Which Salsa Congresses Or Major Events Do You Plan To Attend in 2020?

Chris_Yannick said:
Right off the heels of Berlin, El Sol is still being planned next month. Maximum capacity of around 400 people.
After watching the video, I'm not quite convinced about the event taking place even at minimum capacity.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=3183859015057493
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I'm still surprised that they are going ahead with it at all. I wonder what penalties they would incur if they cancel? Considering it is a 5,000+ person event, they must have some sort of insurance in place. If not, then trying to get some money back on a reduced event is better than nothing.

I watched the video as well - she's right that those who come over would be "dance freaks" (her term - I prefer the term "hardcore"). "Very courageous" (07:05)? Hmmm. It's not like dancers are braving death traps straight out of an Indiana Jones movie just to get to the event.
 
I was impressed with how Berlin was organized. Communication from the organizer was clear, timely and left no doubt in my mind on the strict measures being taken. Also the fact that there was a strong online component made me feel like things were happening.

I don't get the same vibes from Warsaw. If anything, Ania made me more worried for her event.
 
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Chris_Yannick said:
I was impressed with how Berlin was organized. Communication from the organizer was clear, timely and left no doubt in my mind on the strict measures being taken. Also the fact that there was a strong online component made me feel like things were happening.

I don't get the same vibes from Warsaw. If anything, Ania made me more worried for her event.
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worried in what way? She already gave an outline of what to expect. Masks are optional when dancing or practicing. Temp screening at the entrance. Masks mandatory off the dance floor.

The area is larger than Berlin. If the venue is same, the ceilings are high. That means the volume of space is far greater than normal indoor or club event. With that kind of volume and airflow, the transmission risk is relatively lower than Berlin space (which was clearly more compact). If I saw the measurements she showed, each couple on an average will have 10 sq meters space, a size of small room. In reality it might be more like 5 or 6 sq meters after accounting for bar or space around edge of the floor and partitions. The air conditioning performance is the big question. I remember the big hall wit’s only few hundred people early in the evening would be cold. Interesting question is if the venue has done any improvements to air circulation and air filters.

Neither Berlin nor Warsaw nor anyone else can guarantee non-presence of a superspreader. That is the biggest risk. No temp screening or COVID testing shall be able to catch a superspreader. The latest I read is that people are most infectious 24 to 48 hours on the either side of onset of the symptoms. Even if one is present, with mask on and social distancing your risk is very low. You have to be exposed to a infected person‘s droplets for 15 minutes or more without mask to catch sufficient viral load. If you are diligent about washing your hands or using sanitizer after touching someone or something and making sure you don’ttouch your face, you can minimize your risks significantly at the event.
 
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Offbeat said:
worried in what way? She already gave an outline of what to expect. Masks are optional when dancing or practicing. Temp screening at the entrance. Masks mandatory off the dance floor.
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This seems almost backwards. Exercise of any type increases the rate of spread by the simple fact you breathe heavier even slightly increasing the speed of droplets hovering.
 
Smiley79 said:
This seems almost backwards. Exercise of any type increases the rate of spread by the simple fact you breathe heavier even slightly increasing the speed of droplets hovering.
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My thinking is that people are going to be dancing with other people they know and both parties might be comfortable dancing without mask.

She must have got some feedback from the interested dancers as well as the local socials that have been going on in Warsaw (which she mentions). May be some or majority of dancers prefer dancing without mask.

Is that against best scientific recommendation? Yes it is. So there is a certain element of risk for dancers who are willing to unmask while dancing. May be they are willing to unmask when dancing within salsa bubble (others they know and trust) than with any random stranger. We can only speculate.

There is a greater chance nothing untoward will happen. There is a smaller chance that the even can trigger a few Covid cases or a small outbreak. At end of the day only zero risk option is to not hold the festival. But it seems they held bachata and zouk festival, and nothing happened.
 
Offbeat said:
worried in what way? She already gave an outline of what to expect. Masks are optional when dancing or practicing. Temp screening at the entrance. Masks mandatory off the dance floor
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All of the measures are just words to me. Anyone can say they will be super careful, will wear masks, have washing stations, etc..

