The International Dance with Pets Competition
BY EMMALY WIEDERHOLT AND CATHY INTEMANN; ILLUSTRATIONS BY MAGGIE STACK
Welcome to the 65th annual International Dance with Pets (IDP) competition. I’m your host, Fido Schnauzer, and we’re coming to you live from our beautiful new sports arena in the remote Arctic. We’re so excited to have you join us for this spectacular extravaganza!
Thanks to this year’s sponsor, Classy Collars, because every pet deserves to look sharp.
This year, the competition is steeper than ever. These elite pet dance-thletes train all year in studios around the world to prepare for this moment. Here’s a peek at this year’s most heated events.
The Bulgarians are favored to win this year’s team competition with their ever-popular Snatched Wildebeests routine, but the Swiss are a strong contender with their Turkeys Gonna Back It Up mashup.
The “underdogs” are not to be counted out of this competition! Kuwait’s team has put together a striking number, Tenterfield Terrier Tango Tryst, while the Canadians are looking better than ever with their Tik Tok phenomenon Chihuahua Bolero.
Don’t forget to watch the couple’s competition, where New Zealand’s own Cheryl Cheree and her cat, Spice, will attempt to perform a perfect polka. Also look for Uruguay’s Florencia Rodriguez with her goat, Rodrigo, and their undulating rumba (if you’ve never seen a goat undulate, don’t miss this!)
No IDP is complete without the popular but unpredictable interpretive category. Will the up-and-coming crowd favorite Clifford the Koala win the Contact Improv with Hedgehogs category? Will Partita the Pig finally be able to convincingly emote while improvising to Bach’s Partita for Violin No. 2?
Of course, the reason most of you are tuning in is just to watch the opening number featuring the all-cat ballet troupe, Purrfect Pointe. Will Doozle and Sigyn actually stay en pointe and complete their daring pas de deux, or wander off in search of cat nip?
Stay tuned! We will be there first to interview this year’s pet champions and will even provide commentary and in-depth analysis.