I had the pleasure of attending the 2017 New York Salsa Congress. I had an amazing time filled with social dancing and excellent workshops.
I arrived after a mid-morning flight on Friday just in time to take the last workshop. Luckily it was with Denise and Ernesto, whose high energy is infectious and definitely got me pumped for the day. I was ecstatic to find out the Congress had a midday social. Around the corner in the middle of Times Square was a huge T-Mobile store hosting the party. Mario B was the MC and Jimmy Anton was on the turntables. Little did I know that this midday party was to become one of many highlights over the weekend. Goya was the event sponsor and their representatives handed out coconut water and delicious plantain chips.
Afterwards, I met friends for lunch and began to prepare for the evening shows. Being a choreographer and performer, I know how much work goes into preparing for Congress. Extra rehearsals, costume creation, and performance logistics can all add to the work that goes into a performance. There were many wonderfully talented artists that presented their work. Once the shows were wrapped up and the ballroom was cleared, everyone was ready for social dancing.
Social dancing is one of my favorite things about Congresses and Festivals. I love meeting new people and connecting through dance. The main ballroom was on one floor and the next floor up housed the Kizomba and Bachata rooms. I went to the upper floor to start dancing while the ballroom was cleared. Once the main room opened and the band took the stage, the dance zone took over. Similar to the twilight zone, it’s like a parallel universe filled with nonstop dancing.
I love that social dancing allows you to meet amazing dancers from all over the world. There were a variety of people from near and far. I had fantastic dances with a gentleman who was a visiting instructor from France. I met people from both coasts as well as a flurry of local dancers. Let’s just say that when the dancing wrapped up I was thoroughly exhausted and equally inspired.
Hustle, Latin, and Broadway diva Maria Torres taught the first lesson on Sunday morning. So I was there ready to jam. It is so wonderful being able to take a workshop that has a mix of jazz, Latin, and contemporary styles. My day continued, with a slew of cool classes including On 2 footwork with Jimmy Anton and a Latin Fusion with Karel Flores. I did take a much-needed lunch break to meet friends for a late brunch.
Getting ready for the final night of dancing was inspiring because I had planned to attend two major events on the same evening. Having stopped in at Sweetgreen, a wonderful restaurant with delicious salads, I was pumped for the night.
To get started I headed south to arrive at the Jimmy Anton social. It was packed with a variety of local dancers and visitors who had specifically traveled to attend this iconic social. I listened to cool tunes by even cooler DJs and got in some boss dances. Shout out to a certain gentleman from DC! We had fantastic musical dances with so much flavor. It was as if we’d been dancing together for ages. It was a fantastic start to the night. Then I headed uptown to absorb the final night of social dancing at the Congress.
There is something magical about the dances on the last night of Congress. It’s as if everyone knows you’ve got to get your fix. By the third day, people are more relaxed. By Sunday, I’d had a chance to meet a few “go to” folks for dances. I danced the rest of the evening into the early morning hours before packing up and heading to the airport. In Chicago, we have a saying about being a member of “team no sleep.” NYC, the city that doesn’t sleep, definitely showed this salsera a great time.
