Autumn Swing Challenge 2026
WSDC & Rising Star Tour event
13-15 November 2026
Joao Parada & Savana Barreau Kyle Fitzgerald & Melodie Paletta Miguel Ortega & Irina Puzanova Ludovic Pelegrin & Coleen Man Philipp Wolff & Ekaterina Wolff Marina Motronenko Attila Kobori
Join the greatest Hungarian west coast swing party of autumn 2025. Maximum 360 attendants, gender/role balanced event.
Our staff
West coast swing professionals, who will make your weekend unforgettable!
Teachers
Kyle Fitzgerald & Melodie Paletta
Teachers
Joao Parada & Savana Barreau
Teachers
Miguel Ortega & Irina Puzanova
Teacher
Ludovic Pelegrin & Coleen Man
Teacher
Philipp Wolff & Ekaterina Wolff
Teacher
Attila Kobori
Teacher
Marina Motronenko
MC
Piotr Lenart
Chief Judge
Marta Nita
Head DJ
Kevin Town
DJ
Tana Abeni
DJ & Guest Teacher
Olga Ruban
Guest Teacher
Ivan Katrunov
Scorer
Andreas Kasper
The Organizing Team
We are a team of West Coast Swing enthusiasts and close friends who have been running this weekend event together for over 10 years. Feel free to reach out to us if you need any help during the event – we want you to have the best time possible!
Zsigmond Máriás
Event Director
Attila Pártos
Event Coordinator
Melinda Máriás-Szanyi
Co-Event Director
Andrea Pártos
Event Coordinator
Robert Tóth
Event Coordinator
Eszter Koltai
Event Coordinator
Gabriella Madarász
Event Coordinator
Verdi Budapest Aquincum
The Verdi Budapest Aquincum is located in a charming area alongside the River Danube, adjacent to Margaret Island, on the Buda side. The hotel offers an excellent base for exploring Budapest but more importantly has a very nice ballroom with wooden floor and multiple other rooms where workshops and private classes can be held. Altogether it is the perfect place for hosting a west coast swing event.
The main feature of our glorious hotel is the renowned thermal spa, that's therapeutic water comes directly from Margaret Island. With its 310 guestrooms, a restaurant and bar, 14 versatile meeting rooms and Spa & Wellness Center, the hotel caters for both business and leisure guests alike.
Rooms can be booked at the hotel from Wednesday at the earliest until Monday at the latest at the rate provided by the event. Half board means that the hotel will provide dinner in addition to breakfast.
Address: Budapest, Árpád fejedelem útja 94, 1036
Room for 2 people (with breakfast)
TBA €/night
Room for 1 person (with breakfast)
TBA €/night
Hotel prices and booking link will be up before the registration starts.
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Workshop levels
Workshop level descriptions are approximate, and the given time intervals are estimations. Every individual needs a different amount of time to achieve a certain level, which depends on their dancing background, dedication, motivation, etc. We want everybody to join the group which suits them the best, from which they can profit the most. If you are unsure about your level, please ask your teachers or consult with us via email.
Level 2
You have learned the basics of West Coast Swing, but you still need to improve your technique. You want to learn more footwork and pattern variations. You need detailed explanations for leading or following new movements. You need ideas for styling and musical interpretation.
If you compete, you enter the Newcomer division or have just started to enter the Novice division, typically after a minimum of 6 months, usually 12-24 months, of active West Coast Swing practice.
Level 3
You have rock-solid West Coast Swing basics, know a lot of footwork variations and complex patterns, and lead/follow well. You are able to social dance with dancers of any level. You want to improve your own style, master your technique, and understand the mechanics of the dance.
If you compete, you enter the Novice division with a good chance of reaching the finals (usually making at least the semifinals). You have a minimum of 1.5 years, typically 2-4 years, of active West Coast Swing experience.
Level 4
You are an advanced dancer, with international event and competition experiences. You have no problem to lead/follow, you can adapt your dance to your partner from newcomer to rockstar level. You are taking workshops to learn advanced styling, musical interpretation, technic and your goal is to develop your own style.
