Swing Castle Camp – Dance Like Royalty

When Desert Stomp was over, I realized I didn't have any dance events lined up to look forward to. Since I love the feeling of anticipation that leads up to going to a festival, I wanted to plan my next trip as soon as possible.

While looking up events, I came across Swing Castle Camp. First thing I thought was: "It's in A CASTLE? Does that mean I get to dress up as a princess?!!" Fast forward through a montage of me trying on my entire closet with a tiara on, and I sat down to find out more.

Swing Castle Camp was founded following the success of Balboa Castle Camp. Peter Loggins convinced the camp's founders to prolong the castle experience for another week . In his words: "To work with students for a whole week, in a beat up old German Castle. This is the weirdest, coolest, craziest thing you could ever attend, that focuses on old Jazz and Swing era dances."

Being set in the uber-cool location of Beesenstedt Castle outside of Berlin between September 1-8, Swing Castle Camp has a special feeling to it. It's nothing like staying at an ordinary hotel for an event. You eat, sleep and dance in an exquisite 19th century setting. Being a week-long event also sets it apart. Unlike a weekend festival where you hardly have time to get to know your fellow dancers, here you have time to really make new friends and dance with everyone. The intimate and relaxed feeling is also thanks to the fact that the camp is kept small to fit the space in the castle. Click to continue reading…