Queer Lindy Festival Cologne is a festival organised by queer dancers, for queer & questioningnoteThe term questioning generally refers to those who have either not (yet) found a label for their sexual orientation and/or gender identity or who are unsure about it (maybe because ‘straight’ or ‘cis-gender’ might not actually cover it quite as well as they once thought). We specifically want to invite those who are questioning their identity as well. We all know how challenging it can be to find your place. dancers.
While we are looking forward to dancing not just with our queer and questioning festival goers but also with alliesnoteWe understand allies to be cis-heterosexual people, i.e. those who are not queer, but who show active solidarity with queer people and act accordingly. We go into more detail in our values tab below. at the party on Saturday, we ask that our non-queer friends and fellow dancers respect that we are looking to create a space specifically for queer and questioning people for the rest of the festival.
We at Queer Lindy Cologne have two major goals:
- we want to create spaces specifically for queer dancers in which they feel comfortable
- we are working towards making our local scene in Cologne a safer place, not just for queer dancers, but for everyone.
A festival specifically for queer and questioning dancers
We dance best when we can relax, focus on our body, our movements, the music and our dancing partner; we need to feel like ourselves. In order to feel like ourselves, we often need to feel safe – which isn’t always the case in heteronormative spaces. Our friends at Edinburgh Queer Lindy have said it best:
“The times we’ve felt the most ourselves have been when we were surrounded by queer dancers, in an environment where everyone was allowed and encouraged to take part in this dance in a way that fits who they really are – no judgement of one another, simply being able to express yourself and appreciate others.“
Therefore, at Queer Lindy Festival Cologne, all of the classes & workshops, as well as the parties on Friday and Sunday, are specifically for our fellow queer and questioning dancersnoteThe term questioning generally refers to those who have either not (yet) found a label for their sexual orientation and/or gender identity or who are unsure about it (maybe because ‘straight’ or ‘cis-gender’ might not actually cover it quite as well as they once thought). We specifically want to invite those who are questioning their identity as well. We all know how challenging it can be to find your place. .
We are looking forward to dancing with our ally friends at the Saturday party, but ask that the majority of the festival be left to queer and questioning dancers.
A safer space for everyone
Making sure that people are comfortable, establishing consent before dancing, creating spaces that aren’t heternormative, actively working towards a welcoming atmosphere – all of this makes for a space where everyone can feel comfortable, enjoy themselves and dance freely. At Queer Lindy Festival Cologne, we want all of us to work towards achieving this. Here are some of our concrete measures that we hope will help us do so:
- To ensure no one is left off the dance floor, look out for our Taxi Dancers—friendly ambassadors dedicated to inviting newcomers, offering patient support to everyone, but especially beginners, and creating a low-pressure environment where everyone feels brave enough to dance.
- We appreciate that for some of us, Lindy Hop festivals (and a lot of things in life in general) can be more taxing/daunting than for others within the queer spectrum. Therefore, we will organise a meet-up specifically for our TIN friends (trans*, inter*, non-binary) before our Friday party – this way, trans*, inter and non-binary dancers are able to connect with each other. We know from hosting our queer meet-ups before Lindy Hop events how great it is to connect with other queer dancers and how much easier and less daunting it is going to an event in a group.
- Small classes with a maximum of 15-20 couples ensure that our teachers are able to support you during class, give you feedback.
- Our code of conduct, which we ask all participants to abide by, will spell out rules for the festival that are likely to be self-evident for a lot of us; still, we find it helpful to remind ourselves of what every one of us can actively do to make everyone feel welcomed.
- There will be a Care Team that is available throughout the weekend that you can ask for support should you feel uncomfortable or need help.
A lot of these measures and the above-mentioned values are obviously not just great for queer dancers; this benefits the general dancing scene as well. The more open the scene is in general, the better for new queer dancers to join the Lindy community. This is one of the reasons why we invite our allies to join our Saturday party.
Acknowledging and celebrating the (queer) Black roots of the dance
We also want to acknowledge that most of us dancing Lindy Hop here in Europe are guests in Black American culture. This dance was pioneered by Black dancers in Harlem in the 1920s and 30s, and it is our responsiblity to not only acknowledge that, but to actively promote knowledge about its historical context.
We are aware that we always have a lot of work to do to make sure we honour the roots of the dance, and we will try to create spaces in which we can do this work: to recognize and center the historical context of the dance. We support and value the work of Collective Voices For Change and Black Lindy Hopper’s Fund, and highly recommend you check out their websites if you haven’t already.
At our festival, we specifically want to honour queer Black artists of the 1920s and 1930s. We will have an exhibition on queer dancers in the 1920s and 1930s, based on our research for our previous blog post. We want to highlight queer Black artists of the time by playing their music, and especially tell the world about Billy Strayhorn – which is why our levels are named after famous songs of his.
