Swingtime Ball 2026
For 20 years, Swingtime Ball has brought together swing dancers from China and around the world. Join us in 2026 to celebrate our 20th anniversary with inspiring workshops, exciting competitions, unforgettable parties, and plenty of dancing.
Tickets & Pricing
Secure your spot at Swingtime Ball 2026
Thursday Dance Party
Welcome Party & Cabaret Show
3-Day Weekend Party Pass
Friday · Saturday · Sunday
1-Day Party Pass
Choose Friday, Saturday, or Sunday
All times in Beijing Time (GMT+8)
Buy Your Pass NowInstructors Lineup
Meet our amazing instructors
Adam Lee & Leru
Adam, originally from the United States, and Leru, from Russia, founded Swingtime Ball in Beijing twenty years ago. What began as a shared vision became one of China's most beloved swing dance events, still thriving two decades later.
Chester Whitmore
Dancing since 1974 and a protege of Fayard Nicholas (of the Nicholas Brothers) Chester has been dancing his way around the world. These days he is a dancer, teacher, performer, choreographer, director, stunt man and entertainer. His choreography can be seen in music videos for Boys II Men, Sugar Ray, Teena Marie as well as working with artists such as Savion Glover, MC Hammer, Prince and many more. Also a highly renowned drummer and band leader he has worked with some of the best in the entertainment industry. He has performed with his dance company Black Ballet Jazz, with the Lionel Hampton Orchestra, the Duke Ellington Orchestra, the Count Basie Orchestra and the great Miles Davies. Chester exudes boundless positive energy and passion for dance and is a born entertainer. His contributions have been far too many to name them all. He can only be seen to be believed.
Andante Jang
Andante is a Korean swing dancer and educator who has been active since 2005, celebrated for his humor and rhythm. A decorated competitor with multiple first-place titles at KLHC, AJW, ILHC, and other major events, he has been teaching Lindy Hop and Solo Jazz worldwide for nearly two decades.
Andy Seo
Andy Seo is a Lindy Hop and Authentic Jazz dancer, teacher, choreographer, and performer based in Seoul, Korea. Known for his dynamic, groovy style and full of character, he is a unique artist with his own style. He runs his own Authentic Jazz and Lindy Hop school in Korea and has traveled worldwide as an instructor, performer, competitor, and social dancer, winning multiple international competitions. He also contributed to boosting Solo Jazz in Korea by organizing Authentic Jazz Weekend with Team Sweetheart, one of the best Solo Jazz events in the world.
Yuyu
With over a decade of experience, Yuyu has been active as a swing dancer in Korea and internationally. She enjoys exploring Lindy Hop, Solo Jazz, and Charleston, which has led her to participate in various competitions and performances. She is involved in teaching, competing, and performing, sharing her passion for swing dance with others. Currently, she leads Team Buzz and runs Buzz Studio, where she focuses on fostering a welcoming and supportive dance community.
Awozi Zhao
Awozi is a swing dance instructor at Cat's Corner Beijing, founder of The Night Parade Jazz, and a jazz vocalist. Drawing on years of experience in musical theatre and stage performance, she has performed in acclaimed productions including Mamma Mia! and Les Misérables. In recent years, she has earned multiple Solo Jazz championship titles at competitions in China and abroad, establishing herself as a versatile dancer, choreographer, performer, and musician.
Erol Akinci
Erol is widely recognized for his Bebop expertise and mastery of diverse jazz dance styles, and is based in Istanbul. As a bass player with a deep understanding of music, his choreography is experimental and exploratory. His classes guide dancers progressively from Bebop foundations to the full richness of jazz dance expression.
Semih Işbilen
Semih started dancing in 2014 and quickly developed a reputation for his fast learning, boundless energy, and creativity. Based in Istanbul, he has dedicated himself to exploring a wide range of jazz dances, with Bebop becoming his latest passion. Inspired by vintage clips, Semih brings both tradition and creativity to the dance floor, and is excited to share his techniques, style, and love for social dancing.
Hammer Lu & River Jiang
River embodies the humor, elegance, and showmanship of early jazz entertainment, crafting a uniquely personal movement style. With extensive stage and screen performance experience, he is also an award-winning competitor across top international events, dancing vintage rhythms with a contemporary voice. Hammer, a graduate of the Beijing Film Academy, draws on her acting and film background to blend performance narrative with Jazz Age aesthetics. Her teaching goes beyond technique, inspiring students to develop both their stage presence and individual style.
