Queer dance connect

What inspired you to create (or get involved with) your dance group or project?
I feel so proud to be a member of the LGBTQ+ dance community. You only have to step into a same-gender class, event, or competition to feel the joy, openness, and support from everyone attending.
And a few years ago, the scene was really booming — new competitions were starting and entry numbers were higher than ever before. But when Covid hit, it almost felt like a giant reset button had been pushed, and we were having to build again from the beginning. We’ve made amazing progress in the last few years, but there is definitely still room to grow.
I really wanted to help - I wanted to play my part in raising awareness and increasing visibility of same-gender dancing.
Over the past year, I started taking more classes and trying new styles — always dancing as a follower with male teachers — and documenting my journey on social media to showcase same-gender dancing to as wide an audience as possible.
That’s when people began messaging me, asking where they could find classes in their own country — so I set up Queer Dance Connect.
The idea was to create pages on Facebook and Instagram where anyone can find LGBTQ+ dance events, classes, competitions, and even dance partners. I wanted to help people discover this amazing community and find spaces where they feel free to dance with whoever they like, and in whichever role they prefer. It is also a great channel for organizers to promote their own classes, and we have recently started building a collection of videos to showcase the very best of same-gender dancing from around the world.

What moments or experiences helped you see the need for a space like this in the dance world?
The alarm bell for me was a few years ago when I could see shrinking numbers of entrants at competitions and, in some cases, entire events being cancelled. It made me realise that our fantastic dance community could be at risk without active support.
Once I started to post my own content and receive messages from people wanting to get involved, I knew there would be some real value in one central space where people could find classes, events and dance partners.

What styles of dance are at the heart of your group’s work?
One of the best things about Queer Dance Connect is that it’s open to all styles. Whilst ballroom and Latin will always be very close to my heart, I’m passionate about promoting any style and any class that’s been created for the LGBTQ+ community.
That includes everything from Bollywood and Zouk, to Bachata and Commercial, and beyond. At its core, the platform is about helping people find a dance community where they can express themselves freely, in whatever style speaks to them.

What types of events or activities does your group organize?
Rather than organizing my own events, Queer Dance Connect exists to promote the incredible work that other organizers and teachers are already doing around the world.
That said… the thought has definitely crossed my mind for Queer Dance Connect to potentially organize something of its own in the future — so watch this space!

Who’s involved in running your organization or helping bring your events to life?
Queer Dance Connect is powered by the incredible people and organizations who support it — from everyone who has requested a listing, to those who send me their own videos to be shared.
Behind the scenes, I’m a team of one: I run the Facebook and Instagram pages, I reach out to new organizations, and I create all of the listings — all free of charge. And I’m incredibly proud to see how the platform continues to grow, but that growth is only possible because of the amazing support from teachers, organizers, and dancers who engage with it — and I’m hugely grateful for that.

Has your group received any recent recognition, milestones, or moments that made you pause and think, “Yes, this is why we do this”?
My original target was to reach 1,000 followers by Christmas — and we’ve already surpassed that. When you launch something new, you naturally expect slow growth at the beginning, so hitting that milestone ahead of schedule genuinely felt amazing.
Earlier this year, I was also incredibly honored to receive the UK Equality Dance Council Champion Award for my work promoting same-gender dancing. That meant a huge amount to me – it felt like a confirmation Queer Dance Connect is helping our community, and that people are finding value in the platform.
As well as continuing to grow the page, my next big goal is to introduce a brand-new dance partnership to the competitive scene. We have some incredibly talented dancers looking right now, and I’d love to see that perfect match come together very soon!

Looking ahead, what’s next for your group?
For Queer Dance Connect, my main focus will be continuing to grow the platform and expand to even more countries. There are still so many organizations, competitions, and dancers I’ve discovered that I would love to have listed on the page.
I can also exclusively share that in 2026, I’ll be launching a new mobile app for dancers. It will be the perfect companion for competitive dancers, allowing them to create profiles, track their achievements, search for partners, and explore a global calendar of competitions and training events.
The app is being designed with all dancers in mind — whether interested in mainstream events or same-gender — and in the long term, the aim is for this new platform and Queer Dance Connect to work together as one integrated system.
More updates coming very soon!

If your group had a theme song that captures its spirit, what would it be, and why?
I’d have to say Edge of Glory by Lady Gaga, because – as well as being a total banger - it perfectly captures that feeling of stepping into something bold, exciting, and ultimately fabulous.

Instagram - Queer Dance Connect
Facebook - Queer Dance Connect
Instagram - Tim Regan

Photo by: @documentedbyhenrit