Your Approach to a Congress?

S

suitz

Changui
There was a mini-discussion about this on another thread:
suitz said:
Bit of a philosophical/economical question then... What's the point in going to these congress workshops?
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But Chrisk said it might warrant it own thread... so here we go:

I am just curious about what is everyone's approach to a congress/all day events/workshops?

I had posted the original question above as I was trying to work out whether I actually get much in return for the amount of money I pay out to attend a congress. By congress costs I mean, transportation to get there and back, accommodation, workshops, evening parties, any other general expenses...

For me personally, attending the workshops is a big attraction, a chance to learn a lot and from different teachers.

But for however much in total you have to fork out, how much can you actually learn and retain so that it is actually useful? In particular for the party that evening.

Obviously pricing structures vary quite a lot between different events, but if you're paying one lump sum to have access to a whole day of workshops, you'd probably stay for all of them. I found that I could only really keep up for the first half of the day, anything else after that and I was feeling tired and not really taking anything in.

Again, I suppose much depends on the level of classes you opt to take at a congress.

My first two congresses I went all out and attended every single class they had on offer over the 8 hours of workshops on that day. This was over 2 days as well, so I actually attended 16 hours of classes! But I was a beginner and I think I was riding on the wave of 'Do as many classes as possible!' And if I don't manage to retain it, not a problem!

Now I think I've just attended my... 5th/6th? All day event/congress and well... I still tend to go all out as much as possible... but I really struggle to be content with not having learned anything much. I don't feel as if I progress much from attending... so why did I do that to myself?

Then to top it all off, come the evening party I am still a bit mentally exhausted and tired... and usually end up dancing less than I would have wanted to.

Of course this can happen on any dance lesson/night... but when I realised I had just paid a few hundred for that???... it made me think.

So for my next congress... what would be a sensible/optimal approach? Bear in mind, some congresses tend to charge a flat fee for the day... so whether you take just the one class or all of them... it's still the same amount. Would you be happy to pay a few hundred just for one class???
 
Certainly wouldn't pay for the full pass if I didn't intend to get more out of things than one class.

However it doesn't take THAT many classes before you're getting more than your money's worth, not when you consider what these classes would cost as standalone workshops from a specially invited teacher with international standing.

That probably breaks down if you are a local in a salsa capital, due to the abundant talent readily available, but for people elsewhere I suspect it generally holds true.

--

Beyond this I think you have to prioritise the classes you attend, and avoid 'fillers' where possible. By this I mean classes you go to 'just because you have nothing else to do at that hour.' If these 'fillers' dominate the schedule for you then the full pass makes no sense in my opinion.

Being able to go relax during those 'fillers' will certainly help keep your batteries from running down.

Then I think you should aim for variety: no point just taking innumerable consecutive pattern classes. Simply changing emphasis will help offset mental fatigue.

Further make sure you're getting enough sleep. Yes you will be up till who knows when dancing. However there should still be sleep time! Your nightly sleep session may be curtailed by morning classes. If so then nap later that day, keeping the lights/sunlight on :P (Napping during the day in darkness is a bad idea for your body clock.)

Make sure to eat and drink plenty through the day.

Then don't treat it like exam preparation. Instead ensure in each class you go away having completely understood the technique and shape of what was taught, and with a visual recording. Don't beat yourself up about memorisation. The normal rules of salsa 'learning' don't get rewritten at a congress. You're still going to have to introduce new steps gradually and with deliberate and continuous repetition to master and incorporate them.

Choose one or two of the things you learned during the day to work in, anything more and you're going to spend more time thinking than dancing/enjoying. The rest of what you learned will keep for use later. If you thoroughly understood what was taught and have a visual record this will be no problem and you will, ultimately, get full value for your attendance at each class.

If you're expecting instant Matrix-like downloading of new information to your brain forget it. It doesn't work like that no matter the setting.

Approach what's on offer with a strategy that optimises your learning experience and ultimate dance gains, abandon any idea of quick fixes. Optimise your energy levels and only pay the money out if there's enough on offer without having to attend 'fillers.'

;)
 
After first year of attending salsa congresses (3-4 for 2009), I decided to just stop doing the workshops.

The whole "too tired to take classes for a day and then dance all night and then repeat the next day" excuse for congresses is one big reason. But the other big reason is that, if you want to learn more from the instructors or receive more detailed instruction about what they taught you, they're simply not available once they leave the congress (or you leave, if you're the one visiting).

I spend just about all my dance class money on my local teachers, because I can work with them all year round, and all the lessons have continuity to them and I can receive more specialized instruction catered to my specific needs that way.

So, to make a long answer short, if I were you, I would just pay for the social dancing, and save up money for your local instructors. But then again, you're traveling, aren't you?
 
ColdSalsero said:
So, to make a long answer short, if I were you, I would just pay for the social dancing, and save up money for your local instructors. But then again, you're traveling, aren't you?
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The problem is your advice only holds good in extremely well developed salsa scenes. And those, internationally speaking are the minority.

However in your case and in the case of any salsa 'capital' then it's definitely the sensible option.
 
