Yogalholic
Changui
Today there are 2 big salsa events in my city (Lyon. France). Usually there aren't any how convenient to schedule both the same day 
Salsa open diary
- Thread starter MacMoto
- Start date
alvinthethird
Son
After being in salsa travel semi-retirement, I am going to attend SF SBK and Warsaw next month! The pandemic has greatly influenced my stamina, hoping to regain some soon. The last festival I traveled for was the Capitol City congress back in 2018
Good luck! You don't dance locally? Getting in shape took some time for many people. + whatever consequences from Covid that many experience.
alvinthethird
Son
I do, I'm in Chicago, so we have solid options on a regular basis. A new job I started last year reduces the time to take advantage
Sabrosura
Son Montuno
So I was enjoying a nice cozy cha-cha with Frankie at the Paris Salsa Marathon this past weekend, happy to dance the first (and only) cha-cha of that night, when all of a sudden the videographer's camera and light were on us -- it was pretty nerve-wracking (especially since that was the only cha-cha that night too, and he was the guest artist at the event, so all eyes were on him). It felt like suddenly what was an intimate dance became a "voyeuristic" experience, performing for an audience. I'm not usually too bothered by being filmed while dancing but this time it felt different, I felt the whole "pressure to perform" thing. I did my best not to give in to it though!
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I would die
good job that you kept going. I admit I absolutely hate recordings without permission, it totally ruins the experience for me. It is sadly very common in the salsa world.Even more common in the BS world I've noticedI would die
Still thinking of Warsaw, though I’m not sure if it’s worth it anymore. The smaller scale version they ran last year with less artists was more appealing than the full blown event with thousands of people. I don’t know if I will ever enjoy dancing in a room with over a thousand of people anymore. I’ve gotten used to finding people I know and like dancing with. Getting lost in a crowd seems very unappealing.
I remember it being a focal meet-up point for SF’ers back in the day.
I know a few people who have said they want to go to Warsaw. I am not keen this year.
Whats with Vienna congress. Their webpage still displays see you in 22. They don’t seem to have updated it in a year.
It's not happening this year. From what I heard, the organizer didn't want to bother with all the red tape Covid brought to the city.
SnowDancer
Son Montuno
My first post in 2-3 years: Anyone going to the Sicilia Salsa Festival this weekend? This will also be my first congress since covid!
you should try SF SBK in the first weekend of Nov. It is top notch for social dancing (after 45 performances each night).
Reminds me of my former scene’s congress, which organizes performances and competitions in like 30 different categories. 100% of promotion is spent towards students and “profesionals” training and competing. If I didn’t know anything about congresses, I’d think there was no social dancing whatsoever.
I think it’s ridiculous that any Salsa competition involves the participation of adult amateurs/students. Nobody wants to see that. IMO, only top shelf dancers should be allowed to compete and preferably on a different planet.
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There is plenty of social dancing from midnight to 7am, in SF which sets it apart from the rest of the USA festivals. The afternoon social dancing introduced last year was lame attendance wise (may be 50-60 people)
Even major salsa congress in USA always had 20-30 performances at the minimum every night - Fri, Sat, Sun. From early 2000s till today.
See my post in the other thread about SF SBK. The performing teams pay money for the festival pass though it is heavily discounted. But they book the hotel rooms. The hotel provides the ballrooms for free I think, if the minimum number of rooms are sold. Otherwise the organizers are personally on hook to make up the difference. Last year almost the whole hotel sold out and people had to book neighboring hotel. The venue hotel is fairly big spacious with more than 500 rooms I think. I don't remember if it was 2019 or 2021, the performances touched 60 per night at SF.
P.S. there are no competitions. If I recall at least one year, three or four intensive boot camps with the top celebrities/instructors were offered. Those tend to be popular and get sold out. On the last evening they perform too.
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SnowDancer
Son Montuno
The Sicilian Festival was fun, but a little strange because the average attendee age looks to be around 15. And if I and my partner weren't there, it would be 14. 
There are these huge teams of teenagers and younger kids, most of them performing at higher levels than I've seen at most congresses.
There are these huge teams of teenagers and younger kids, most of them performing at higher levels than I've seen at most congresses.
Interesting. So I guess it depends entirely on the organizer whether or not to include competitions
Competitions are held outside of dancing social hours so that's good at least.
It still makes no sense to me to have comps at a congress.
The Sicilian Festival was fun, but a little strange because the average attendee age looks to be around 15. And if I and my partner weren't there, it would be 14.
I am somehow not surprised given the penchant Italians have for training Salsa at a young age. I imagine those kids are already better than most adult performers at the bigger Congresses.
Seemed like all of Eastern/Central Europe was in Prague this weekend.
Will go down in history as my single biggest regret for not going.
Blech.
Will go down in history as my single biggest regret for not going.
Blech.