The 2026 Korea International Contemporary Dance Competition (KICDC), designed to nurture emerging dance artists, is set to hold its final rounds at the Cheonan Arts Center from September 28 to 30, following domestic and international preliminary rounds.

Co-hosted by the Cheonan Cultural Foundation and the Korean Dance Association, and organized by the KICDC Organizing Committee, the competition serves as a global stage for young dancers from around the world to showcase contemporary movements, unique artistic styles, and compete at a high level.

This year's preliminary rounds drew significant international attention, featuring 150 domestic participants and 126 participants from 16 foreign countries. A total of 225 dancers successfully advanced to the finals. The competition is divided into three age-based categories: Pre-Junior (ages 12–14), Junior (ages 15–18), and Senior (ages 19–34). Finalists will go through a Semi-Final and Final round to determine the category winners and the overall Grand Prize winner.

Selected winners will have the opportunity to perform at the World Gala Show during the Cheonan World Dance Festival on October 1.

Over the past 17 years, KICDC has established itself as a vital platform for rising contemporary dancers to build their capacity and expand their professional careers onto international stages. Notable past Grand Prize winners have achieved remarkable global success: Jinho Park (2020 winner) received the Best Dancer Award at the 44th Seoul Dance Festival; Jiwan Jung (2022 winner) joined the Gothenburg Opera Dance Company in Sweden; and Sunghyun Hong (2023 winner), after performing with ICK Amsterdam in the Netherlands, is currently dancing with the Grand Theatre de Geneve (GTG) in Switzerland.

The 225 finalists competing this year are expected to present fierce and inspiring performances reflecting their distinct artistic identities.

Detailed information regarding the event, schedules, and ticketing can be found on the official Korea International Contemporary Dance Competition website.