The West Coast Swing community is buzzing, and it’s high time we gathered our collective brainpower (and fancy footwork!) to share some ideas and level up together! Get ready for open discussion sessions and presentations from September 25th through 27th, 2026 in Nuremberg, Germany.
Let’s swap secrets, share successes, and maybe even discover a few new super secret moves!
Our mission is to create the go-to spot for WCS teachers and organizers to dive deep into discussions and share brilliant ideas that’ll supercharge our scene. Areas of focus may include…
- collaboration
- opportunities
- workshop organisation
- the first lesson
- promotional strategies
- level categorisation
- DJing / Party vibes
- and much more
We won’t dictate topics for discussion — instead we will provide a structure and a programme. Feel free to bring your own subjects to the table!
Ever heard of a BarCamp? Think of it as an "Un-Conference" where YOU set the agenda! No stuffy lectures, just pure, unadulterated knowledge-sharing. It's surprisingly straightforward – we promise.
To make the most of our time together, we’re gathering your brainwaves before the event even begins! After you register, we’ll send you a link to a dedicated Google Doc where you can submit the topics you’re passionate about. This way, everyone can see the amazing ideas brewing ahead of time.
On the morning of the conference, we’ll jump straight into a quick presentation of the submitted topics. Then, we’ll use a super-slick app to vote on which twelve make it onto the official agenda. After that, it’s go time!
Ever heard of a BarCamp? Think of it as an "Un-Conference" where YOU set the agenda! No stuffy lectures, just pure, unadulterated knowledge-sharing. It's surprisingly straightforward – we promise.
To make the most of our time together, we’re gathering your brainwaves before the event even begins! After you register, we’ll send you a link to a dedicated Google Doc where you can submit the topics you’re passionate about. This way, everyone can see the amazing ideas brewing ahead of time.
On the morning of the conference, we’ll jump straight into a quick presentation of the submitted topics. Then, we’ll use a super-slick app to vote on which twelve make it onto the official agenda. After that, it’s go time!
When a new session round kicks off, it’s your chance to play "Choose Your Own Adventure!"
Scan the schedule, pick the classroom (and topic!) that calls to your Westie soul, and dive in.
The awesome human who proposed the topic gets to decide the vibe: perhaps it’s a deep-dive presentation, a lively idea exchange, or a no-holds-barred open discussion.
Typically, most topic facilitators share their insights for about ten minutes, after which dialogue and discussion flow naturally.
The schedule is complemented by traditional presentations featuring a projector and PowerPoint slides.
For each of the four sessions at 10:45am, 12:00pm, 2:30pm, and 3:45pm, attendees can choose to participate in one of the three discussion sessions starting at that time, which have been planned for the beginning of the day, or to be entertained by a prepared presentation.
To conclude the conference day, we will have a short (10 minutes) debriefing in the Assembly hall and then an open WCS training session will be offered at 5:00pm. Later, at 7:30pm, everyone is invited to the main hall for a dance party with our club members.
The schedule is complemented by traditional presentations featuring a projector and PowerPoint slides.
For each of the four sessions at 10:45am, 12:00pm, 2:30pm, and 3:45pm, attendees can choose to participate in one of the three discussion sessions starting at that time, which have been planned for the beginning of the day, or to be entertained by a prepared presentation.
To conclude the conference day, we will have a short (10 minutes) debriefing in the Assembly hall and then an open WCS training session will be offered at 5:00pm. Later, at 7:30pm, everyone is invited to the main hall for a dance party with our club members.
To help you better envision the event, here is a sample session plan filled with topics.
This is merely an example; we still need to finalise the specific talks for the sessions highlighted in purple, while the topics for the discussion sessions marked in light blue will be collaboratively determined just one hour before the conference begins, following the Barcamp style.
They will be held in english language. For example:
Roland Hamm
Beyond the Dance Floor
Navigating Organization, Finance, and Risk in West Coast Swing Event Management
Fabio Zanardelli
Find your teaching style
Create well structured lessons for your students!
Here are some impressions from Westie Wisdom 2025 🙂
Photo 1 — Saturday 9:30am
Clara warmly welcomed the participants in the school auditorium but perhaps a bit too exuberantly! This kind of unnecessary enthusiasm is often why our association is not perceived as serious… after the weekend she received quite the stern talking to from the board
Photo 2 — 9:40am
A quick rundown of the topics submitted in advance, so everyone knows what’s on the table.
Photo 3 — 10:25am
Following the brief presentations and the online vote, Clara jots down the most popular topics on the session plan.
Photo 4 — 10:30am
Voilà – within just an hour, twelve engaging topics and four presentations were outlined in the conference schedule
Photo 5 — 10:45am
In the classrooms, small groups engaged in presentations discussions and shared experiences
Photo 6 — 8:00pm
The night ended with a dance bash and minimal injuries.
