Los Angeles, CA (September 23, 2026) - Five cities, six global teams and more than 1.7 Billion views later, the International Dance League, Inc. (IDL) closed out its historic inaugural season this weekend in Los Angeles, crowning hometown team GRV the league’s first-ever Season Champion in front of a sold-out crowd at the Shrine Expo Hall. This follows Brotherhood, who was undefeated all season, clinching the IDL 2026 Regular Season title the day before. 

The Championship capped a breakout debut for the world’s first global professional dance league, which launched in May, sold out five events and secured its first media rights deal with ESPN. Thanks to e.l.f. Cosmetics, fans around the globe could also livestream the event on YouTube, Instagram, Twitch and TikTok. Photo assets from the event can be found here.

The Championship underscored IDL’s growing commercial momentum across the fan, athlete and broadcast experience, with Honda Stage serving as Presenting Partner, e.l.f. Cosmetics as Live Stream Presenting Partner, CÎROC as Premium Hospitality Partner, Red Bull as Energy Drink Partner, and Shopify as Commerce Partner. 

Sponsor activations enhanced the in-person experience with onsite efforts including:

• Honda’s Civic Hatchback Hybrid showcase

• e.l.f.’s Performance Lounge, featuring a glam station delivering personalized glow-ups and custom shade matching, along with a content studio designed to showcase dancers’ artistry and provide a backdrop for creative expression

• CÎROC’s VIP hospitality experience

• Red Bull-supported dancer recovery services

• Shopify’s interactive Magic Dance Mirror

Fans from around the globe were in attendance, including TV personality Mario Lopez, singer, songwriter and actress Brandy, actress Daniella Monet, World of Dance finalist Ava Wagner, and international pop girl group GIRLSET.

The night kicked off with the Community Division, giving emerging teams and talent in the Adult Division (18+) the opportunity to compete in front of a live audience and earn prize money. San Diego-based team Choreo Cookies clinched first place, Los Angeles-based V MO took the runner-up spot, and Team Athena from Dallas, Texas, rounded out the podium in third.

With Brotherhood claiming the IDL 2026 regular-season title, IDL’s six founding teams, Brotherhood (Vancouver, Canada), Quick Style (Oslo, Norway), Jam Republic (Singapore), 1MILLION (Seoul, South Korea), Royal Family (Auckland, New Zealand), and hometown team GRV (Los Angeles, USA),  took the stage to compete for the league’s first-ever Championship.

In the opening round, No. 1 seed Brotherhood defeated No. 6 seed Quick Style to secure its place in the second round, while No. 5 seed Jam Republic upset No. 2 seed Royal Family and No. 4 seed GRV upset No. 3 seed 1MILLION, setting the three-team field for the final round.

Following three creative, high-energy performances to close out the inaugural season, the hometown GRV pulled off the upset to secure the Championship, becoming the first title-winning team in IDL history and cementing its place in the league’s record books. 

The Championship also introduced an updated judging format, removing the fan vote and adding an additional judge to the panel to place greater emphasis on expert evaluation, ensuring dancers are assessed by leaders with deep knowledge of the styles, history, and culture represented on stage.

From day one, IDL has recognized that professionalizing dance comes with a responsibility to honor and protect the cultures that created it. That commitment led to the creation of the league’s Cultural & Historical Advisory Board (CHAB), which helps ensure cultural integrity remains central to IDL as the league and the sport continue to grow.

That responsibility is reflected throughout the league, from its rosters and judging panels to its creative teams and community partnerships. Black, Brown, Queer and historically underrepresented dancers are not simply part of the conversation, they are integral to IDL and the culture it represents.

The Championship’s judging panel brought together respected leaders from across the dance community. Dr. Arnel Calvario Ripkens served as Head Judge, with Latasha Barnes and Buddha Stretch also contributing to the evening’s commentary and adjudication.

The Community Division judging panel included Sorah Yang, Zuce Morales, Carlos Irizarry and Buddha Stretch, while the Pro Division was judged by Latasha Barnes, Shaun Evaristo, Cheyenne Kibblewhite, Handy Yacinthe, Comfort Fedoke, Brandi Chun and Stephen Grey.

About IDL

IDL is the world's first global professional dance league. 6 of the world's best dance teams from the USA, Canada, South Korea, Southeast Asia, New Zealand, and Norway compete across 5 international events, earning points toward the 2026 season championship. For the first time, these teams have professional contracts, real standings, live global broadcasts, and the visibility that dance deserves. Since the season opener in May 2026, IDL has generated over 1 Billion views worldwide. Dance is our sport.