What is the Vision of This Event?
QSXZ is more than a dance event. It's an interdisciplinary space where two vibrant communities finally meet: the Zurich swing dance scene and the beautiful diversity of the queer community.
Why This Event, Why Now?
Zurich is home to a growing, internationally connected swing dance scene and a rich queer cultural landscape. But until now, these communities have largely existed in parallel.
The need for an explicitly queer-centered swing dance event is real. Many queer dancers still feel unseen or sidelined at mainstream events. The partnered forms of swing dance are still often subjected to heteronormative expectations. And many LGBTQ+ people are curious about swing dance but find the traditional partner norms—or the scene itself—intimidating.
By creating a dedicated space that embraces queerness, community care, and artistic freedom, QSXZ reshapes what swing dance spaces can be. Hosting this event during Zurich Pride weekend amplifies our intention: to be visible, proud, and connected.
Our Values
The values that guide everything we do:
Representation Visibility matters. QSXZ highlights queer voices and artistic expression and artforms that have always been part of swing history and culture, yet are often underrepresented. From our artist lineup to our programming, we center experiences that deserve to be seen.
Joy & Community Social dance is a form of joyful connection. We're building a space where people can be themselves, meet across differences, and share moments of movement and celebration. No formal classes centered on dance technique, no competitions—just dancing, questioning norms, exchanging, and celebrating together.
Accessibility We strive to make dance spaces welcoming and accessible to all—regardless of background, experience, or financial means. Through things like tiered pricing, quiet zones for neurodiverse participants, and thoughtful venue choices, we're removing barriers wherever we can.
Responsibility & Respect Through a strong Code of Conduct and a dedicated Care Team, we're creating a space of mutual respect and accountability. We take seriously our responsibility to make this a safer space for everyone who joins us.
Our event welcomes friends and allies
We are convinced that the goal should be to build community and not to exclude people. Therefore, we also warmly welcome people who do not identify with the LGBTQ+ umbrella of identities. We just ask everyone to treat their fellow dancers with respect and to follow our Code of Conduct.
More Than Dance
QSXZ brings together swing dancing, drag, voguing, burlesque, and more—art forms that share roots in improvisation, self-expression, and queer history. We're not just hosting parties; we're creating a platform to:
- Celebrate Zurich's queer, artistic and cultural diversity
- Bring swing dance and LGBTQ+ communities into joyful contact
- Explore new possibilities for expression and connection
- Honor the Black and queer roots of swing music and dance
Who We Are
QSXZ is organized by Quingtanz Zürich, an association founded specifically to support community-centered projects at the intersection of queer culture and social dance. Our name combines queer, swing, and Tanz (German for "dance").
We're a collective of dancers, artists, and organizers from Zurich who share a passion for swing dance and queer visibility. Many of us identify as queer or LGBTQ+, but we are an inclusive and diverse team. Some of us have been active in the swing dance scene for years, others in queer community spaces—and for many of us, QSXZ represents the long-awaited opportunity to bring both worlds together.
This project is the result of many long conversations, hopes, and the shared belief that now is the right moment to create something that feels necessary, joyous, and new.
We can't wait to welcome you to dance with us!