CHIANG RAI – Young dancers from MY DANCE ACADEMY in Chiang Rai competed at the UDO World Street Dance Championships 2026 in Blackpool, United Kingdom, under the name MYDA VARSITY THAILAND.
The pair of “TreeTree” Watcharavee Kothong and “Momo” Mona Wangwinyu won first place in the U18 Intermediate Duo division. Momo also finished second in the U18 Intermediate Solo category.
Other members of the Chiang Rai team reached advanced rounds in Team, Duo, Solo, and 1V1 Battle events. Nana Nichanan Kulyanon reached the World Top 4 in the U16 Locking Battle, while the eight-member U18 Intermediate Team finished fourth out of 15 teams.
MY DANCE ACADEMY reported a total of 11 world-level results across the competition.
The event took place at Winter Gardens in Blackpool from August 12 to 16, 2026. According to the official United Dance Organisation (UDO) website, the UDO World Championships are the organisation’s main annual event. It brings Street Dance and Hip Hop dancers from several countries together to compete in age groups, skill divisions, and different performance formats.
The Chiang Rai dancers competed in Solo, Duo, Team, and Battle events. Each format required a different set of skills, from routine preparation and synchronization to musical interpretation and quick decisions during a live battle.
TreeTree and Momo win the U18 Intermediate Duo title
The strongest result for MYDA VARSITY THAILAND came in the U18 Intermediate Duo division. TreeTree Watcharavee Kothong and Momo Mona Wangwinyu took first place and became world champions.
Both dancers train with MY DANCE ACADEMY and represented Thailand at the event in the United Kingdom. Their result gave Chiang Rai a world title in one of the competition’s paired performance categories.
Momo added another major result in the U18 Intermediate Solo division, where she placed second in the world. She therefore returned from Blackpool with both a world championship title in Duo and a runner-up finish in Solo.
Piti Suksa School in Chiang Rai, where Momo is a Grade 12 student, also congratulated her and TreeTree on winning the U18 Intermediate Duo title.
The Duo result also highlights the way dancers at MY DANCE ACADEMY prepare for competition. According to information shared by the academy, students in Duo, Solo, and Quad categories have more responsibility for developing their own routines. Teachers provide instruction, feedback, and adjustments, while the dancers take part in creating the performance.
That process requires more than memorizing choreography. Dancers must make decisions, interpret music, work with a partner, and develop a performance style that feels personal. In the case of TreeTree and Momo, the routine also required them to communicate and make creative choices as a pair.
Nana reaches the World Top 4 in U16 Locking Battle
Nana Nichanan Kulyanon reached the World Top 4 in the U16 1V1 Locking Battle. MY DANCE ACADEMY said this was the first time Nana had advanced to the Top 4 at a world-level competition.
A 1V1 Battle differs from a Team or Duo event. Instead of performing a fully prepared routine with teammates, dancers must respond to the music and their opponent in real time. They rely on their knowledge of the style, rhythm, musicality, and ability to make quick choices under pressure.
UDO’s Battle divisions include several Street Dance styles, such as Hip Hop, Locking, Popping, and House. Each style demands a different approach, and competitors cannot predict every song, move, or response they will face on stage.
Other members of the Chiang Rai group also reached advanced rounds. TreeTree made the World Top 8 in the U16 1V1 Locking Battle. Mean Araya Sutthanont and Pim Nicharee Pongrangsi each reached the World Top 8 in the O16 1V1 Locking Battle.
These results show that the team performed well in both prepared routines and individual Battle categories. The dancers had to demonstrate teamwork in group events and personal control in head-to-head competitions.
Eight-member team finishes fourth out of 15
MYDA VARSITY THAILAND reached the World Final in the U18 Intermediate Team division and finished fourth out of 15 teams.
Team competitions require dancers to coordinate their timing, technique, formations, use of space, and overall presentation. Every member must perform individually while also matching the group’s movement and structure.
The eight-member team included:
- Momo Mona Wangwinyu
- Pim Nicharee Pongrangsi
- Mean Araya Sutthanont
- Yok Hathai Chanok Sukwattanathawachai
- Kwan Nีracha Na Lamphun
- Nana Nichanan Kulyanon
- TreeTree Watcharavee Kothong
- Thorfan Kanyaphat Wonghoo
The dancers come from several schools in Chiang Rai, including Piti Suksa School, Samakkhi Witthayakhom School, Chiang Rai Municipal School 6, and Chiang Rai Witthayakhom School.
Their participation involved more than academic training. Each dancer had to balance schoolwork, practice, travel, and an international competition schedule. Families and teachers also had to coordinate the practical and financial demands of taking young athletes to an overseas event.
Chiang Rai Municipal School 6 published a congratulatory message for its students who took part in the competition. The school said Hathai Chanok and Kanyaphat helped the team earn fourth place in the U18 Intermediate Team division, while also recording results in their individual Duo or Solo categories.
Eleven world-level results across four formats
MY DANCE ACADEMY listed 11 results from the UDO World Championships. These included a world title, a second-place finish, fourth-, sixth-, and seventh-place rankings, as well as Top 4 and Top 8 finishes in Battle divisions.