The level is available for dancers with WSDC intermediate points and above or via pro teacher decision.
Advanced & Allstar
We offer a few dedicated classes for higher levels. As the name suggests, you may enter these classes if you are at the respective levels according to your WSDC points.
Rising Star Choreography Division at Autumn Swing Challenge 2026!
This year, we’re thrilled to bring back our rising star division for its third year! For the first time we are part of the Rising Star Tour, awarding RST points for all placements, according to the RST rules. All competitors can showcase their best routines under the rising star rules in a single, open category.
We want to keep encouraging our community and dancers to prepare and participate. Creating and performing a choreography is a fantastic way to elevate your dancing skills to the next level. Watching great choreography will inspire the next generation of dancers.
Plus, there’s a cash prize! The top 3 placements will win 600, 400, and 200 euros, respectively.
Get ready, get creative, and let’s make this another memorable event!
Rising Star Registration
Passes and prices
Prices stand for Quick Bird / Normal Bird / Late Bird respectively.
Workshop pass
Learn, compete and social dance!
160 / 180 / 190€
  • 6 levelled workshops
  • 3 parties
  • Competitions
40 Quick Bird, 80 Normal Bird and 50 Late Bird Workshop Pass tickets are available until sold out.
We accept couple registrations only.
Party Pass
Compete and social dance
120 / 130 / 140€
  • No workshops
  • 3 parties
  • Competitions
40 Quick Bird, 80 Normal Bird and 50 Late Bird Party Pass tickets are available until sold out.
We accept couple registrations only.
Allstars pass
Get the show on, get paid
Free / 70 / 80€
We offer free passes for the first 12 Allstars dancers (judging expected) & discounted passes for all WDSC Allstars dancers. Pass pricing: €70 (until Sep 15) / €80 (after). Includes workshops & mandatory Allstars J&J entry. Individual registrations accepted.
J&J competitions
20€ / competitor
Strictly competitions
40€ / couple
Rising star choreo
50€ / couple
Competition registration and payment is handled separately on site.
Quick bird: first 80 (40+40) registrations until 15th of August or until sold out
Normal bird: the next 160 (80+80) registrations until 15th of September or until sold out
Late bird: the next 100 (50+50) tickets after the 15th of September until 1th of November or until sold out
WSDC Allstar level dancers get a special discounted price for passes.
First 6+6 allstars get a free pass, some judging at the event is required in exchange for the free pass.
The Allstar discounted pass price is 70 eur until 15th of September, 80 eur after.
If you reach the Allstar division before the event, we will reimburse you the difference.
WSDC Allstars above 100 Allstars points automatically get a free pass. They also don't need a partner, just register for the waiting list and we'll register you.
WSDC Champions automatically receive a free pass and hotel room reimbursement. Contact us for details.
Levelled workshops: 4 workshops are single level workshops, 2 workshops are mixed with other levels.
Draft Schedule
This is a high level preliminary schedule so that you can plan your trip before publishing the detailed schedule. The schedule is subject to change, however we are not planning to move blocks between days.
Thursday
21.30-02.00 Event registration Preparty
Friday
12.00-06.00 Workshops Strictly Swing comps (evening) Teacher show Party
Saturday
10.00-06.00 Workshops Jack&Jill prelims (afternoon) J&J finals (evening) Champions J&J Rising Star Party
Sunday
10.00-06.00 Workshops Awards Party
Registration - Starts on June 30 Tuesday, 2026 at 7.00pm (CEST/Budapest time)
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Registration info:
Participants have to register in couples (Leader + Follower).
One member of the couple has to register the couple via a Google Form providing all info for both of them.
Forms will be accessible from the website and published on Facebook.
For the registration you will need the following data for both dancers:
First name, Last name, Country of residence, Email address, WSDC level, WSDC number, Workshop level (in registering for workshop pass)
WSDC level: select newcomer / novice, whichever you are going to enter if you don't have points yet.
WSDC number: you can leave it blank if you don't have one yet.
If you won a pass somewhere, you will be able to provide that data in the comment.
More info
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