My simple approach

9:30 - 3:30 Workshops: Choose 2 or 3 and with rest of time either practice or rest and stay fresh

4:00-6:00 Afternoon Events:Stop in for 1/2 hour to support contest/upcoming artists

4:00 - 9:30 Quality time with the crew: Drink alcohol/hang with friends/eat/enjoy city

Skip performances friday and saturday. Attend sunday night performances

9:30-11:30 Sober up get ready for evening: take a nap, shower, iron clothes

11:30 4:00 Dance Time - Have fun... includes time to hang out at end of night/eat/hydrate

4:00 - til.......Sleep Time

Repeat
 
I had my first congress experience last year. I bought one full day's pass to the NY Salsa Congress. I did a full schedule of workshops, watched most of the performances, and went social dancing later that night.

Regarding workshops, all I can say is thank goodness I live in NY and can go to many of the instructors' regular studio classes. The only workshop I feel like I got something of value was Griselle's. A lot of other workshops, it was hard to see the instructors. The partnerwork classes were of no value to me as a follow. The quality of leaders wasn't great. And in one partnerwork class, the rotation was confusing and I kept getting skipped. When I finally got a partner, he couldn't execute the pattern at all because he learned on2 just that day! I ended up stuck with him for multiple rotations.

I'd rather go to studio classes where I can get lots of personal feedback, and where the level of leaders stays fairly consistant.
 
suitz said:
I am just curious about what is everyone's approach to a congress/all day events/workshops?
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Well, once I've decided to attend an event, I'm first going to look at the list of instructors to see if some of my favourites will be there as well as get an idea what kind of workshops might be available, since often the workshop schedule is released rather late. If I've decided to include workshops, then I'm carefully going over the workshop schedule, mark interest classes and assign priorities. Priority 1 is for the few workshops that I definitely want to attend, Priority 2 is for workshops that I might attempt if I feel like it, ie. energy, tiredness, etc. and Priority 3 is for workshops that I just want to watch to see new ways to combine moves, different ways to teach, etc. Also I might intentionally leave out one or two workshops and rather try to schedule a private with an instructor.

suitz said:
But for however much in total you have to fork out, how much can you actually learn and retain so that it is actually useful? In particular for the party that evening.
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Sorry, but I don't think that this is a good approach. I think the workshops during the day should be about exposing you to other ways of combining moves, showing you moves you aren't familiar with because in your city/scene nobody has come up with them yet and about dances that you might not be directly able to use for parties, but as influence on your dance and to become a well-rounded dancer, ie. rumba.

I think that for the parties your focus should be to have lots of great dancing and mutually enjoying the party and atmosphere with your partner. So you rather want to use your well-practiced repertoire of moves for those dances rather then try to remember something from a workshop and even maybe hurt your partner or any other couple around because you messed something up.

Take the material from the workshops with you back home, ie. record it on video, makes notes, etc. and then practice it on your own, with a partner and then in social dancing in your scene. That way you still get to include new moves and combinations that you've learned in your dancing, but without risking to hurt your any dance partner.

suitz said:
Obviously pricing structures vary quite a lot between different events, but if you're paying one lump sum to have access to a whole day of workshops, you'd probably stay for all of them.
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No, because first as willbill wrote, consider the cost of having one of the instructors come to your town for a standalone class And second aren't you making here the mistake of setting the 'one lump sum' equal to just the workshops without the parties and also the shows? You're always paying as well for the parties and the great DJs there as well as for the shows that the artists are doing, whether you'll be watching them or not.

ColdSalsero said:
I spend just about all my dance class money on my local teachers, because I can work with them all year round, and all the lessons have continuity to them and I can receive more specialized instruction catered to my specific needs that way.
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Right, but first, wile I wouldn wouldn't say like Wildbill that it needs a well-developed scene, it definitely needs at least one very good local instructor. And second this will not give yout the expose that I mentioned above towards new moves or other classes, that aren't available locally. So if you're in the extremly lucky position to have a city where you've got fantastic instructors, a huge variety of high-quality classses, then a congress will not be able to offer you much. But then I would say you're going to be in a minority compared to most congress attendees.
 
I started going to the gym to make sure my fitness and endurance was high enough not to worry about physical exhaustion. I go to most of the workshops, but have a good sleep after dinner. That helps what I've learnt sink in and allows me to dance later whilst still getting enough sleep to be sharp. 2 hours after dinner and 4 hours at night seems to be enough sleep.
 
The "formula" is simple:

Check out the event when the schedule is up, and see what INTERESTING workshops are on offer.
If there are enough interesting workshops every day, than a full pass is justifiable.
If not, consider taking a pass for some one day only, if such a pass is available.

It also depends upon your "purpose" of going to that specific event.
Are you going mainly to learn new stuff?
Are you going on your summer vacation, to enjoy a place and be with friends?
Are you going because you know there will be great parties?
Are you going to see a specific band \ dance performer?

You should get an idea about all those before going.
 
toan-hoang said:
Buy the party pass and take a private if I fancy. I also skip the shows and arrive late.
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This. Initially (first year) being fully emerged might help for networking. Like if you're afraid to ask people to dance then going to classes might make you more comfortable, since you've seen some dancers before.

While Wildbill has valid point about different scenes having different supply of teachers, congress classes usually are not great for objective reasons anyway. I suggest to do research on teachers before. If they are amazing, then take their class. Or take a private. High quality teacher can give in an hour enough material to work for a year.
 
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