I ramped up from a few congresses per year from the year 1997, until 2008, where I was in 54 congresses in one year. How is that passible? I was at two different countries over a single weekend, and the promoters shared my expenses! LOL.
I was asked by one of my instructors the other day, “What is the best way to experience a Salsa congress?”
Here was my response:
1. Wear Comfortable dance shoes. Bring shoe goo for repairs. Bring safety pins for clothing g fixes.
2. If you’re going to fly to a congress, make sure you put every outfit in its own clear plastic sack, this includes shoes, undies, pants, shirt, jewelry, etc., do this per night, and do this per day. You will wear something different during the days then you will the nights.
The reason for the plastic bag is just in case they leave your suitcase outside in a rain or snowstorm while you were watching it soaked from the comfortable seat of your airplane.
Will also prevent mold from accumulating after an 18 to 20 our flight.
3. Unless you enjoy the shows, skip them all together. Go to your room take a nap. After the shows are over, get up and dance till 4 AM. You will not only have some of the best dances in the world with the performer who performed that night, but the promoters will also notice that you were dancing with everyone, and may invite you back for free next year.
4. Don’t drink.
It sucks all the energy right out from under you. Plus, she can’t spin, and people can tell you’ve been drinking.
Same goes for smoking. You may think you can hide your breath, or hide your drunkenness, but it’s written all over you ESPECIALLY once they touch your hand.
5.. smile, smile, smile, SMULE! You’ll get asked to dance more!
Smiles are contagious, even if you fake a smile, when you smile, everybody else in the room and smiling!
6. Look good out there! GIRLS: Wear nice clothes, get your nails done get your toes done get your hair done, wear nice make up.
GUYS: Look good out there. Look as masculine as possible. Don’t do any of the above.
7. Dance with people you don’t normally dance with in Denver. Venture out and feel different styles from different states / countries.
8. Social DANCE -don’t social IZE.
Talking and gossip are not what you want to spend your valuable time on.
9. Go ALONE – bring your boyfriend/girlfriend/friend, and you will regret it. And them.
10. Take as many workshops as you can and be up front / center. Don’t try to learn in the middle nor back.
11. When social dancing, stay on the edges and then WORK THE WNTIRE BALLROOM FLOOR during the song – don’t just dance in one spot. No one will see you.
Why do you want to be seen?
Because the promoters may invite you back because you’re dancing with everybody. And then they will invite you back for free. They may even ask if you can teach a workshop for free. You gotta work for free for a few years before you start getting paid.
And it starts on the dance floor. You’re dancing with everybody you’re dancing with beginner you’re dancing with everybody. They love it when people dance with beginners. And beginners will tell the promoter how nice you are. And then the promoters will invite you. Maybe eventually they will pay you.
12. Make yourself MEMORABLE. So that people will WANT to dance with you and take videos dancing with you.
Ladies – be LADYLIKE.
Men – be Gentlemen.
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