I have no idea what restrictions are currently in place in Poland, but the situation there is quite bad right now.

I have less faith in festivals taking place in Poland than I do in Germany.

Ania didn't give me the confidence that her event is really moving forward.

I like her honesty, but it all seems really sketchy right now.

There is a festival planned here next month despite current measures that completely and utterly forbid it. The attitude of organizers is 'Let' s all have faith that it will happen.'.

I am sure that event will be 100% canceled barring a miracle.

I would rather the event gets canceled ahead of time if unsure instead of last minute cancelations, which is the route many organizers have taken and to me sounds really dishonest. Why some organizers would want to give false hope is literally the worst business decision they can make.
 
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Chris_Yannick said:
Why some organizers would want to give false hope is literally the worst business decision they can make.
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I do think the organizers do want/hope to hold an event. That isn’t giving false hope. Whether it is wise to plan an event amid uncertainty, is a different question.
 
Offbeat said:
I do think the organizers do want/hope to hold an event. That isn’t giving false hope. Whether it is wise to plan an event amid uncertainty, is a different question.
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It is rare to get transparency from organizers . Granted some are good and communicate well. More often, though, I see a lot of outrageous promises, defensiveness, lack of communication and greed.
 
Chris_Yannick said:
I have less faith in festivals taking place in Poland than I do in Germany.

Ania didn't give me the confidence that her event is really moving forward.

I like her honesty, but it all seems really sketchy right now.
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I do not think any one place has got it right. Whether it is Poland or Germany or any other place that is not denying the science (like some states in USA).

I was talking to a friend in another city in Poland and their social dancing arrangement is similar to what Ania describes. It is legal as per Polish laws. Can the regulations change? Sure. That will depend on the situation at that time.

Uncertainty doesn’t make it sketchy. I do not see a single reason why Ania is being anymore sketchy than BSC.


All that any organizer can do is being honest and transparent. The rest of uncertainty is not in anyone’s hands or control.
 
Chris_Yannick said:
Right off the heels of Berlin, El Sol is still being planned next month. Maximum capacity of around 400 people.
After watching the video, I'm not quite convinced about the event taking place even at mimimum capacity.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=3183859015057493
Click to expand...


Might want to keep an eye on the political situation, if you plan on going

www.yahoo.com

Warsaw police detain 278 after Saturday's protests against coronavirus restrictions

Warsaw police detained 278 people on Saturday after thousands protested against new curbs aimed at containing the spread of the coronavirus, a police spokesman said. Police said demonstrators had att...
www.yahoo.com www.yahoo.com
 
I won't go to Warsaw and won't do any traveling for a while. Traveling to festivals is a luxury that is not in my foreseeable future, even if allowed. If festivals are allowed here, that's a different story.
 
AguaDulce said:
Might want to keep an eye on the political situation, if you plan on going
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The venue is next to the airport, not downtown, so as long as the dancers don't leave the compound (ahem), they should be safe from that specific danger. When I was there 2 years ago, we were advised not to go downtown because of the demonstrations held at the time (it was the 100th anniversary of Poland's independence and a holiday weekend).
 
RogueBlader said:
The venue is next to the airport, not downtown, so as long as the dancers don't leave the compound (ahem), they should be safe from that specific danger. When I was there 2 years ago, we were advised not to go downtown because of the demonstrations held at the time (it was the 100th anniversary of Poland's independence and a holiday weekend).
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There is always some trouble in festival time, because of independence day, but I've never witnessed it in all my years. Maybe because I look similar to Poles. Or that I don't go to same places at the same time when they're drinking and cruising for a bruising. I've also not heard stories from other participants. My guess would be that by time locals get into fighting mood, it's also time for shower, preparty, and such.
 
My friend lived in poland a few years ago. He said it was scary because of the skinheads and nationalists. Beating people up badly in public who weren't polish. We is Basque and tbh could pass to he as an eastern European. So he never spoke as to not get whooped.
Also that is an insanely high daily number...
 
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