Salsa open diary

UnknownUser said:
Was looking for a festival to go to next year, and found the Salsa Spring Festival in Athens, Greece , which looks really nice. But then I notices that they have like nearly 2 hours of shows every evening. So dancing only starts after midnight.
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Everything in Greece starts after midnight. Dinner at 10 pm, dancing no earlier than 1 am typically. Not salsa specific
 
UnknownUser said:
I even found an online review by the organizer of the Berlin Salsa Congress of the festival where he said it was great, but too many shows. (If you have ever been to the Berlin Salsa Congress, if he says too many shows it must really be too many shows.)
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Only place with more shows than Berlin congress had been Istanbul. So this really says something.
 
Amun said:
@Offbeat @noobster he is actually friendly, always smiling - I think he simply has no personal care and has no idea others find him repulsive. But because he is otherwise not being rude I just don't feel comfortable handing him a towel and asking him to clean himself or openly skipping him, both options are quite close to directly telling him "sorry you disgust me please take a shower." I will tell the instructor and see what he will do with it. @Offbeat btw I'm really curious if you had to take some guys aside to tell them that girls complained, how did they take it? I have to say if someone told me that people are complaining about my smell/sweatiness, I would be so embarrassed I would probably never ever come back (I guess a win for others if someone is smelling that bad that others have to tell him/her). In the past, I had a teacher who during every class kept saying (to no one in particular) that it is not acceptable to show up with bad hygiene, I wish more teachers did this.
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If he is friendly and unaware, then easier to sit him down and explain the situation. It is easy for any guy (or girl) to understand that if he is dripping with sweat, people can find it repulsive. He will likely get more dances and less rejections. You can start conversation by enquiring why doesn't he change or bring a towel if he knows he sweats a lot. Perhaps he comes from sports background. On the sports field if you are sweating like a pig, you don't care. Also let him know a good deodorant will also go a long way. Sweat gets smelly due to bacteria on the skin. When I am sweaty, I refuse to hug people explaining them I am soaked with sweat so no hugging.

It is always possible to tell someone a negative thing by being polite. If you say it with empathy, most times there won't be any misunderstanding. It is not blaming someone but in spirit of trying to help them. For example when someone smells, you start by saying perhaps something is getting stuck to your clothes which is giving odor. It is know that working in certain settings the odor gets absorbed by the clothes.

A few times girls have discreetly told me "what did you eat, today your breath is wrong" or offered mint saying "you need it". Of course these are ones I know dance with regularly and they are dance friends. Another time it was a guy friend. I have done the same as well. Sometimes it can be wrong hairspray, sometimes clothes, sometimes what someone has eaten before dancing. It doesn't have to be only garlic and onion. I remember one of my partners telling me you smell of nuts. We had been eating cashews before dancing and I had gobbled up more of it because I like eating nuts. A lot of dancers including me also have a toothbrush and toothpaste in the dancing bag.

There is nothing to be embarrassed about. There are those who are sloppy with bad hygiene habits. And there are those who are very particular about their hygiene. I am the latter, but it still doesn't guarantee occasional slip ups. It hasn't happened a lot but half a dozen times it has happened, the reason people bring it to my attention is because they care about me. I have also been told the opposite by friends and strangers "you are smelling nice" or "I like how you smell".

Don't stop dancing or get embarrassed because someone is trying to help :) It can be awkward but wouldn't you rather be aware of the issue and nip it in bud.
 
UnknownUser said:
Was looking for a festival to go to next year, and found the Salsa Spring Festival in Athens, Greece , which looks really nice. But then I notices that they have like nearly 2 hours of shows every evening. So dancing only starts after midnight.

I even found an online review by the organizer of the Berlin Salsa Congress of the festival where he said it was great, but too many shows. (If you have ever been to the Berlin Salsa Congress, if he says too many shows it must really be too many shows.)

