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Are you attending a Latin dance festival and not sure how to prepare? Whether you’ve been dancing for years, or a beginner, Latin dance festivals are super exciting! It’s a great way to improve your skills, meet great people, and try new styles. Below are some tips to help you prepare and get the most out of your experience!
Participation and Logistics
Latin dance festivals can last a couple of days and it’s best to consider how you will participate. Will you attend the entire festival or only a couple of days, or maybe just the socials? Also is the Latin dance festival you want to attend out of town, local, and what other expenses are required to get you to and from the event?
These questions will help you determine the type of pass you’ll need to purchase along with other expenses you may need to consider such as plane tickets, hotels, or car rentals. If you are staying at a hotel look on the festival’s website for a discount code you can use before booking.
Early Bird Gets the Worm
I’ve been attending festivals for years and all have one thing in common…the earlier you buy your ticket the better. Many festivals have early bird prices that provide deep discounts and will even allow you to purchase tickets several months in advance. If are committed and know you will attend, this is a great opportunity to save money. Just double-check their policies on refunds or transfers in case something comes up.
Be Comfy
The goal of these festivals is to dance, dance, dance. So make sure you are wearing clothing that is breathable and comfortable. It’s a personal preference but I also like to have pieces that allow me to standout as well.
Also, bring additional clothing to stay dry and fresh. If you plan on dancing all day and doing partner work, you’ll want to be comfortable and dry.
For your dance shoes, if you typically wear heels, I would bring them along with a pair of flats or practice shoes. You want to be able to switch your shoes if your feet begin to hurt from dancing all day. Many dancers wear dance sneakers or jazz shoes.
Make Sure You Eat
With all of the excitement and rushing from class to class you might forget one important thing…to eat! Once you have the class schedule try to plan your day to ensure you are taking breaks to fuel your body. Also, bring snacks and food with you that you can easily eat in between classes.
If I’m staying a couple of days at a local festival, I’ll also bring my own meals. It’s a preference, but packing a home-prepared meal helps with costs and ensuring I’m eating healthy.
And don’t forget water! Bring a water bottle with you that you can fill up during your breaks.
Stay Fresh
Like I mentioned earlier bring extra clothing to change if needed. It’s a good idea to also bring a small hygiene bag with things like deodorant, mints, extra feminine products, hand sanitizer, Band-Aids etc. It’s always best to be prepared and have essentials if needed. A list of hygiene kit options are here.
Be Positive and Have Fun
This is a great moment to learn from various artists and meet new people. Stay positive and don’t be too hard on yourself if you feel like you aren’t picking up any choreography. Remember this is a learning opportunity and having fun is important.
Also Latin dance is a social dance so be mindful and respectful of any new dance partners you work with in class.
So enjoy yourself, be open to learning something new, and dance!