should be good because a lot of people are going, according to FB
Festival and Travel Planner 2026
- Thread starter azana
- Start date
Vienna's cross body scene is organized and communicated via WhatsApp. Just need to add your mobile number to the group and voila, you have direct access to those directly connected to the scene. The group is quite active.
Lisa & Samuel have a monthly social on Sunday but it is mixed with some parasitic Bachata.
If you're lucky, you can catch the Mambo Dreamers event (which happens spontaneously) which is a Salsa band playing live Mambo for the snobbiest On2 Viennese dancers.
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It was a great time, I really enjoyed my 2 weeks there.
would you add me on the WhatsApp?
desconocida
Son
Yeah... if you're a good follow and somewhere in Western/Central Europe and you attend congresses, it doesn't matter what you call it, but you DO want to dance with at least certain of the booked/hired dancers in the event - to avoid calling them "artists" since it seems to trigger some people here. I'd actually say, I'm very comfortable calling those who I'd like to dance with "artists", but I agree that we should be more selective with this title.
Now, sure, you don't want to look like you're chasing them, but let's be frank: we are being, at least to some degree, strategic. We've been around long enough to know how to avoid the appearance of chasing, most of us are somewhat friendly with said artists, so usually an opportunity to ask in a more casual manner presents itself at some point without lining up. But yes, dancing with really good dancers, who in about 70-90% of all cases happen to be booked artists (depending on the event), is definitely a goal for most experienced female dancers - because it is, a lot of the time, a great experience, and if not that, a way to challenge yourself, would be kinda silly to pretend like that's beneath us. I very much believe that you do not need to do any of that as a lead since I regularly watch great or good follows ask leads technically beneath their respective levels, so it's kinda easy for you guys to be all snobbish about how you "don't chase"
desconocida
Son
Thanks for the review, I didn't find the level particularly high last year already, so I can only imagine...
I regularly watch great or good follows ask leads technically beneath their respective levels, so it's kinda easy for you guys to be all snobbish about how you "don't chase"
Interesting
Follower benefit a lot more from better leads than vice versa, a better lead can pull up a follower to another level, so it's understandable they prefer great leaders. Also usually I see more great followers than great leaders on the floor - the learning curve for leads is harder and longer so not many leads make it to the top (others say it's also because women start earlier with dancing because they like it more). So I often have enough great followers so I don't need to chase pros at all.But yes, dancing with really good dancers, who in about 70-90% of all cases happen to be booked artists (depending on the event), is definitely a goal for most experienced female dancers - because it is, a lot of the time, a great experience, and if not that, a way to challenge yourself, would be kinda silly to pretend like that's beneath us. I very much believe that you do not need to do any of that as a lead since I regularly watch great or good follows ask leads technically beneath their respective levels, so it's kinda easy for you guys to be all snobbish about how you "don't chase"
Yes as a leader there's almost no reason to chase pros when many followers are teachers themselves.
For the most part, it's not worth my time trying to chase down an international star that's always busy.
The most famous person I've dance with is Bersy and while it was a good dance, I didn't learn anything about myself while dancing with her that I wouldn't have learned dancing with someone else not so famous.
It's not like that 'star I didn't dance with' is going to rock my world.
For the most part, it's not worth my time trying to chase down an international star that's always busy.
The most famous person I've dance with is Bersy and while it was a good dance, I didn't learn anything about myself while dancing with her that I wouldn't have learned dancing with someone else not so famous.
It's not like that 'star I didn't dance with' is going to rock my world.
desconocida
Son
I'd say it's not like that for a follow neither, but having 3-5 "celebrity" dances per night considerably increases overall dance quality average for any given event.
It would depend on the event and the time of day. My best dances often come during socials (day or evening) and marathons, not during Saturday evening gala events.
If I dance with 10 really good followers who connect with me, that means more than any 1 dance with a celebrity. The chances that those celebrities will be 'in the dance' with me is a lot lower than with non celebrities. And I can't catch those celebrities usually in the daytime, only at night when they do not wish to connect to anyone except with other celebs.
When I say non-celebrity, I don't mean average dancers. I mean people who I consider very high level, but just aren't in the same fame stratosphere.
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Really good point. I can't count the number of times I've come across someone I've danced with in Europe on social media and see them teaching a class.
Social media and youtube have made it where you often know who someone is dance wise before even dancing with them. For me, personally, I would rather not know that a person is an instructor, performer or salsa celebrity before dancing with them.
How would you know they are teachers if you've never heard of them and they aren't super famous? How can I find someone on social media I don't know even exists?