Katie Cobalt (she/they)
Katie Cobalt tried many different dance styles before falling in love with Swing. The freedom of improvisation, the satisfaction of rhythm and the deep historical and Black cultural roots of the dance made her want to learn more.
She is now known for her classroom energy, musicality, and infectious enthusiasm for all things Jazz. When it comes to dance, they deeply value self expression and fully committing to the idea.
As a teacher, she focuses on individually helping her students on their own dance journeys and finds so much joy in seeing them grow.
Katie holds multiple first place titles at International Lindy Hop Championships, Balkan Lindy Hop Championships and Savoy Cup.
When not throwing down in international competitions theyare teaching all over the world in more than 20 countries sharing what they have learned.
When not on the dance floor you might find them in a hip hop class or on the stage at their local drag bar as Azure Thang.
Samuel Gaudó Belarre
(he/him)
Samu is a Berlin-based dancer, teacher, and artistic director devoted to the liberatory roots of swing culture. Specializing in Authentic Jazz and Lindy Hop, his work blends deep historical respect with a fiercely contemporary, queer-centered perspective that celebrates self-expression, musicality, and collective joy.
Known for his groove-driven style and emotional presence on the dance floor, Samuel approaches jazz as both an artistic practice and a political space, inviting dancers to inhabit their bodies with freedom, softness, and unapologetic individuality.
Swingin’ X-tras
At Queer Lindy Festival Cologne, festival attendees can expect up to 8 hours of lessons and workshops, 6 of which with our teachers Katie and Samu. There will be a welcome party on Friday evening with DJs for festival attendees only; on Saturday evening, we will have a big party with live music and DJs that is also open to allies. On Sunday afternoon, we will organise a get together for those still around, potentially with dancing involved.
We will also host a meet-up specifically for TINnoteTrans*, Inter* and Non-Binary festival attendees on Friday evening, before the welcome party.
Here’s a sneak peek at the schedule! Keep in mind it’s still a work in progress, so some times might wiggle a bit. Expect more details, more announcements and a clear schedule the closer we get to the festival!
Friday
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Welcome Party
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Welcome Party with DJs
Saturday
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Classes
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TIN* Meet-Up
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Party with live band & DJs
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Sunday
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Classes
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Get together
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Bürgerhaus Kalk
This is our main venue for the festival, where our classes will take place on Saturday and Sunday, and it’s also where we will have our Saturday party.
There are supermarkets, bakeries and a shopping centre just around the corner. Be aware, however, that in Germany, supermarkets and regular stores are closed on Sundays, and bakeries sometimes have reduced opening hours.
Public transport options
Tram lines 1 and 9, Kalk Post
Train station, Trimbornstraße
SwingTimes Dance Studio
Ehrenfeldgürtel 112
50823 Köln
We will be having our Friday welcome party at the new digs of Cologne dance school SwingTimes.
Public transport options
Tram lines 3, 4, 13, 18, Venloer Straße
Train station, Köln Ehrenfeld
We are currently working on securing the venue for our Sunday party/hangout – we can tell you for certain that it will be close to our main venue Bürgerhaus Kalk, so you won’t be too far from tram lines and a train station.
Our levels description are named after Billy Strayhorn songs. Here at Queer Lindy Cologne, we are huge fans (as should be obvious by our recent blog post where we talk about his life). Therefore, our level descriptions pay hommage to a queer Swing icon.
We know that it can be tricky to choose the right level sometimes. We find that we learn the most in workshops when we have got fairly homogenous groups, so we ask you to choose the one that you realistically fit the best. At the same time, we understand that level descriptions can be tricky and it is sometimes difficult to judge which one is right for you. We trust you to make the best decision possible!
While we absolutely love ELEFnote ELEF refers to the Everybody Leads, Everybody Follows approach, in which you attend classes without any fixed roles. festivals (and we think there’s something wonderfully queer in this approach), we want our festival to be open to as many dancers as possible – which is why you get to decide whether you want to dance as a follow, as a lead, or if you are completely flexible in your role.
Lush Life
Come and visit all the “very gay places” with us! Lush Life is the right level for those of you looking for a more relaxed pace, or for those who have not been dancing for all that long. In this level, you are more interested in strengthening your basics while also exploring your individual style. In your local community, you would probably sign up for an intermediate or intermediate-advanced class.
A-Train
Don’t mind to “hurry” a little when dancing to “a-thrumming” beats? Then A Train might be a great fit for you!
You are either looking for more of a challenge or have been dancing for a number of years at this point. You feel at home with different tempo, and are interested in exploring your own style. The material is more complex and wants to push you to new heights. In your local scene, you would probably sign up for an intermediate-advanced or an advanced class.
