Overwhelmed with information? Well, we’ll try to confuse you some more!
We believe that the Cyprus Salsa Congress is the biggest annual dance event on the island! Well sure, bringing a tour from abroad could result in tens of thousands of audience in some large stadium. But only in the congress… all of the participants can dance….and dance they do!
So what really happens at the congress weekend? Well, supposing you have already booked and paid for a pass and hotel accommodation, you arrive promptly on Friday afternoon at congress check in desk, at the hotel’s entrance. You are given a wristband which you are told not to remove ,which allows you entrance in workshops parties and shows. You check in at the hotel and go to your room, only to leave it soon after to go to the party moves workshops. These workshops are designed to provide some ignition force for the rest of night – sort of jump starting your salsa experience. When the Friday’s workshops end you go to the buffet for a food fiesta, only to be followed by shows and the Friday night party. When shows are done the salsa music is pumping up with all night salsa tunes, brought by our experienced DJs.
Pretty much the same thing goes on Saturday and Sunday – more workshops, shows and well…that necessary thing called food. It all sounds simple on paper but if you have not experienced a Salsa Congress before, maybe you cannot even begin to understand the effect on the body & soul (hormones), from hundreds or thousands of people dancing at a single salsa tune…You will have to wait to feel it in our event to believe it. I reckon It has some special healing power because I always leave such events refreshed (exhausted is the right word actually), always wanting to quit my job the day after and start being a salsa star (don’t we all? , reality check : i am not good enough).
Right, here are my suggestions for do’s and don’ts at the Congress. Not a definite guide, but is getting there!
Ladies, don’t even think about going to the workshops with high heels. Unless you somehow have feet made out of kryptonite, 5 hours dancing, jumping, spinning will definitely have an impact on your feeling good factor – That’s even before the party begins, when the real dancing starts! I suggest bringing jazz shoes, (looking penguinly silly is fine) or any other comfy shoes, which don’t hold your spins back. Save the high heel shoes for the night party 😉 Test them on a wooden floor before you come. How many pairs? At least 2-3 pairs. You don’t want a broken heel ruining your experience. Men, the same applies for you. Guys really, please find a descent pair of shoes. There will be some vendors selling shoes on site, so feel free to do some shopping therapy.
Don’t come tired at the Congress. If you do, you will go to sleep Friday night and wake up next night ready for the next party, missing workshops and dinner on the way… And in case you are wondering, YES it is a very common congress experience. Have some nice bed sessions the preceding 2-3 nights. It is very common to sleep only a handful of hours for the whole weekend. After all, you do dance 8-12 hours…each day 😉 You agree ? No ? Then come to our pre congress party then 🙂
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Do rotate and change partners in workshops and at the party. Nobody likes commitment :). Not to mention you get to pride on Monday morning at the office’s water cooler that you have danced with 100 people of the opposite sex in the whole weekend. Whoa…it will certainly get some gossip going.
Don’t take out your wristband until you leave the venue. All sort of scary things start to happen if you do! Really, please don’t!
Don’t be late for workshops, parties, dinner etc. I know your Cypriot nature tells you otherwise. Just don’t, you will miss the workshop warm-ups, you will not get a good view for the shows, and not enjoy your meal. This congress does not run on Greek time !!!
Do bring energy drinks, water and detox supplements. If you don’t bring any water along, you can still buy from the venue. My personal favorite detox supplement is Green Tea & Vitamin C (a lot of it). Use any other detox supplement you fancy – daily, even if you feeling all right. Your body’s energy level changes very fast and frequent in these sort of events. Don’t over do it with caffeine or else you will start dancing your own salsa style whicih nobody else knows!
Do practice your moves at the party. People, we are not responsible if you don’t remember them the next day…really we are not!
Do plan the workshops you would like to attend. Planning is always a good strategy for achieving max results from the workshops. I have been planning all the congresses I have been and still I haven’t learnt anything. Oh well 🙂
Don’t say NO for a dance. Unless your feet are bleeding, saying NO is not cool. And as a general rule of thumb, if you want to get asked for a dance, stand next to the dance floor, (that means at the edge of the dance floor, not in the middle of it silly). If you don’t want to be asked, stay away and look busy. It works for me! In the exception list are the Congress organizers who are going to be very very very tired. Still, do ask them for a dance ! At the 1st CSC I fell in the middle of the dance floor (aka dance till you drop). Certainly not the attention I was hoping for. Do ask instructors to dance but remember not to ask them when they look nacked. (or naked) Although many of them have mutated their bodies to achieve max salsa results, they do still need the occasional break.
Do obey traffic rules. If there are 100 couples dancing in one direction, don’t start dancing on a different one. Do I really have to tell you this? COME ON PEOPLE !!! cross body salsa anyone ?
Do give us your feedback before, during, after the event. We do read your comments and we try to do our best blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. OK? GOOD !
Do let us know if you have any medical condition. We are very curious, us Cypriots, don’t you know.
Do attend the level you are dancing at your dance school. My suggestion is not to skip level up. Why you may ask? Because I tell you so. ALSO, well because international salsa congresses and instructors of this level…teach always 27.78% more difficult than in dance schools. Go now to the workshops page and get to grips with the “Level Guide” section. Then start feeling really sad that you cannot do everything in that list. Well, at least now at the congress you have a chance of topping it.
Don’t ….. Ok I have experienced this at a Salsa congress abroad some time ago and it did not have a happy ending. If you have a weight problem, don’t attend dips and lifts classes. It sounds bad I know, but you should always think of the person you dance with. If you have a partner who agrees to dance with you – please then by all means go ahead. Did I mention I have developed a back problem recently?
Do bring a face towel on the dance floor. Use it between song breaks to wipe your face. Exchanging body fluids on the dance floor is strictly prohibited. Leave this sort of thing for the after party ;). You know what? Bring along a couple of extra t-shirts as well. I reckon you will need to change sometime at the party. (Yes men, don’t show your hairy chest in public , use the toilets)
Do use body and shoe deodorant frequently. You may be asked to dance more frequently if you do…(Hmm…well that explains EVERYTHING!) . Brush your teeth and use a mouth wash also…who knows you may even get lucky. Brush your hair and polish your shoes, wear clean underwear and…..OK that’s enough i think.
Don’t use video/photo cameras at the workshops, unless the instructor tells so – usually at the end of each workshop. Don’t use video/photo cameras at the shows. If you do you will be asked to switch it off. We may even steal it from you and publish your photos and personal videos on you tube – but that’s a completely different story.