By Susan Hornik
Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 7/29/25 – “There’s never been a professional ‘endgame’ for dancers—until now,” said Lim, a former street dancer and co-founder of the online dance platform, STEEZY, which has a talent network of a 150M followers.
“For years, dancers have shaped global culture—yet professionally, they’ve always been on the sidelines.”
For the first time ever, dancers from around the world have come together not just as performers, but as athletes — signed to teams, earning salaries, competing in championships, and stepping into a league system modeled after the NBA (National Basketball Association).
“With STEEZY, we built the world’s largest online dance platform and saw the same pattern: world-class talent but no career infrastructure. In sports, you go from college to the NBA. In dance, there’s nothing like that.”
This is why he created the IDL to fill that gap—to give dancers real teams, real contracts, and real recognition as professional athletes.
“This is about elevating dance from a passion into a profession,” Lim enthused.
Recently, the IDL took to the stage at LA’s Shrine Auditorium for a competitive sold-out event, which will tour globally.
“There’s never been a professional ‘endgame’ for dancers—until now,” said Lim. “While young athletes grow up training for the NFL or NBA, dancers have historically aged out with no league to grow into. IDL changes that, giving dancers worldwide a legitimate, sustainable career path.”
So far, Lim said the feedback has been immensely positive.
“The response has been electric. Dancers, choreographers, agents, fans—everyone has been saying ‘It’s about time.’ We’ve had dancers from around the world reaching out to join future seasons. It’s clear there’s not just a hunger for this—there’s been a void. Best of all, this isn’t a one-time event; it’s the foundation of a new professional ecosystem.”
The biggest challenge in making the IDL a reality was putting it all together.
“Creating a league from the ground up—contracts, team logistics, production, digital infrastructure—while keeping the soul of the dance community intact. We weren’t just producing a show. We were building a sport. We wanted to create this in a way that honors the artistry, athleticism, and culture that make dance what it is.”
Lim has brought on a variety of innovative and culturally aligned partners, like Honda, Red Bull, Jordan Brand and CIROC.
“Honda Stage was our lead supporting partner, powering the event, livestream, and digital highlights. They’ve long supported breakthrough talent across music and culture—and now dance.
Jordan Brand was our official footwear and apparel sponsor, bringing “iconic style and performance innovation to the league.”
Red Bull “amplified the athleticism, adrenaline, and global scope of what we’re building. CÎROC brought elevated flavor and celebration to the IDL experience. We’re also collaborating with Jeff Staple, who designed an exclusive IDL capsule collection—a true intersection of streetwear and movement culture.”
Lim hopes to scale this into a global franchise league, with regular seasons, championships, and loyal city-based fanbases.
“Think of it as Formula 1 meets “America’s Best Dance Crew”—elite competition, creator culture, and international storytelling fused together. We’re also investing heavily in digital—building out livestream content, behind-the-scenes access, and year-round team engagement. This is about more than one night. It’s about building careers, rivalries, legacies—everything that makes sport unforgettable.”