Festival passes
We are offering festival tickets exclusively for queer & questioning dancers.
- Early Bird (until 15 June): 170€
- Perfectly On-Time Bird: 180€
- Super Generous Supporter Bird: 180€+,
choose your own price.
Tickets will be available from 07 May, 18:00 CET. You can buy your tickets (and merch! there’s merch!) in our ticket shop.
It is important to us that as many people as possible can take part in our event and we know that it can be difficult for some people to cover the (whole) cost of a ticket. If this is the case, please don’t hesitate to contact us via email so we can figure something out together:
hello@queerlindycologne.de
Party passes
Party passes will be available for queer & questioning dancers as well as alliesnoteWe understand allies to be cis-heterosexual people, i.e. those who are not queer, but who show active solidarity with queer people and act accordingly. We go into more detail in our values tab below. (you can find our reasoning for this decision under Concept). They will go on sale at a later date, presumably in July/August. We will announce this in advance in our newsletter, on Instagram and in the local Cologne WhatsApp and Telegram groups.
By participating in the festival, you agree to read and adhere to our Code of Conduct.
During the festival, you can always reach out to our Care Team if you feel uncomfortable for any reason or observe unpleasant/inappropriate behaviour. We will handle your issue confidentially and will be there for you.
If you are asking for a dance
If you would like to dance with someone, ask kindly and don’t just grab their hand. If someone declines a dance —even without giving a reason—that’s perfectly fine. Please do not feel offended by this.
Our dance question
The question ‘Would you like to dance?’ is often still linked to the assumption that the person being asked will dance a certain role assigned to them by their appearance. Avoid making assumptions about dance roles based on physical characteristics or identity traits. When asking someone to dance, tell them if you want to lead/follow/switch or ask them which role they prefer.
“Would you like to dance? Yes? What would you prefer – lead, follow or switch?”
“I’m looking for a follower. Would you be up for a dance?”
“I love dancing both follow and lead. Would you mind switch dancing with me?”
We would like to make the question of lead, follow or switch easier with small badges and/or stickers and will be selling badges with the dance role (lead / follow / lead & follow / switch) printed on them at our party in the evening. This way, you can pin your favourite dance role to your clothing right away.
If someone asks you for a dance
You always can say no. If someone asks you for a dance, it’s okay to decline. The other person will certainly appreciate an explanation, but you are not required to provide one.
If someone dances solo on the dance floor, this doesn’t necessarily mean that they don’t have a partner and would like to be asked to dance.
Your own well-being is important
If during a dance you don’t feel good for any reason, please feel free to tell this to your dance partner or to stop the dance at any time, for example, if you are feeling pain, if you don’t want to dance too closely or if you don’t a particular part of your body to be touched. Your own well-being and your personal safety are more important than politeness.
Lifts, Dips, Aerials
Please never do any lifts or aerials on the dancefloor. As space is limited, you may only perform small dips, and only if you have agreed this beforehand with your partner.
Filming/photography
Please do not film or photograph other people without asking them for permission. If you would like to film class material, please ask the teachers if it’s ok to film a recap video after class. A photographer will be taking photos which will be made available after the festival (please see our terms & conditions).
Bumping into each other
During class and during social dance, the dance floor can be quite crowded. No matter which role you are dancing: Please pay attention to what is happening around you and try to avoid collisions by stopping or moving out of the way. It also helps to dance ‘small’, i. e. to keep rock steps and kicks below your body and to make small steps. (By the way: In our classes and workshops we talk about this from time to time and do exercises on it.) If something does happen: Please apologise and ask the other person if they’re okay!
Mutual Feedback
Please never correct another person without being asked, even if you have been dancing for a long time. Of course, if something is unclear you can ask your teachers. If a move doesn’t feel good, if you feel that your partner is too rough or in similar cases, you can say so at any time.
Personal hygiene & care
We love your energy, but maybe not your sweat! Help us keep the air fresh by bringing a change of clothes and your favorite deodorant. Remember: water is your best friend, and taking a break isn’t ‘missing out’—it’s recharging for the next great song. Listen to your body so you can dance until the final set!
Similarly, please consume alcohol responsibly and stay mindful of your limits. In our community, ‘Safe Space’ means acknowledging that heavy influence and consent don’t mix. If you’re over the limit, it’s time to swap the cocktail for a water and take a rest.
Illness
Please don’t go dancing if you have cold symptoms or other signs of illness! Just remember the etiquette that we have all learned in recent years.
Toilets
All toilets at all of our locations are unisex. We will label them accordingly.
Hosting
We will attempt to host as many festival attendees as possible. Once you are signed up for the festival, we will send you an email address where you can ask to be hosted. We will try our best to find room for you.