Hannah Lane
Hannah Lane is a Jazz dancer and jazz history researcher from Baltimore, Maryland. In addition to her love for jazz music and social dancing, she is passionate about historical research, focusing on jazz dancers and nightlife venues in Black American communities across the United States. Hannah's project Queens of the Nightclub explores the lives, artistry, and careers of Shake Dancers, seeking to uplift their legacies in Jazz dance history and American popular culture.
Nii Attoh-Okine
Nii Attoh-Okine is an avid Lindy Hop dancer, competitor, and DJ from Baltimore, Maryland. Over the past decade, Nii has traveled to dance scenes around the world, drawing inspiration from the diverse styles he's encountered and sharing that perspective with his local community at Mobtown Ballroom. His classes emphasize the deep interdependence between partners and the music\u2014focusing on how rhythm, connection, and shared creativity create a truly joyful dance.
Jihee Baek & Ilkyu Kang
Ilkyu and Jihee are Seoul-based swing dance partners specializing in Lindy Hop and Balboa. Known for their dynamic performances, characterized by high energy, strong partnership, and exciting aerials, they move seamlessly between the two styles. They are also two-time consecutive champions of the STB Lindy Hop Strictly division and actively teach, perform, and judge at swing dance events both in Korea and around the world.
Joy Chen
Joy is one of the lead instructors at Cat's Corner Beijing, known for her boundless energy and infectious presence. Equally at home in Lindy Hop and Solo Jazz, she has also devoted herself to studying Chorus Line and other classic jazz traditions, developing a distinctive style of her own. In class, she excels at breaking down complex techniques through clear physical demonstrations, while her expertise in Fast Lindy and aerials showcases the athleticism and versatility of her dancing.
Tian Tian
Tian Tian is a jazz trombonist and performer. He graduated from the New England Conservatory of Music, the first conservatory in the United States to establish a jazz degree program. He has remained active on the jazz scene and teaches at a conservatory. His playing covers a wide range of styles, and his deep study of the jazz language gives him an improvisational mindset that goes beyond the written score. He is equally active in the swing dance world as both a musician and a dancer—he believes that the best music for swing dancing is not just accompaniment, but an improvised dialogue that breathes with the dancers' steps. This seamless blend of academic training and the vibrant energy of the dance floor makes him a dancer with an instrumentalist's sensibility.
Kyle & Yuanyuan
Kyle fell in love with swing from his very first step, and Lindy Hop soon became his greatest passion. Deeply inspired by jazz music, vintage footage, and legendary dancers of the past, he favors elegant slides and syncopated footwork, believing every dancer can find their authentic self through swing. Yuanyuan grew up studying folk dance, ballroom, and multiple instruments before discovering swing as the perfect fusion of her passions. Traveling across America, Europe, and Asia to study with renowned instructors, she sees every dance as a living connection between music, culture, history, and people.
Kiki House
Kiki House is one of China's leading West African Manding music studios, Kiki & Yu are dedicated to sharing a deeper and more diverse understanding of West African culture. Yu began her journey into Manding music in 2015. With instinctive passion and sensitivity, she brings every performance to life and inspires dancers to connect with rhythm through the body. Kiki has over 13 years of experience with Manding music. A pioneer in the field, he has studied with masters worldwide. While rooted in tradition, he's also exploring new ways to bring Manding music to the stage.
Misha Wu
Misha is a swing dancer of Russian and Chinese heritage whose movement blends explosive power with effortless cool. Improvisation, humor, and musicality are at the heart of his approach to dance. Blessed with striking looks, he has never let them overshadow his dedication and hard work. A jazz trumpeter, versatile swing dancer, experienced Swing DJ, and recipient of the Frankie Manning Ambassador Scholarship, Misha has earned every achievement through equal parts talent and dedication.
Peter Loggins & Katja Završnik
Peter Loggins brings a first hand historical approach to swing dance, sharing knowledge passed down from 1930s Swing Champions and Harvest Moon Ball winners. An instructor, lecturer, performer, and judge worldwide, he has appeared in film and television including Mulholland Drive and Beverly Hills 90210. Katja Završnik is a renowned professional dancer and instructor. Since 2005, she has focused primarily on partner and solo dances from the Jazz Age and Swing Era, mastering styles such as Lindy Hop, Balboa, Charleston, St. Louis Shag, authentic (vernacular) jazz dance, and ragtime dances. She travels the world, teaching and inspiring dancers everywhere.
Zilong & Holly
Zilong and Holly are the founders of Shanghai's Tabby the Cat studio. A pioneer and promoter of SoCal-style Lindy Hop in China, Zilong has earned multiple international competition titles and trained many outstanding Lindy Hop and Balboa dancers and instructors. Together, they organize Shanghai Balboa Weekend, China's largest Balboa event. Sharing a passion for Balboa and SoCal Lindy Hop, Holly travels worldwide to learn from renowned teachers and explore the roots of swing, bringing her deep understanding of partner connection back to the dance floor.
