Are Salsa Congresses Worth the Money, Time & Effort

[salcero2005]

Have you ever attended a Salsa Congress? If so, which one? Do you think it was worth your time? If not, why not? If you could organize a congress, what would be the 3 most important things you would emphasize to make sure participants got the most out of the experience?

[peachexploration]

If all goes well, I'll be attending my first one in October. :banana:

[DeeplyDippy]

Where ? :D

[peachexploration]

Atlanta, Georgia (Which is also my home state.) Go Bulldogs!! :rocker:
Here's a link I started last week. :arrow: http://www.salsaforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=578

[salcero2005]

I've been to one in Toronto and also NYC. I had a good time at both. I had to buy a movie camera because you seen and learn so much its information overload. I might hit the Rueda one in Miami in November. More than likely will hit the ones in NYC in September and November.

[johnnyBG]

We have one here in Sofia in June.
I went to the parties only. I was too tired because of the competition I attended. But I have the videos of the workshops. They are OK, but for our standart of living, I don't think it worth. But you can learn a lot in the parties....

[yaypi]

Im really hoping they're worth the money. Im planning on making the miami salsa congress in august my first congress ever. Im sacrificing things to go to this. I have to go though! :shock:
JP

[Miami Rueda dancer]

yaypi! are you going to the Big rueda in August 20? mabe we can meet :D

[yaypi]

Im not sure if Im going to do the Big rueda. I heard they dropped the price down to $10. $10 for being a part of history?!?!?! I might....lol. I just hope they dont call anything hard as Im a beginner, intermediate at best, when it comes to rueda. If I do it though, we should meet up

JP

[peachexploration]

Im really hoping they're worth the money. Im planning on making the miami salsa congress in august my first congress ever. Im sacrificing things to go to this. I have to go though! :shock:
JPHi Yaypi, don't forget to check into this thread if you're interested in meeting up with SFers. :D http://www.salsaforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=583

[MacMoto]

Have you ever attended a Salsa Congress? If so, which one? Do you think it was worth your time?
I'm a congress junkee! :lol: In the last 16 months, I attended congresses/weekenders in Spain (SalsaMed), UK (Bognor), Geneva, London (Heathrow weekender) and Zurich, and I've already booked my passes for this year's UK congress and the new Brit SalsaFest next year. It's my ambition to go to the NY congress someday (when my on2 is better :roll: ), and also LA, PR and Sidney congresses if I can ever afford to. To me congresses are definitely worth my time. I love them for the opportunity they give me to dance with new people, for the chance to be taught by different teachers, and for the inspiration I get watching amazing dancers.

[Miami Rueda dancer]

Im not sure if Im going to do the Big rueda. I heard they dropped the price down to $10. $10 for being a part of history?!?!?! I might....lol. I just hope they dont call anything hard as Im a beginner, intermediate at best, when it comes to rueda. If I do it though, we should meet up

JP

hey I'd love to meet ya! and the moves will be pretty easy :P they are only calling like 1 intermidiat move :)

[peachexploration]

... Do you think it was worth your time?
I'm a congress junkee! :lol: In the last 16 months, I attended congresses/weekenders in Spain (SalsaMed), UK (Bognor), Geneva, London (Heathrow weekender) and Zurich, and I've already booked my passes for this year's UK congress and the new Brit SalsaFest next year. It's my ambition to go to the NY congress someday (when my on2 is better :roll: ), and also LA, PR and Sidney congresses if I can ever afford to. To me congresses are definitely worth my time. I love them for the opportunity they give me to dance with new people, for the chance to be taught by different teachers, and for the inspiration I get watching amazing dancers. Wow, Mac. :shock: I have a llllooooonnnggg way to go in order to catch up with you. :lol: :lol: Excellent! :)

[seut]

"Worth the money" is very subjective. I attended only the parties (and the prolonged sequel of after-parties) of one congress held in Sofia in June. The parties were great, so I think congresses are quite OK, they are worh the time and effort. Money, as I mentioned, is a very subjective thing.

[Jones, Nikka]

After my husband introduced me to Salsa almost two years ago I have gone crazy taking lessons, going out to latin clubs and yesssss!!!! going to congreses. So far we have attended The Montreal Salsa Convention in April, The West Coast Salsa Congress in LA in May, the Puerto Rico Salsa Congress in July and the NY salsa congress in September. We just came back from The Toronto Salsa Congress this month and all I can say is that they really are worth the time, travel and money. The best things is that major congresses are usually schedule during major holidays, so I do not really have to take more than a day off to go dancing at the other side of the continent.

Although everytime I learned something new and I think this will always be the case, I am already starting to develop prefferences and by next year I will know which shows and which workshops are better suited for me. I love it when you get to see the same dance troupes performing different shows from one city to the other. And I feel like such a groupie when I can tell the person nex to me "watch this next troupe, I love their shows!!"

[Slawek]

In 3 years of my salsa dancing I've attended 8 congresses. Now I'm organizing one of them :)

The question was whether they are worth of time and money. It depends on your level and attitude. I belive that everyone should attend at least one congress to see how they look like. It is great to see so many people dancing salsa at high level and it's great to attended workshops with famous instructors. But when you see several of them you are not so excited during next one. Most teachers do very similar patterns or footworks, the parties are always the same. You start to pick up 2-3 interesting classes from 10-15 offered and prefer to sleep longer after parties instead of going early to workshops. Finally you decide to buy only Party Pass and save your money and time.

