRW | 2 | |||
| Organizing Committee Chair's Award | Each/￦200,000 KRW | 2 | |||
| Jury Leader | - | 2 | |||
Senior (untact) | Gold | Each/￦200,000 KRW | 2 | ||
Silver | Each/￦150,000 KRW | 2 | |||
Bronze | Each/￦100,000 KRW | 2 | |||
Leader Award | - | 2 | |||
7. Organizing and Operating Committees
1) Composition of Organization
- Composition : About 70 people including ex-officio
- Part : Decision and announcement of implementation plan
2) judging committee
- Composition : It is selected through the recommendation of the organizing committee and consists of around 7 people
- Part : Determination of Judging Criteria & Award candidate decision
3) artistic director
- Composition : A person designated by the President of the Korea Dance Association
- Part : Planning and Field General Affairs of the Contest, as well as Organizing Committee Members