Dancing through life: the surprising story of Montenegro’s Phygital Dancing champion
The journey from studying to become a veterinarian assistant, to working in logistics and then becoming Phygital Dancing champion may seem an unlikely story, but that is exactly what has happened to Dion Visser, from the Netherlands, who literally jumped at the chance to compete at the GOTF Major for Phygital Dancing being hosted in Montenegro.
The 27-year-old Dutch dancer didn’t think twice about dropping everything and jetting across Europe at the drop of a hat to chase his dream. Dion’s journey to The Games of the Future began when his friend mentioned that he was competing at the GOTF Majors in the USA.
Inspired by the opportunity, he began searching for any GOTF Majors near him and his efforts led him to Montenegro. Without hesitation, he travelled from the Netherlands to compete, a decision that would become one of the most rewarding of his life.
“I reached out to the World Phygital Community to find out how I could participate.” Dion said. “Eventually, I got the opportunity to compete in Montenegro, and I decided to go for it without hesitation. That decision turned out to be one of the best of my life. This was my first introduction to phygital sports, and I absolutely love the concept—blending gaming with real physical action.”
The biggest thing about Phygital Dancing is fun. Dion described his experience in Montenegro as “an exciting event filled with passionate people, and the energy is just incredible.”
But there’s more. Having been part of earlier esports tournaments, Dion can see the difference that Games of the Future and the whole phygital concept is making.
“It feels like a much bigger and a more professional event.” Dion added. “The scale of The Games of the Future Majors is huge, and for the first time, I’m competing for prize money, which makes me feel like a real phygital competitor.”
Dion’s dancing journey started 14 years ago when his foster sister convinced him to join her in playing dancing video games. It was the first step into a lifelong passion.
“Dancing has changed my life in so many ways!”, Dion added. “I’ve travelled extensively, reached two finals at the Just Dance World Cup, helped organize national championships in the Netherlands and Belgium, and even met my best friends through it. However, I did have to make some sacrifices. I originally planned to pursue a career in veterinary medicine, but I quickly realized that balancing that with traveling, gaming, and dancing wouldn’t be feasible. Instead, I chose to work in logistics as it offers the flexibility and the financial security I need, to keep doing what I love. I’ve never regretted that decision.”
While friends and family have been a great personal support, the first generation of online dancing celebrities also made an impact. The work of people like Kelvin Jaeder, Tuhlio, Dina and Avery – whether on YouTube or at the Esports World Convention – was a huge inspiration.
And now, having seen the GOTF Majors in person for the first time, Dion believes that the future is bright. With more WPC members hosting the GOTF Majors in countries around the world and word spreading about the rapid rise of phygital sport, he’s expecting future events to be even bigger.
The victory in Montenegro puts him one step closer to the biggest stage in global phygital competition, The Games of the Future 2025 and a shot at the ultimate Phygital Dancing crown.
“I’ve been playing for so many years and for so many hours that I felt confident enough to just go for it in Montenegro.” Dion said. “However, for The Games of the Future 2025, I won’t take it lightly. I’m going to train as hard as I can because I know my opponents and respect their skill. They’re strong competitors, and I want to give my best performance.”
Beyond the competition, it’s also an opportunity to reconnect with old friends from the dancing community later this year at the GOTF Qualifiers in the UAE, after six years.
“I look forward to meeting my old friends as I take another step towards The Games of the Future 2025”, Dion continued. “That means the world to me because it gives me a chance to see so many of my friends again.”