[Karlosism]

I attended the West Coast Salsa Congress this year and defenetly BRING a camera..too much good stuff to remember...anyways, was it worth the 300 + hotel....because it was my first time ever...i would say yes...but in the future I think the party pass should suffice... Friends tell me that the smaller congresses are a lot better...simply because its more personal... @ congress i was def. intimidated by the talent...i couldn't ditinguish who was at my level and who was a pro...they were all good!
To make the best of your long trips come a few days before and explore the region... Personally I really want to go to the UK one just so I can visit London, etc..and Salsa dance....:-)

[Karlosism]

Actually there is one this Halloween Weekend in San Diego.. 1st annual San Diego Mambo Congress..it should be Very interesting.. although... in LA (@ Hollywood Bowl)El Gran Combo will be performing that Sat too..so hopefully it doesn't damper their party... :-) FYI: San Diego is a Very cool place to visit.. :-)

[marko_salsero]

I'm a congress junkee! :lol: In the last 16 months, I attended congresses/weekenders in Spain (SalsaMed), UK (Bognor), Geneva, London (Heathrow weekender) and Zurich, and I've already booked my passes for this year's UK congress and the new Brit SalsaFest next year. It's my ambition to go to the NY congress someday (when my on2 is better :roll: ), and also LA, PR and Sidney congresses if I can ever afford to. To me congresses are definitely worth my time. I love them for the opportunity they give me to dance with new people, for the chance to be taught by different teachers, and for the inspiration I get watching amazing dancers.

I went to just 1, 1. Croatian salsa festival and almost became a junkee too.
Why are they so expensive? :(
Do you think that all participants should get a DVD with all the workshops filmed, free of charge?
DVD replicating is less than 1€ per copy and tickets are more than 100€.
I think I put this in a new thread...

[Jones, Nikka]

...I went to just 1, 1. Croatian salsa festival and almost became a junkee too.
Why are they so expensive?
Do you think that all participants should get a DVD with all the workshops filmed, free of charge?
DVD replicating is less than 1€ per copy and tickets are more than 100€.
I think I put this in a new thread...

Well, let's see.
You've got to rent a ballroom or two for the duration of the congress and you've got to do it at a classy and elegant location, otherwise you will not get any out-of-town visitors. Then you have to pay for the bands, the DJ's, the international guest dance troupes that will be your main attraction.

You will probably have to install extra dancefloors beacause most ballrooms have room for disco dancing, but salsa requires more space, right? On top of that you need extra lighting, sound systems, additional air conditioning, and water fountains.

Let's not forget that the bar receipts probably go to your venue, so that profit is not really yours. And let us not forget that the event sponsor has to have an agreement with the venue sponsor, if any, otherwise you can not advertise your sponsor there.

Then you have to spend on printing tickets, programs, banners, passes, badges for your volunteers and employees.

Then there is the promotional material, such as flyers, newspaper ads, a website and people to run it, people to scout sponsors and canvass performers from out of town. Ah, yes, performers from out of town usually demand paid airplane or train tickets, hotel accomodations, a fee for their workshops and / or performances and a perdiem for incidentals.

Oh, let us not forget people for security, liquor permits, fire department permits and such.

And finally, a video crew to document the event, film the workshops, performances and parties, edit the raw video make a montage, copy the discs and market them. Oh and do not forget, you need licencing agreements with all the music companies that hold the rights to the music used during the performances.

So, all in all, 100 euros is probably very cheap for a four day event like the one in Croatia. Hope you enjoyed it.

Hope they made enough money to break even and do it again next year.

[salcero2005]

I'll be at the Brooklyn Salsa Festival next month. However, this is my new strategy. I will only go to the parties. Since I'll be in NYC, I can take the group classes with people like ET and Frankie rather than the workshops at the Congress. I think you get much better instruction at the regular classes than the Congresses. However, the parties are great for practicing. NYC has so many venues for Mambo that this is possible. There will also probably be a Jimmy Anton or Choco social that weekend and other nice events that are not part of the Congress.

[salsachinita]

Hmmm....I'd have to be honest & say that the only 'official' congress I've attended has directly lead to my recent recluse from the salsa scene :? .

Yes, I DO believe that everyone should at least attend one congress in their dancing life, to make up their own minds.

For me personally, I found them wayyyyy tooooo big, too impersonal, and too show/routine/patterns oriented.

The best part about the congress was the social interaction on an international level. I believe the most beneficial part is to simply dance with as many people (from as many places) as possible :D .

Video recording is a fantastic idea, except that one misses out on actually dancing :roll: .......

The classes/workshops are often huge & we just ended up watching (so we don't miss anything).

Congress type events are VERY difficult to organise. I'm not sure what can be done to improve them. The instructors are already dancing their hearts out on the social floor, after they've been teaching all day, AND doing their shows as well :shock: :notworthy: ............

Cost (while essential) can also become the main barrier which stops many from attending (AND attract a certain/limited clientele who is both willing/able to afford it).

After attending the Sydney Congress this Jan, I felt that I needed to stand back a little further, to figure out how to relate (personally) to this fairly new pheonomenon/representation of this simple lifestyle I've lived almost all my life, known as salsa.....that's just my personal opinion :oops: .........

[Jones, Nikka]

...The best part about the congress was the social interaction on an international level. I believe the most beneficial part is to simply dance with as many people (from as many places) as possible...
...The classes/workshops are often huge & we just ended up watching (so we don't miss anything)...

Yes, I agree. The dancing is by far the nicest experience in a congress. Also, a detail that I appreciated, especially at the Montreal Salsa Convention was the conferences. Having an opportunity -in a non dancing environment- to heardancers, teachers, and choreographers from different cities tell their own point of view about performing, teaching and learning was most enlightning. It gave everyone the opportunity to ask questions, exchange opinions and really get to know the person behind the dancing.

As for the workshops, I think the main problem is that everyone wants to take the advanced workshops, even when they are clearly not ready for them. So the crowd gets huge and the instructors end up not being able to see everyone