Most of the super good followers are unknown to me before I start dancing with them. It's only after I've danced with them when I discover they're teaching or some kind of local star. I think the chances of finding out who someone is before dancing with them is slim. Local stars are a dime a dozen these days.
In my downtime, I often look at random salsa videos on social media. After awhile, the algorithm pushes people that I've watched before or similar people.
This person in the middle, for example, I've seen dancing a lot on social media. Mostly teaching shines classes. If I saw her in person, I would automatically know who she is because of the videos in social media. I couldn't tell you her name though
Attachments
Looks like Misaki, but can't be sure with that blurry photo.
But even if it is her, she is already pretty famous.
Yeah probably. But I don't know anything about her, other than social media videos
Yeah... if you're a good follow and somewhere in Western/Central Europe and you attend congresses, it doesn't matter what you call it, but you DO want to dance with at least certain of the booked/hired dancers in the event - to avoid calling them "artists" since it seems to trigger some people here. I'd actually say, I'm very comfortable calling those who I'd like to dance with "artists", but I agree that we should be more selective with this title.
Now, sure, you don't want to look like you're chasing them, but let's be frank: we are being, at least to some degree, strategic. We've been around long enough to know how to avoid the appearance of chasing, most of us are somewhat friendly with said artists, so usually an opportunity to ask in a more casual manner presents itself at some point without lining up. But yes, dancing with really good dancers, who in about 70-90% of all cases happen to be booked artists (depending on the event), is definitely a goal for most experienced female dancers - because it is, a lot of the time, a great experience, and if not that, a way to challenge yourself, would be kinda silly to pretend like that's beneath us. I very much believe that you do not need to do any of that as a lead since I regularly watch great or good follows ask leads technically beneath their respective levels, so it's kinda easy for you guys to be all snobbish about how you "don't chase"
I come from a scene which is very lead heavy. Sometimes it can be difficult to get dance with an above average followers. We also get some really good followers from different parts of the world passing through. Locally we have some really good leaders. They don’t travel. If and when they do, they definitely catch attention of best followers in the room.
Frankly there are plenty below average to average leaders who do the chasing. It is very obvious. While the better leaders are more chill and dance with many followers around the room. You can hardly call that snobbish
At the festivals in Europe, if you are dancing long enough (several hours a night), you will get enough dances with very good followers including known names. More than half the sought after followers that I danced with (when in Europe), I had absolutely no idea who they were. Sure they are very good dancers and I enjoyed dancing with them. But it was only after the fact that I realized that they were someone popular or famous within the salsa festival world. There are many times I will dance with someone such may be only once in three nights because there is too much demand on their time. But then there are some I would dance each night once. There are many dances I haven’t had because I refuse to be even a tiny bit aggressive.
Having danced in fair number of European festivals I totally disagree that really good leaders in 70% of cases happened to the invited celebrities/stars of the universe of salsa festivals. There are many really good leaders in Europe I have seen who either weren’t yet discovered by likes of Star mambo or below the radar. Let me illustrate with an example that you might be able to relate. Adolfo as good a dancer he is, when social dancing disappears among the crowd - by which I mean his social dancing doesn’t stand out and he social dancing is no different than some other good leader. Unlike some known suspects on social dance floor I never seen him don anything flashy. There have been times he is dancing next to me and I had to do a double take. From this guy looks like Adolfo to, ohh it is him. Likewise I seen some do flashy moves not knowing who they are and cursing them under my breath for taking up dancing, dancing big, complicated moves, etc only to discover later (almost always through SF when someone posts videos) it was some big name.
Lastly, if I was a follower I would have no interest in dancing with some of the big names just because of the way they dance. Honestly I don’t understand the “thrill” of wanting an experience of dancing with a big name, knowing well they might be rough or strong arm the follower.
I don’t think there is anything wrong in wanting to dance with a big name. But if there is going to be incompatibility (stylistic clash), why bother.
P.S.- it is very rare to witness a good follower ask any lead (other than a celebrity).
My experience is always opposite. At festivals in Europe too, advanced leaders outnumber advanced followers. I have said that consistently for past many years. One of the reasons for that I personally believe is men last far longer on the scene than the women. I know more men that have been going out consistently without break for 10-15-20 years. I hardly know any woman who is consistently dancing (socially) for more than 10 years without a significant break.
Perhaps our yardstick for who is an advance follower is different.
Is there a lack of good leaders now? can’t you get at least 5-6 good dances in a night which are of as good quality as ‘celebrity’ dances ?
Why? A good dancer will be good irrespective of their fame.
Either you have chemistry or you don’t. I don’t think other person’s fame really is part of that equation.
Agree and same here.
Since I am not on social media, I have mostly only come to know afterwards. Or some have become more famous (a year or two) later.