Your Glorious Adventure

Midwest Westie Fest

August 3, 2024

The West Coast Swing Dance Festival of Kansas City

Every year in mid-July, Kansas City hosts the Midwest Westie Fest. West Coast Swing dancers from across the country (and even the world) gather for 4 days of social dancing, workshops, and competitions.

It typically falls around July 18. July 18 is also my birthday. Coincidence? Probably. It’s still a great birthday present to be able to dance with such high quality partners for my birthday.

What to Expect: the Schedule for Midwest Westie Fest

Check the website for exact details, but typically you’ll enjoy

Thursday Night: lesson and social dancing ’til late
Friday: workshops starting midday, competitions, and social dancing ’til late
Saturday: workshops starting in the morning, competitions, and theme party with social dancing ’til late
Sunday: high chance of exhaustion plus workshops, competitions, awards, and a closing dance party

Do I need a West Coast Swing Dance Partner?

No! You do not need a partner. You will get to dance with lots of people.

Whether you are single or your significant other doesn’t dance, this is the event for you! I am married; my husband doesn’t dance, and it doesn’t seem weird or like people are there to hit on anyone. While people competing (except for “Jack and Jill” where you get a random partner) typically have a partner, they will still be dancing with lots of different people. It is unusual to dance with the same person more than a few times in an evening during social dancing, and workshops always rotate partners constantly. That being said, there are plenty of people who do come with a partner and a few who dance mostly with that partner, so if you don’t want to dance with other people, you can still just dance together. You are also welcome to decline any dance. Both leads and follows frequently ask someone to dance.

West Coast Swing is also very welcoming of people learning to both lead and follow. While most of the leads are still men and many women are still follows, you will see many people trying out and even competing in the other roles.

Am I Good Enough at West Coast Swing to Go?

Yes! If you want to go, you are! While most attendees know at least the basics, they do offer several lessons for absolute beginners. In 2024 a beginner bootcamp was offered the week before for newer dancers to gain enough confidence to attend Midwest Westie Fest. This is such a great idea. I also highly recommend going to classes and social dancing year-round. KC has such a great swing dance scene (see links below).

Whatever level you start at, you will increase exponentially through this jam packed long-weekend. You will be exposed to so many different teachers, dance partners, and sheer hours of dancing you will improve a ton.

If you want to gain skills even faster, you can add on additional intensives and specially ticketed workshops or book private lessons with local or visiting pros.

Do Only People Competing go to Midwest Westie Fest?

No! Plenty of people compete and plenty don’t. I didn’t my first year, and if you choose not to compete, you won’t be bored. There are a few social dance songs between the different competitions to keep you involved. The competitions are really fun to watch, especially watching the Champions or watching your friends. You could also squeeze in a little time to eat or sleep if you don’t want to watch all the competitions. There are a lot of different competition options (see link at bottom for more details on competitions).

If you do want to compete for the first time, Newcomer level Jack and Jill is a good place to start. You will be partnered up with 3-4 random other dancers who are at a similar level. I did it for the first time this year. While it’s really scary, it’s also fun. There are so many people competing you don’t feel like everyone is watching you (unless you get to the finals!) This is a great opportunity to find a friend, or make a new friend, to film your competition on your phone. You seldom get the chance to see yourself dance (it’s also a chance to share with those friends and relatives who don’t dance what it is you’ve been up to).

What do I Wear for West Coast Swing Dancing?

West coast swing is more casual. Most people wear pants even jeans (although not jeans for higher level competitions where you’ll see a few dresses although not a ton like ballroom). It’s not unusual to see crop-tops, t-shirts, athletic pants, or Hawaiian shirts/other button down shirts. They do sell Midwest Westie Fest shirts there, and a lot of people wear those or Midwest Westie Fest shirts from past years. It will be warm with all the people dancing and you want to be able to move easily. Dance shoes are a good idea, but for sure wear shoes that won’t fall off and that can spin smoothly without twisting your knee. There is usually at least one dance shoe vendor at the event (but you may not want to break in new shoes with 4 days of dancing.) I bought new suede dance boots there for my birthday and switched back and forth between an old pair as I broke in the new ones.

Will People my Age be Dancing?

Yes! People of all ages are at the Midwest Westie Fest! There are even a few “Junior” children and young adult dancers competing. You are not too young or too old. However, if you have any injuries, be cautious not to worsen them (especially shoulders and knees), and don’t overdue it across the long weekend. Stay hydrated!

What Should I Bring to a Dance Festival?

Water Bottle (might also bring something with electrolytes)
Dance Shoes
Phone charger/backup battery
Hand fan to cool off
Money/Credit Card and ID
Snacks
Pain killers and any needed medications
Toiletries like deodorant/lipstick/sanitizer/hair ties
Possibly a change of shirt or outfit (think layers)
Discord App to communicate with other participants about meals, announcements, etc

Midwest Westie Fest Location

Midwest Westie Fest is located in Kansas City, easy to reach from any part of the US! It’s held at a large event space, hotel, or conference center. It could be on the Kansas or Missouri side depending on the year. There will be hotel rooms available and a hotel block for discounted rooms (while supplies last).