December Salsa Events

[peachexploration]

Any DFers attending? See Link :arrow: Annual Salsa Congresses & Events (http://www.dance-forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=4135)

[Pacion]

I had hoped to go to the Brean Sands event here in the UK this weekend but I had to cancel in order to see someone this Saturday evening, who then cancelled on me Friday due to visitors from overseas :roll: :x

If this wasn't important I would have told them "see you next weekend" but I couldn't. So, when I should have been dancing my little socks off, looks like I will be writing my Christmas cards sooner than intended :?

[peachexploration]

That's not very nice. You rearrange your schedule and they don't show. :?

[Pacion]

Weeeeellll, I suppose you can say that I still had "24 hours notice" :( BUT all is not lost :banana: we managed to catchup today Sunday so things are 'back on track' :D

It only means though that I wil have to be creative, possibly to the point of inventive :lol: to find some events I can attend before taking off for the holidays.

Singing: Come closer to me, so I can see, heaven in your eyes! :lol:

[ElSereno]

Brean was a lot of fun. I left at 4 this morning and the floor was still hopping

[peachexploration]

Wow, El Sereno. Now, THAT"S a party! :banana:

[ElSereno]

Well one of the other DJs told me he finished at 5.30am yesterday morning, and the floor was still full.

Quite a few people yesterday were saying they hadn't had much sleep...

These events are kind of a step down froom a congress -- whole weekend, several hundred people (850 this time, apparently), instructors, DJs, shows etc.

[Pacion]

These events are kind of a step down froom a congress -- whole weekend, several hundred people (850 this time, apparently), instructors, DJs, shows etc.

Sounds like you had a great time ElSereno. I am curious though. How is it a step down from a congress? The difference/definition between a "congress", "festival", "weekender" always puzzles me :?

[ElSereno]

Well, only a step down from a congress in the sense that the UK congress, for example, has I'm told perhaps 2000 people, and a top live band, whereas this Pontins event had only 850, and a less well-known non-salsa band in its Caribbean venue, with just DJs in the main salsa venue.

Makes it still bigger than the average weekender, I think...

[MacMoto]

It only means though that I wil have to be creative, possibly to the point of inventive :lol: to find some events I can attend before taking off for the holidays.
How about that trip to Scotland you've been procrastinating about :twisted: :wink:

[Pacion]

It only means though that I wil have to be creative, possibly to the point of inventive :lol: to find some events I can attend before taking off for the holidays.
How about that trip to Scotland you've been procrastinating about :twisted: :wink:

:oops: I have run out of time :oops: Next year though! It has been sometime since we had a "celebrity" casually drop in at a salsa club :wink:

Well, only a step down from a congress in the sense that the UK congress, for example, has I'm told perhaps 2000 people, and a top live band, whereas this Pontins event had only 850, and a less well-known non-salsa band in its Caribbean venue, with just DJs in the main salsa venue.

Makes it still bigger than the average weekender, I think...

The UK congress didn't always have 2000 people AND it would appear that for some (based on a previous thread I started) it seems that some who have been dancing sometime would prefer a smaller event. Therefore, just tossing my thoughts out, I don't see how just on numbers of attendees you can say it is a congress or not. I know of other events titled congresses that don't have bands. Still, it is interesting to see.

[pygmalion]

So what is a congress again? :?

[Pacion]

:lol: congress = marketing term :wink:

[pygmalion]

Yep. That's the feeling I'm getting. Congresses can be small. They can be big. They can have bands, or just DJ's. They can have lots of classes or not so many. They can have performances or not. But call them congresses, advertise them on the web, and you're good to go. :wink: :lol:

[ElSereno]

Well, in the UK at least, I've only heard of one labelled a congress, and that's the biggest event here... The Pontins events have been going a bit longer, and aren't marketed as congresses, which is why I described the last one as "a step down". This is in no way a judgement on quality, just size and relative numbers of teachers, DJs, bands etc.

After all, the highest quality event might be a whole weekend with just you and one other person... :-)

[Pacion]

ElSereno, there have been other events labelled as "Congress" in the UK.

Aside from the Pontins events which I understand are the longest running weekenders/events in the UK (I could be wrong) these are the ones that I am aware of (which means that my list may not be a complete one)...

* UK Salsa Congress, now going on to it's fourth is probably the biggest and one that a lot of people have heard about. Perhaps the fact that the organiser used to be in marketing might have something to do with it :wink:

However...
* In 2000, there was a London Congress (from recollection, as one of the Bacardi sponsored Congresses).
* For two years there was the "British Salsa Congress" held in the North (or Middle ?) of England. From recollection, 2002 & 2003.
* There are also the MamboCity 5 Star London Congresses. This December will see their second one, called "Congress". Their first one, this time December 2003 was called a weekender.
* There is another "London Congress" around August, which of recent, goes over a week culminating with the London Carnival weekend.

As an aside:
* I don't remember if it was called a "Congress" but one of the first major events for London was around 1999? It was held on the August Bank Holiday. I am sure it will be mentioned on the internet somewhere. Fancy googling :wink:

After all, the highest quality event might be a whole weekend with just you and one other person...

Definitely! :banana: Or, in my case, the "highest quality event" would be me and at least three other male dancers so that they can have rest times :lol:

[MacMoto]

Definitely! :banana: Or, in my case, the "highest quality event" would be me and at least three other male dancers so that they can have rest times :lol:
Only three? If it's going to be the "highest quality event", I need all of my favourite leaders to be there for variety -- so that's about 20 leaders and me! :roll: :lol: Maybe I should invite some followers too to keep the guys warm for me. :lol:

[Pacion]

:lol: MacMoto, that is why I said "at least three" and no, the guys won't need to keep warm as they will need to be catching their breath :lol:

[ElSereno]

Oh, you're talking about highest quality dancing events now! :-)

[peachexploration]

So, anyone attending the International Salsa All Stars event in Osaka, Japan? Starts this weekend 12/17-12/19.