Monterey Swingfest

January 14-18, 2010

This page has all the events that took place in 2010. Bookmark this page and return to get information about 2011’s events!

Immerse yourself in the swing-dancing lifestyle for five whole days with Monterey Swingfest at the Hyatt Regency Monterey! Learn from the best, including intensive classes with West Coast Swing legend Skippy Blair. Show off your skills in the dance contests on Friday, Saturday and Sunday night, and cut loose every day with open dance sessions. With programming on most days going from 9am until the wee hours of the morning, you're sure to wear out the soles on your dancing shoes!

Workshops

The majority of the workshops at Monterey Swingfest focus, fittingly, on the official state dance of California, West Coast Swing. There's a class for every level, from beginners to advanced. The inimitable Skippy Blair will be teaching several intensive sessions, and U.S. Open Champions Tatianna Mollman, Jordan Frisbee and Kelly Casanova will teach a number of sessions separately and together, alongside many othere notable names from the world of West Coast Swing.

Contests

Monterey Swingfest has two types of contests: Strictly Swing and Jack & Jill. Mystified as to what these terms mean? A Jack & Jill contest pairs up a lead dancer and a follower selected randomly. These two dancers have likely never danced together before, and each must rise to the challenge of dancing with an unfamiliar partner while still showing off flair on the dance floor. At each heat, every dancer is matched up with a new partner. A Strictly Swing contest, on the other hand, features a couple that enters together and competes together through all the heats. However, no pre-defined choreography is allowed; the dancers must come up with all their moves on the fly.

Open Dancing

The fun doesn't end if you don't make it to the Champions round in the contests! Open dancing will be held Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Early birds can enjoy open dancing at noon, while night owls can cut a rug until the wee hours of the morning.

How to Attend

Don't miss a minute! The cost for five packed days of workshops, dancing and contests is only $119 if you register online before December 30, and $139 after December 30 and at the door. Monterey Swingfest is held at the Hyatt Regency Monterey. Special hotel rates are available to Swingfest attendees; just type in the code G-CCSW in the "Group/Corporate #" field.