Accommodation
Most of the festival will take place in Köln Kalk, to the east of the Rhine. The party location on Friday is in Ehrenfeld, which is in the west, but it is very well connected. Therefore, we recommend your accommodation is easily reachable from our main venue on Saturday and Sunday.
Cologne is a major trade fair location, so hotels can occasionally be very pricey; as far as we have been able to tell, there will not be a trade fair during our festival. Still, booking early will guarantee lower prices.
Merchandising
We love our little merch. We just can’t help it.
If you’d like us to have a Queer Lindy Cologne button prepared at your arrival or if you want to have our logo printed on a t-shirt, bag of your choice, please choose this option as an add-on in the ticket shop to your regular ticket.
Opening hours of shops on the weekend
In Germany, all supermarkets and general stores are closed on Sundays. We will remind you of this on Saturday, so that you can prepare ahead of time should you need anything.
We do, however, have bakeries all over town, which are generally open on Sundays (sometimes only until noon). So-called Büdchen (kiosks) offer what you’d typically expect at petrol stations – drinks, snacls,sweets and so on; they tend to be open almost 24/7. Cafés, chippies, restaurants etc. are generally open.
Getting around Cologne
The KVB, which runs local trains, trams, the subway and busses, has got a website in English. Should you do more than two trips in one day, we recommend getting a 24-hour ticket, as it is cheaper.
Chris
Frauke
Jonas
GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS
General Information
The Queer Lindy Festival Cologne is organised by Queer Lindy Cologne e.V. (hereinafter also referred to as ‘the festival’, ‘the organisers’, ‘we’ or ‘us’).
You must agree to these general terms and conditions to be able to participate in the festival. Only people who are of legal age are allowed to attend the festival.
We reserve the right to deny admission to anyone (participants, artists, volunteers, etc.) who fails to comply with the rules outlined in our Code of Conduct. In this case, the festival fee will not be refunded.
Registration
You can register by purchasing a ticket in our ticket shop. Enter your contact details, select a pass and agree to these terms and conditions. You will then receive an automatic acknowledgement that your registration has been received (preliminary reservation). We will then check whether there are still spots available or whether weh ave a good balance between leads and follows.
- If spots are available, you will receive another email with payment information. Once your payment has been received, we will confirm your participation by email.
- If there are no more spots available, you will receive a notification informing you that you are on the waiting list.
Payment
You can pay the festival fee by bank transfer to the account specified (for no additional fee) or using Stripe, which enables you to use a credit card or Google Pay/Apple Pay (for an additional fee). After you get the confirmation email, you’ll be required to pay the full ticket price within 14 days. Keep in mind that there are different prices:
- There is a limited contingency of early bird tickets available until 15 June.
- You can purchase a festival pass at our regular price.
- You are welcome to pay the supporter price if you would like to help others who are currently unable to afford the full price to attend the festival. The amount exceeding the regular price will be used to fund the attendance of people who would otherwise not be able to afford the festival.
Cancellation policy
Organising a festival is hard work involving much time and effort, starting many months before the festival actually takes place. In addition, there are many expenses to cover in advance (teachers’ fees, venue rent, insurance, etc.). Therefore, we need to be able to plan ahead with a certain degree of reliability. Consequently, the following cancellation policy applies:
- For cancellations before 01 September, we will refund 100% of the fee minus a cancellation fee of 15€.
- For cancellations after 31 August and before 01 October, 50% of the fee will be refunded.
- Cancellations after 30 September are non-refundable.
- The festival shall be deemed to commence at 10 a.m. on 23 October 2026.
- In the event of a refund, Queer Lindy Cologne will only reimburse the festival fee (in full or in part, depending on the specific case). Any additional costs incurred by the participant (e.g. travel and accommodation costs) will not be reimbursed by Queer Lindy Cologne and shall be borne entirely by the participant.
If you are in doubt as to whether you will be able to attend, we would recommend that you purchase ticket insurance.
The festival spot may be transferred to another suitable person at any time subject to approval by the organising team.
Cancellation of the festival by the organisers
In the event of cancellation of the festival due to force majeure or other reasons beyond the control of the organizers, participants will be reimbursed at least 50% of the festival fee. The actual reimbursement will be calculated taking into account the costs incurred by the organizers (including labour costs).
Code of Conduct
With your registration for the festival, you agree to comply with all rules outlined in our Code of Conduct.
Pictures, audio and video recordings
By participating, working or volunteering for the festival, you grant Queer Lindy Cologne e.V. permission to use pictures and/or videos of you taken during the event by the organisers or by a person commissioned by the organisers in any publication for the purpose of documenting or advertising the festival (social media, radio, television, print, etc.). If you would like a specific image or video of you to be deleted, please send an email to hello@queerlindycologne.de. The published content will then be removed. Should you wish not to be photographed or videoed, please contact us as well.
