"We had tanks in the city, but they didn't stop the dancing—and we're still going strong." The dance competition, which was taking place at the Crocus, refused to be interrupted due to the terrorist attack. 

The Russian Dance Sport Championship and Junior Championship were scheduled to take place at Crocus City Hall from March 20 to 31. 

On March 22, during the performance of the participants became audible sounds of gunfire. After which the head of the All-Russian Dance Sport Federation Nadezhda Erastova She allegedly demanded that the participants continue dancing, citing that the competition hadn't been stopped even during Prigozhin's rebellion. "We had tanks in the city, but they didn't stop dancing—and we're still continuing." 

Spectators and participants, including children, claim they learned of the attack from a crowd of people running toward them. People began evacuating en masse only after videos of the shooting and casualties circulated on social media.

ASTRA publishes A video of the competition's host speaking into a microphone stating that "the competition will resume very soon" and that there is no need to "panic and run to the locker room."  

Nadezhda Erastova denies, who refused to interrupt the competition during the terrorist attack. She told reporters that she "used to wear epaulettes" and "knows what public safety means." Erastova claims she was the last to be evacuated, and none of the participants or spectators were injured.

Video: Astra