Music

This event is by Balboa dancers, for Balboa dancers, and we know that the music, whether live or DJ'd, is key to a great event.  We will be serving up only the finest Bal-tastic tunes for your shuffling pleasure! For 2026, we are pleased to welcome back Keenan Mckenzie: he'll be leading the Keenan McKenzie Sextet on Friday and Sunday, and the full Riffer's lineup on Saturday night

If you've seen Keenan play, you know that the live music will be 🔥! 

The Keenan McKenzie Sextet (Friday & Sunday)

Keenan McKenzie & The Riffers (Saturday)

Check out live music from IHB 2022!

----2026 DJs ----

Head DJ: Allison Meeks

Michael Quisao  (he/him)

Michael Quisao plays music that moves you. He hails from Dallas, traveled the world with the U.S. Navy, and has been proud to call Washington, DC home since 2014. He started dancing in 1999, fell in love with jazz, took his first Lindy Hop workshop in 2006, and started DJing for dancers soon after. He believes that there are few things better than well-written liner notes and helping to inspire creative, fulfilling dances through music that compels movement.

Michael has served as Head DJ & Music Director at New Columbia Swing since 2018 and runs the DC Bal Social together with Annabel Quisao. He has had the privilege of DJing for numerous dance exchanges, weekend workshops, camps, and competitions, including national events such as the DC Lindy Exchange, California Balboa Classic, Camp Hollywood, Boston Tea Party, All Balboa Weekend, Bal-Ast Off, and Barcelona Balboa Weekend. Michael has served as Head DJ at events such as Lindy Focus, New York Bal Week, Great Lakes Balboa Escape, Stardust Slow Balboa Weekend, Swing Out New Hampshire, Slow Dance Soirée, and I Heart Balboa.

Ann Sychterz  (she/her)

Ann began swing dancing in 2008 in Waterloo, Canada (not far from Toronto) and now lives in the US. Since getting her first songs, she has DJed in her home scenes including the one she founded in Switzerland called Swingtime Lausanne. She has had the fortune of playing swing jazz including head and competition DJ for events around the world. Digging through old stuff and new (soft spot for the original stuff), small group to big band to Newport, North American and European, she aims to create an atmosphere worthy of creativity and playing around with the dance.

Qui Nguyen aka DJ Qui-J  (she/her)

Long before setting foot on her first dance floor, Qui has always been in search of good music. From scouting out local shows, to digging through dusty record store crates, her motto has always been "if it moves you, it's good music". So it was quite natural for her to fall in love with swing music and dancing. A lover of the music first, and the movement a close second, you can always catch her listening to and dancing close by the bandstand at any number of swing, balboa or blues events. You might even find her behind the DJ booth, spinning tunes at local dances and at various events throughout the region. She is super excited to be representing Richmond at I *Heart* Balboa again this year.