WDSF President Lukas Hinder has claimed several important milestones were achieved in 2016 ©WDSF

World DanceSport Federation (WDSF) President Lukas Hinder has claimed several important milestones were achieved in 2016, with the highlight being the inclusion of the sport at the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympics.

Break dancing, a style of street dance typically performed to hip-hop, funk music and breakbeats, was entered as a discipline within sport dancing and will feature for the first time at any Olympic level.

The decision was taken by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) last month, with karate and sport climbing also selected as they sought to bring "more innovation" to the Youth Games.

Hinder, who was elected to the Presidency last year after a spell in temporary charge, hailed the addition but hopes it will prove just the start of further success for DanceSport.

"DanceSport is one of three sports selected by the International Olympic Committee to premiere in the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games," Hinder wrote in his New Year’s message.

"That in itself could be considered the fulfilment of our highest aspirations.

"But as is the case with all the other milestones too, it merely marks another point of departure for efforts that will need to be made in the future."

Hinder also viewed tackling the threat of competition manipulation as another key milestone in 2016, as the governing body looked to boost the sport’s integrity.

Break dancing was added to the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games programme last month ©Getty Images
Break dancing was added to the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games programme last month ©Getty Images

A WDSF Presidential Task Force to combat competition manipulation was formed in April, with the panel consisting of Hinder, ethics in sports expert Harri Syväsalmi and WDSF code of ethics author Daniel Stehlin.

The Task Force had been set up by Hinder, who admitted that competition manipulation had been a problem in the sport for several years.

He has acknowledged it will be a mid to long-term project, with a number of restrictions needing to be accepted to help the effort.

"The WDSF administration has been professionalised further by opening the staffed headquarters in Lausanne, and by appointing former adviser Jean-Laurent Bourquin as chief executive officer in charge of personnel there as well as at our branch office in Barcelona," Hinder added.

"We also review the current governance structure with a view to extend the concept of responsibility assignment to the members of Presidium too."