(click on the photos to view them in a larger size)
Saturday, 9:30am
Clara warmly welcomed the participants in the school auditorium but perhaps a bit too exuberantly! This kind of unnecessary enthusiasm is often why our association is not perceived as serious… after the weekend she received quite the stern talking to from the members of the board
9:40am
A quick rundown of the topics submitted in advance, so everyone knows what’s on the table.
10:25am
Following the brief presentations and the online vote, Clara jots down the most popular topics on the session plan.
10:30am
Voilà – within just an hour, twelve engaging topics and four presentations were outlined in the conference schedule (Westie Wisdom 2024 wasn’t bilingual, that’s why everything on the session plan is in german language)
10:45am
In the classrooms, small groups engaged in presentations, discussions and general knowledge sharing
8:00pm
The night ended with a dance bash and minimal injuries.
The conference will be held in Nuremberg’s historic Old Town, which – much like the average inhabitant of our town – presents a captivating blend of beauty and ugliness.
Over these two days, we will utilise the classrooms and gyms of 190-year-old "Johannes-Scharrer-Gymnasium". However, for open training sessions, we will move to its younger sibling, 160-year-old "Willstätter Gymnasium" — the spring chicken of our local schools, where the members of our club dance five evenings a week.
Right in the heart of the city, attendees can indulge in a variety of culinary delights during breaks. Or, for a quick dose of epic views, just a 5-minute jaunt to the castle will have you feeling like royalty.
During the two days of the Westie Wisdom Conference, we will also be hosting a weekend of workshops spread across four different halls.
In the evenings, workshop and conference participants will come together for a lively party on the following dates:
- Friday, September 25th — Warm-up boogie, from 8pm until late at Willstätter,
- Saturday, September 26th — Main dance party, from 7:30pm until late at Scharrer, and
- Sunday, September 27th — Cool-down groove, from 6pm to 10pm at Willstätter.
If you roll into town early on Friday, glide over to legendary vintage student bar Cobra Club and join us for a free welcome drink. We will be there from 6 to 8pm, and it’s just a hop, skip, and a Westie-walk away from the main dance floor @ Willstätter!
No German? No Problem!
In order to welcome the international WCS community with open arms, the official language of Westie Wisdom is English.
All presentations, discussion sessions, and the overall organisation will be held in English. (Don’t worry, no secret decoder rings or frantic dictionary searches required!)
Of course, since we are in Germany, you might hear some German chatter in the hallways or during coffee breaks – but you will be able to fully participate, pitch your ideas, and join any discussion without speaking a single word of German.
The conference will be led by our club teacher and human-shaped sunshine Clara Deiters, who will be on hand to help you before, during, and after the event.
Clara has been an excellent instructor for West Coast Swing for many years; however, there have been challenges associated with her exuberant energy and optimistic personality, which sometimes lacks the austerity, discipline, and heavy-handedness that our board expects and for which our club is known regionally.
To keep things properly in line, we’ve brought in our esteemed Vice-Chair and professional killjoy Dr Anja Brückner as a supervisory presence.
But the real boss? You. Because when you bring a topic, you deicde the format. Lecture? Discussion? Interpretive dance? Your call.
And you really don’t need a polished pitch to contribute. If there’s a half-baked WCS shower thought buzzing in your brain that hasn’t fully hatched, bring it anyway. You can totally say: “So… I’ve been wondering about this thing — thoughts?” Boom. Discussion activated.
We’ll keep you hydrated with a steady stream of complimentary water, coffee, and tea from dawn till dance party.
In addition to beverages, we also provide a selection of essential dance fuel like Hanutas and gummy bears, which you can help yourself to at any time.
For the sake of "let’s pretend", we also keep a couple of large boxes of healthy alternatives, such as apples, even though they usually remain untouched.
Of course you are also welcome to bring your own food and drink to enjoy in the communal munching zone!
If you want to save some money, you can stay for free in one of the gymnasiums we have available on this weekend!
Think of it as exclusive, no-star accommodation with plenty of soft mats for your comfort 🙂
Since we have rented a total of four gymnasiums for the workshop weekend (which runs parallel to the conference), but we’ll use only the biggest one of them for the dance party, you won’t have to wait until the party winds down before you can get some well-deserved rest.
This Westie Wisdom weekend isn’t just about unlocking dance secrets; it’s also our club’s epic 8th Birthday Bash!
While we can’t make any promises just yet, as a participant in Westie Wisdom, you can look forward to an exceptional free cake buffet and perhaps even some super secret swag.
Super Secret Moves e.V. is a non-profit crew obsessed with spreading the joy of swing dance! We pour our hearts (and a ton of unpaid hours) into these events, not for profit, but purely to cover costs.
That’s why Westie Wisdom is an absolute steal at just 70 Euros – snagging you two full days of mind-blowing insights, three epic dance parties, plus all the snacks and drinks you can handle!
We’re practically tap-dancing with excitement for your registration!
Got a burning question before you leap in? Our contact form (linked below) is ready for your queries.
