Let’s riot
At Swing Riot, we unite to celebrate our passion for jazz and street dance—art forms that are living histories born from the experiences of African Americans in the U.S., with roots in the rhythms and movements of African communities and their descendants.
These dances are stories of resilience, community, and cultural expression.
With each step we take, we turn pain, struggle, doubt and joy into art.
With each breath, we honor those who came before us.
With each cheer, we lift one another up.
Each of us is a unique moment in history. Let’s come together, be present for each other and share in our love of jazz.
Let’s RIOT 🤘
Invitational: Jazz Dancers vs Street Dancers
Jazz dancers chosen by Swing Riot will battle against a team of top street dancers representing Campbellocking, Hip Hop, Krump, Popping, Waacking, House and Break. Winners chosen by crowd voting will be declared champions of the Swing Riot Invitational Battle.
Note: This battle was previously called the Vintage vs Modern Street Dancers battle. Based on feedback, we changed the name to better reflect the evolving and ongoing nature of these art forms that remain vibrant and continue to evolve globally today. Just as the Street Dance community rejects the term "Urban" as inaccurately portraying their culture, we believe the Swing Dance community should embrace the term "Jazz" to honor the diverse styles and rhythms that make up the jazz continuum and its legacy.
Videos:
All That Jazz
Open to dancers of all levels.
Competitors register individually and will dance through a preliminary round in an All-Skate format in order to earn a spot in the finals. Finalists will be paired with our invited battle guests to compete in 2v2 battles until a winning duo is determined.
Dancers will show their versatility and ability to adapt to different styles of jazz music (New Orleans trad jazz, latin jazz, big band swing, bebop, Caribbean, boogie woogie). Finalists will be chosen by our panel of judges, and the finals will be crowd-judged.
NEW! This contest will feature Battle Guests from both the Jazz and Street Dance communities.
Prize money: $600 for the winning duo.
Videos:
Lindy Hop couples Battle
Open to dancers of all levels who are willing to battle their way to the Lindy Hop top. Competitors must register as a couple and pass a preliminary round danced in an All-Skate format in order to earn a spot in the finals to battle it out on the dance floor to live music. Judges will select the eight couples that will make the finals.
Matchups in the final round will be determined by a random draw, and the dancers will compete two couples at a time until only two couples remain. After each battle, the judges will select the couple they feel deserves to advance. The final showdown between the top two couples will be decided by crowd votes, and the victorious couple will be crowned the Swing Riot Warriors.
Videos:
Mix & Match
Open to dancers of all levels. Competitors must register as a lead or follow AND in either the “Open” or the “Advanced” category.
During the preliminary round of each category, competitors will dance to three songs, and will be matched at random with a new partner for each song. Finalists will be selected by our judges.
The Finals of the Open Division will be held in a spotlight format, with each couple performing for one minute accompanied by live music from our featured band.
The Finals of the Advanced Division will follow a jam format.
Both the Mix & Match finals will be judged by the crowd.
Videos:
