Swing Content - A West Coast Swing podcast

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


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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

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Swing Content - A West Coast Swing podcastBy Affinity Swing