SIDF 2027 · THE SAUCE battle
THE SAUCE Battle Entry
$100
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2ND EDITION · FREESTYLE SALSA BATTLE
THE SAUCE 2027 Seoul Dance Battle 1st prize $7,000 2nd $4,000 · 3rd $2,000 · $13,000 total (USD)
Enter the battle. Keep dancing for three days.
April 23-25, 2027 · Cube Convention Center, Seoul
A salsa × freestyle 1v1 battle, open to all dance styles.
- Both advance if both are strong
- Judges' wildcards
- Final: 40% audience vote
Check your registration details after buying your entry ticket
PRACTICE
Get the battle music in advance
Battle music is open in advance. Practice with 800 salsa and 800 freestyle tracks in the real format: 60 s dance, 3 s rest, 6 turns.
- 800 + 800
- 60s / 3s
- No sign-up or payment needed
THE SAUCE · SIDF 2027
Compete or watch the final?
Compare two entry options and the Sunday final spectator ticket.
Payment currency
- SIDF 2027 + THE SAUCE battle
3-Day VIP Pass + THE SAUCE Battle Entry
$248
View details
Battle entry requires you to compete. Your ticket is cancelled if you do not compete.
The standalone battle entry ticket does not include workshops.
See SIDF workshop and social tickets →
Cancel by April 9, 2027 — we refund 90% of what you paid. Refund policy
Fair draw
Meet a strong dancer in round one?
Your battle does not have to end there.
The worst way to lose is a bad draw. When two favorites meet in round one, one goes home. THE SAUCE doesn't allow that.
If both are strong, both advance
If skill is close and both are great, both move on.
One wildcard per judge
One per judge. Send a dancer who lost but deserves to continue.
Decided by skill, not luck.
Before you enter
Dance battle entry, prizes and judging
Can hip-hop, popping, locking, waacking and breaking dancers enter?
Yes. Entry is open to all dance styles. This is a salsa × freestyle crossover, not a separate hip-hop or popping category. Bring your own style and check the shared music, format and judging rules before entering.
“I'm a salsa dancer. Will street dancers have an advantage?”
Yes. Latin judges carry equal weight, and it's a rhythm battle, not a technique contest.
“Is it over if I meet a favorite in round one?”
No. If both are great, both advance. See the fair-draw safeguards
“Is the judging fair?”
Sunday: judges 60% + audience QR vote 40%. No single side owns the result.
“Can I come alone? I don't know anyone.”
Many people come on their own. You can meet others naturally at the first evening's social. Read the practical solo-visit guide
“How are prizes paid, including to overseas entrants?”
$13,000 total · 1st $7,000 · 2nd $4,000 · 3rd $2,000 (USD)
Payout process, taxes and overseas transfers will be confirmed and announced in January 2027. We're preparing payouts for international dancers too.
“What can I do for the three days if I'm eliminated?”
Even if you are eliminated, your entry ticket includes Friday–Sunday shows, social parties and battle viewing. Workshops are included in VIP + battle entry, but not in standalone battle entry. View battle + 3-day full pass
Overview
What is this salsa × freestyle dance battle?
THE SAUCE is SIDF's salsa × freestyle 1v1 battle. Street, salsa and Latin dancers can enter regardless of style. It is a crossover competition with shared rules, not separate competitions for each dance genre.
Crossover
Any genre
Salsa, street or all-style: everyone competes. Judges are half street, half Latin.
Fair draw
A bad draw won't end you
If both are great, both advance. Each judge also holds one wildcard.
Prize
$13,000 total · 1st $7,000 · 2nd $4,000 · 3rd $2,000 (USD)
1:1 battles · pre-registration
Rules
Dance battle schedule and 1v1 format
Qualifiers on Friday; the champion is crowned at Sunday's main final.
- Genre: salsa × freestyle crossover — street, Latin, and all styles welcome
- Main rounds: 1v1 battles
- Byes: advance to the next round if there is no opponent or your opponent does not answer the call
- Sunday final judging: judges 60% + audience votes 40% (via QR)
Details may change; official channels will announce updates.
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Advance registration & preliminaries
Qualifiers run on several stages at once. If strong dancers meet early, both can still advance.
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Main tournament
1:1 battles pick the TOP 16 for Sunday. Co-advance and wildcards still apply.
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Main final · ticketed audience
TOP 16 to the final on one stage, before a paying audience. Sunday is knockout only.
Sunday final judging
One battle = 60 s of dance · 3 s rest · 6 turns — same as the practice room
SIDF 2026 Sunday Sauce Battle photo 111
YouTube
THE SAUCE YouTube
Sunday Final
You don't have to dance.
Just come and watch.
Sunday's main final: TOP 16 to the champion on one stage. Plus one more thing: The audience decides 40% of the result through QR votes. Your ticket lets you take part in the outcome, not just watch.
To watch the battle, use a Sunday pass · 3-day social & party pass · VIP pass · battle spectator ticket — any one of these gives you admission.
SINCE 2024
How SIDF got here
From club workshops in autumn 2024 to 872 dancers in 2026. Every edition came back bigger.
Nov 27–29, 2026 Next up Alex Toledo Masterclass Start with one hour · Go deeper with the bootcamp See Alex classes → 
Apr 23–25, 2027 Next up SIDF 2027 Seoul Int'l Dance Festival Three days of workshops, shows, socials and THE SAUCE battle See SIDF 2027 → 
Major festival
SIDF 2026
The second festival · Wilmer & Maria, Alicia Velasco
- 5,186 photos published
- First THE SAUCE battle
- Letter of support from the Embassy of Cuba
SIDF Summer Edition
Training camp · Wilmer & Maria, Chiky Cuba
- 4, 6 or 12-class packages
- Show + private party
Major festival
SIDF 2025 · 1st edition
The first festival · Alfredo Garcia, Alicia Velasco
- 11 headline dancers
La Música Dentro
Musicality · Angelo Rito
- 4 shows
Timba Master Weekend
Timba · Barbara Jimenez
K-Cuban Camp
Afro-Cuban · Alfredo Garcia
SIDF in numbers
- events since 2024
- 6
- SIDF 2026 participants
- 872
- event photos published
- 5,186
- SIDF 2027 goal · 4× the space
- 1,500+
BUY WITH CONFIDENCE
Book with peace of mind
- Pay from Korea or abroad
Korean payment link to your phone, or PayPal (USD) from abroad. Your ticket appears in My tickets right after payment.
My tickets → - Supported by the Embassy of Cuba
In March 2026 the Embassy of Cuba in Korea sent an official letter supporting SIDF.
View the letter ↗ - Real people answer
Our team answers on KakaoTalk and [email protected], weekdays 10:00–18:00 KST.
Ask on KakaoTalk ↗
Operator
- Company
- Control Beat Co., Ltd.
- Business reg. no.
- 526-88-03467
1st prize $7,000
Genre is just an excuse.