"Everyone Was Happy - That's The Only Metric I Need": Swingsota's Joy Over Competition Philosophy

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Swing Content - A West Coast Swing podcast

Affinity Swing

6 episodes

1 week ago

A West Coast Swing podcast. Real conversations with real dancers. Welcome to Affinity Swing's first podcast - where Harold dive's deep into the minds, methods, and journeys of the people shaping West Coast Swing. From rising stars to seasoned pros, from innovative teachers to community builders, we explore what makes dancers tick and what drives the evolution of our dance.

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"Everyone Was Happy - That's The Only Metric I Need": Swingsota's Joy Over Competition Philosophy

Swing Content - A West Coast Swing podcast

16 minutes 28 seconds

3 months ago

"Everyone Was Happy - That's The Only Metric I Need": Swingsota's Joy Over Competition Philosophy

What happens when an event director spills his pre-event anxieties and post-event relief? When toilet paper becomes a weapon of war? When a dance weekend prioritizes joy over competition results and accidentally creates magic?

Join Harold Baker for a raw, honest conversation with Hieu, the mastermind behind Swingsota 2025. This before-and-after interview captures the emotional rollercoaster of event directing - from pre-weekend nerves about venue changes to post-weekend euphoria about community success.

The Journey Includes:

Hieu's philosophy: "Maybe the results don't matter" and why that's revolutionary
The move from children's theater to hotel and what that meant for the vibe
Harold's severe FOMO about missing everything while filming
The legendary Toilet Paper War of 2025 (historically accurate according to Harold)
Why Swingsota aims to make people "refreshed, rejuvenated, and happy about dance again"
The philosophy of prizes that aren't first place (including the coveted Altman prize)
Harold's realization he needs camera people to follow him around Disney World style

The Swingsota Philosophy:

"Maybe the results don't matter"
Creating space for people to be "joyful and let go"
Building a weekend that people "didn't know they needed"
Supporting everyone who "makes any sort of attempt"

People Mentioned:

Hieu - Swingsota Event Director and philosophical mastermind @swingesota
Robert Royston - Instagram: @robertroyston (Science piece participants puller-inner)
Casey Margules - First place comedy gold winner @case_face_dance

Event References:

Swingsota 2025 - The low-pressure, high-creativity dance weekend @swingesota
The Open - The serious competition people need to decompress from @theopen_swingdancechampionships
TAP - Post-Open decompression essential @tapwcs

Warning: Contains honest discussions of event director anxiety, severe FOMO about missing Between Two Ferns, and historically questionable battleship tactics

Host: Harold Baker - Affinity Swing Instagram: @affinityswing