I wonder what is the reason for that, they must be aware that it probably scares away quite a few paying customers. A few shows can be great but too many is a no go. Always wondered what could be the reason for such a business decision.

Also realized that this years program most Salsa workshops were On2. All festivals I´ve been to so far nearly everyone (90% or more) danced On1 at the socials. So seems an odd choice to offer mainly On2.

Or do the Greek really do love shows and On2 ?
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Too many shows = more money for the organizers. In USA the festivals are packed with shows, because the teams buy passes or pay to perform. Plus they will start in the hotel. If organizers have a contract with the hotel, they have to fill the minimum number of rooms.
 
Bostontraitor said:
That location is right across Chinatown, so food and karaoke are nearby I am sure. Very easy to find. I actually took a uber to get there.
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I enjoyed the Monday waterfront event immensely. I didn't enjoy the Thursday event. Yeah the room was smaller but it was busy. Lead heavy, some follows were snobby. I had way better dances on the Monday with smiling happy follows. The vibe here is different. Not sure what was wrong with my simple leads but they followed it but had the "someone farted don church" look on their face. Although 1 who said she was tired changed her mind danced anyway and was laughing and hugged me at the end. And she was quite good.
I was getting bored, then the bachata performances came on and I left. World record for me leaving a salsa event.
I guess if I was Ina different mood is enjoy it, but the vibe was not as good
 
1derpalm said:
I enjoyed the Monday waterfront event immensely. I didn't enjoy the Thursday event. Yeah the room was smaller but it was busy. Lead heavy, some follows were snobby. I had way better dances on the Monday with smiling happy follows. The vibe here is different. Not sure what was wrong with my simple leads but they followed it but had the "someone farted don church" look on their face. Although 1 who said she was tired changed her mind danced anyway and was laughing and hugged me at the end. And she was quite good.
I was getting bored, then the bachata performances came on and I left. World record for me leaving a salsa event.
I guess if I was Ina different mood is enjoy it, but the vibe was not as good
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I experience some snubbiness as well. They weren't very welcoming to the unknown dancers.
I can see how they thought your simple lead just was not good enough for them.
I found their bachata folks were boring, since they only did sensual bachata. when I was there, salsa room was kind of empty.
 
Bostontraitor said:
I experience some snubbiness as well. They weren't very welcoming to the unknown dancers.
I can see how they thought your simple lead just was not good enough for them.
I found their bachata folks were boring, since they only did sensual bachata. when I was there, salsa room was kind of empty.
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I saw some rougher leads got more dances than I. This was ay Place de Artsmind you. I swear the same level of dancers but more and way nicer at the outdoor event. They liked my lead lol.

But I am of the "I don't know you yet, so let me show you that. Safe" mindset. Plus now that I know what I STILL look like, while dancing, I'm more interested in "difficulty of 3-4, execution of 8-10". If someone has a problem with that f@#k'em.
 
1derpalm said:
I saw some rougher leads got more dances than I. This was ay Place de Artsmind you. I swear the same level of dancers but more and way nicer at the outdoor event. They liked my lead lol.

But I am of the "I don't know you yet, so let me show you that. Safe" mindset. Plus now that I know what I STILL look like, while dancing, I'm more interested in "difficulty of 3-4, execution of 8-10". If someone has a problem with that f@#k'em.
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I had high expectation when I walked in too. Food in Montreal also not as good as I expected. I like toronto better.
 
I went to a social today and i danced with someone I knew was and instructor for the first time. She had a very delicate feel and connection (almost bird like). I had to tone down my tension level drastically as she was responsiveness of no one I'd ever danced with before. Wonderfully playful and carefree but I had to really concentrate to be sure she was still with me lol... It was rather unnerving that I could have been too firm in my tension. I compensated by doing more shines to let them play.

The next few dancers were strictly social dancers where my tension level was what I'm used to. I feel the performances I've seen her in help me understand why she is super responsive however, the low matching tension made it hard to dance with them.
 
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