The results included:
- First place, U18 Intermediate Duo, TreeTree and Momo
- Second place, U18 Intermediate Solo, Momo
- Fourth place, U18 Intermediate Team
- Fourth place, O18 Novice Duo, Pim and Mean
- World Top 4, U16 Locking Battle, Nana
- Sixth place, U16 Novice Duo, Yok and Thorfan
- Seventh place in Solo, Yok
- Seventh place in Solo, Mean
- World Top 8, U16 Locking Battle, TreeTree
- World Top 8, O16 Locking Battle, Mean
- World Top 8, O16 Locking Battle, Pim
The academy describes these as 11 world-level achievements. That wording is more precise than calling all 11 results awards because the list includes official rankings as well as Battle placements such as World Top 4 and World Top 8.
Reaching an advanced round at an international competition is a significant result, even when it does not come with a medal or trophy. The different categories also use different competition structures, so each result should be understood within its own division.
UDO World is a full Street Dance competition
The UDO World Street Dance Championships is more than a stage performance. The event includes Solo, Duo, TrioQuad, Team, SuperCrew, and Battle categories, with divisions based on age and skill level.
The 2026 competition ran for five days at Winter Gardens in Blackpool. The schedule included Battles, TrioQuad, Duo, Solo, and Team events, followed by the final rounds.
UDO also offered free live streaming through its official channels from August 14 to 16. That allowed families and supporters in other countries to watch the event without traveling to Blackpool.
Depending on the category, dancers moved through different stages, such as Preliminary rounds, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and Finals. A result at the event therefore reflects performance across several rounds, not just one appearance on stage.
The Chiang Rai dancers reached deep rounds in several categories. Their results came from both routine-based events, where preparation and synchronization were essential, and Battle events, where dancers had to react to the music and their opponents without knowing exactly what would happen next.
Training that gives students creative responsibility
Information from MY DANCE ACADEMY shows that its training system focuses on more than learning choreography. The academy encourages students to think independently, create their own work, make decisions, and develop their identity as dancers.
That approach fits the demands of Street Dance. Competitors need strong foundations in their chosen style, but they also need individuality. In a Battle, dancers cannot control the music or predict every move from an opponent. They must listen, react, and make choices in the moment.
Routine competitions require a different type of preparation. Dancers must remember choreography, maintain technical accuracy, stay synchronized, use the stage effectively, and present the routine with confidence.
For that reason, competition training involves physical skills, discipline, pressure management, and creative work. Students learn how to perform prepared material while also building the ability to create and adapt.
The U18 Intermediate Duo title gave TreeTree and Momo a chance to show those skills together. They had to develop a shared performance, communicate through movement, and make decisions before presenting their work against pairs from other countries.
Support from teachers, schools, and families
The dancers trained with lead instructors Kru Sai Mek Phuengudom and Kru Yui Phattharaya Mala, along with the wider MY DANCE ACADEMY coaching team.
The academy also credited parents and families for supporting the dancers throughout their training and competition schedule. Taking young dancers to a world championship requires time, travel arrangements, financial support, physical care, and encouragement during a demanding period.
Schools also played a role by recognizing the students’ achievements and supporting their participation. The dancers came from different educational backgrounds, yet they joined one team and competed under the same name.
That cooperation is important for youth athletes in the performing arts. Students need enough time to train while keeping up with school responsibilities. They also need guidance to manage travel, recovery, performances, and the pressure of competing internationally.
For Chiang Rai, the result raises broader questions about how the province can support young people in Dance, Performing Arts, and other creative activities. Local training spaces, regular competitions, experienced instructors, and access to international events can help more students develop their skills over time.
The success of one group does not automatically create a long-term system. Continued support would give younger dancers a chance to train, compete, and follow a similar path in the future.
World experience matters beyond the rankings
Not every dancer who competes at the World Championships will finish first. The Chiang Rai team also included students who reached the Semifinals, Top 16, Top 8, and other advanced rounds. Each stage gave them experience they can use in future competitions.
Young dancers learn by watching high-level competitors in person. They can study how other dancers use music, build choreography, respond during Battles, and manage pressure on stage. Those lessons are difficult to gain through practice alone.
The academy said every placement, advanced-round appearance, and competition category formed part of the dancers’ international experience. Their preparation required regular practice, discipline, responsibility, and the courage to test their skills against strong competitors.
The team’s story therefore includes more than TreeTree and Momo’s world title. It also includes Nana’s Top 4 Locking Battle finish, the three World Top 8 Battle results, the fourth-place Team finish, and the other Duo and Solo rankings earned by the group.
Chiang Rai earns recognition on the world stage
The UDO World 2026 results show what young dancers from Chiang Rai can achieve when training, school support, coaching, and family commitment come together.
TreeTree and Momo won the U18 Intermediate Duo championship. Nana reached the World Top 4 in the U16 Locking Battle. The eight-member team reached the World Final and finished fourth out of 15 teams. Other dancers also advanced through competitive Duo, Solo, and Battle divisions.
These results show the range of Street Dance competition. Team routines demand coordination, Duo performances require partnership, Solo events focus on individual presentation, and Battles test real-time responses to music and opponents.
The next step is to maintain regular opportunities for training and competition. Continued support can help the current dancers improve and give younger students in Chiang Rai a clear path into the sport and performing arts.
In August 2026, a group of Chiang Rai students competed under the Thai flag and earned results that ranged from World Champion to World Top 8. Their performance at Blackpool put the name Chiang Rai, Thailand on an international Street Dance stage.