Sep Vermeersch
Sep Vermeersch is a unique and committed creative. He's an experienced jazz, blues & swing dancer, DJ, MC, and event organizer from Belgium. A lifelong student deeply rooted in the history of African American social dances, he teaches as a facilitator, creating space for personal growth and authentic style. Sep also shapes and organizes events such as Upside Down Festival, Big City Blues and Upside Down The Ghent Festival. He brings groove, warmth and curiosity wherever he goes.
Wanyuan Li
Since 2018, Wanyuan has been a full-time swing dancer, deeply rooted in the movement and musicality of the Harlem Jazz Era. Known for her Scat-guided teaching, she helps dancers build a genuine connection between movement and music. She has been invited to teach in cities across Europe and China.
Satenik Mkhitaryan
For Satenik, dance is a space of freedom and expression. She began her dance journey through classical dance and competitive figure skating before finding her passion in Swing. Rooted in tradition yet constantly exploring, she has had the opportunity to work and learn alongside Chester Whitmore. She is also the co-organizer of Swing Road Armenia Festival. Her approach bridges Swing with other dance forms, continually enriching her movement.
Dafa Li
Dafa is a Berlin-based Lindy Hop and Solo Jazz dancer and instructor. He began his swing dance journey at Cat's Corner Beijing in 2019, growing from a complete beginner into a teacher. Inspired by vintage film clips, he approaches dance with passion, curiosity, and a spirit of exploration, bringing warmth, knowledge, and a genuine love for the dance floor to everyone he meets.
Band
Live music by the renowned Stockholm Swing All Stars
The Stockholm Swing All Stars started out in 2002. The idea was to form a band featuring the top jazz and swing players in Stockholm. The four horn players in the front line play an important role in the band. With cleverly written arrangements, mostly by Klas Lindquist and Fredrik Lindborg, the band can play softly like a small group and seconds later explode in a big band fortissimo. The rhythm section gives the band a bouncing ground for the solos and ensembles. The members of the Stockholm Swing All Stars are considered among the best in their field in Sweden. The band plays swing and jazz music suitable both for concerts and for dancing. They often play at lindy hop and other dance events as well as in concert halls.
Last Year Highlights
Dance Parties
Workshops
Competitions
Competition
Event Schedule
Thursday 10.29 — Cat's Corner
| Show | Cabaret Show |
| Party | Welcome Party |
Friday 10.30 — Jiarui Cultural Center
| Guest Instructor Workshops |
| Show | Opening Show |
| Band | Stockholm Swing All Stars |
| Competitions | Newcomer Showcase |
| Oldcomer Show | |
| Solo Jazz | |
| Open Lindy Hop Strictly | |
| Midnight Contest |
Saturday 10.31 — Jiarui Cultural Center
| Guest Instructor Workshops |
| Band | Stockholm Swing All Stars |
| Competitions | Open Mix & Match |
| Pre Star Mix & Match | |
| Team Battle |
Sunday 11.1 — Jiarui Cultural Center
| Guest Instructor Workshops |
| Show | Invitational Show |
| Band | STB Swing All Stars Big Band |
| Competitions | Invitational Lindy Hop Strictly |
| After Party | at Cat's Corner |
Venues
Two fantastic locations for an unforgettable weekend
Jiarui Cultural Center (Main Venue)
From Friday to Sunday, all daytime classes will take place at Jiarui Cultural Center. The STB team will once again bring you a professional-grade sound system, delivering every beat straight to your feet. We're also bringing back the high-quality sprung wooden dance floor that last year's guest instructors praised as "a joy to dance on." Step onto it, and you'll instantly know what dancing is supposed to feel like.
Address
No. 2 Dawangjing, Wangjing East Garden, Qiyang Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China
Nearest Metro
Wangjing East Station (Line 15), Exit B
Cat's Corner Studio (Secondary Venue)
Thursday's Cabaret Show & Welcome Party and Sunday's After Party will take place at Cat Corner Studio. All the cool cats are invited to join! As one of Beijing's earliest swing dance hubs and a gathering place for the local swing community, this mysterious and magical basement has been hosting swing dance parties all year round. No matter if it's your first visit or your hundredth time stepping into Cat Corner, you'll always be captivated by its unique atmosphere.
Address
Room B203, Zhuzong Building, East 3rd Ring Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China
Nearest Metro
Jintai Xizhao Station (Line 10), Exit D