Chicago Salsa Congress 2008 Survival Guide

For many Detroit salseros the upcoming Chicago Salsa Congress will be their first Chicago Congress or maybe even their first congress. So we are here to offer a little info on what to expect and how to make it home in one piece.

Getting There

First things first. Getting there is a pretty easy trip out to Rosemont whether you fly, drive or take a train. From the airport, there are shuttles that will take you to and from the hotel every 20 minutes for about 5 bucks. If you are driving, you probably want to check traffic maps to see what the traffic is like at certain times of the day because Chicago is notorious for jams on the skyway. If you take a bus or train to the city, you will likely then take a cab to the hotel or take the Blue Line "EL" train near the hotel and then make a 5 block walk. For convenience, take the train all the way out to the airport and the shuttle to the hotel.

For a map showing the train stops, click here...

Arriving

Most people show up on Friday or Saturday and leave Sunday afternoon or Monday morning. Each day has something unique to offer. Arriving on Thursday evening give you the opportunity to observe and dance with the pros when things are a bit more relaxed at the pre-party. Friday is the start of the workshops and things start to go into high gear in the evening. Saturday is just a crazy big day and on Saturday night the floor will be packed. Sunday is still a big draw with a full day of workshops and and many of the locals who might have thought Saturday would be too much head out in the evening to make it another big party.

What's Everyone Wearing?

Packing is one of the hardest things to do. You don't want to pack every piece of clothing you ever owned, but especially if you are going for the full trip, you'll want to pack enough clothes to get through a lot of dancing and sweating. With classes starting in the morning and running all day -- consider those clothes unwearable at night. Jeans are great for a lot of reasons -- one they tend to be comfortable for dancing, lounging and are pretty resistant to odor when worn more than once without washing. Shirts can generally only be worn once without washing. Temperatures and humidity can soar in the ballroom at night and with 4-5 hours of dancing, I usually change my shirt 2-4 times per night. Adding some detergent in for laundery also makes sense. Most people bring sweats or light workout clothes for the daytime and nice outfits for the evening. There will also be vendors selling shoes, dresses, t-shirts, shirts and jackets for dancers, so I always plan to buy at least one new article when I'm there.

Women should bring shoes other than heels to take workshops as few can take that strain on their feet day and night. Floors for the workshops and dancing are wood parquet, but the overflow dancing happens on carpet so be prepared for both. For watching performances, have jacket or sweater handy as the room is cooled down so that when the dancing starts, it is already air conditioned. A backpack will allow you to carry a variety of clothes and shoes for bouncing from ballroom to ballroom during the day. A warm jacket is required for going outside of the hotel which is pretty much a necessity for meals.

Taking the Workshops

Congresses attract a lot of top notch instructors and lots of hardcore dancers so the level of dancing really goes up. Classes are listed as Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced and sometimes Masters. In general, the Beginner class is going to be equivilant to the usual Intermediate and the Intermediate and Advanced Classes will be more challenging than the usual local classes; in part because the students at congresses are usually more advanced and in part because you won't have taken other classes from that instructor and will have to start from the beginning with their style. Advanced and Masters classes are generally for dancers who are comfortable learning choreography, complex partnerwork and spinning (think multiple turns for leaders and followers blended into complex patterns.) You'll have to make up your mind on what classes to attend, but don't be frustrated if classes seem hard because these classes are intended to push everyone. Most people don't learn every pattern well enough to execute it on the dance floor, but years later it will still be in the back of your head and you'll think to yourself, "I remember this one."

Don't just take classes in styles that you are already comfortable with, take a variety of classes from a variety of styles -- maybe even things you've never heard of. Becoming a well rounded dancer means exploring the unknown and this congress has lots to offer in this way.

Spoonful of Pre Caution

More than one person has missed dancing on Saturday night because of fatigue, injury or illness. First aid is a necessity as one aquires aches and pains all over. I always travel with some pain reliever, bandages, zip lock baggies for ice and cold medicine. During the course of a long weekend of dancing anything can happen and it's important to take care of yourself. Eating well is a necessity as with little sleep lots of activty and a strange surrounding you are more susceptiple to getting a cold. Wash your hands a lot. You will dance with lots of people and add in that it is cold season its important to avoid catching any bugs. If you have roomates and are bothered by snoring or are a light sleeper in general, you might want to pack some ear plugs. Seriously, you will need your sleep. The hotel has a swimming pool and although not many take advantage of it, swimming can be a great way to stretch and relax your body after a long day and night of dancing.

Sustenance

The Westin offers a snack shop, full service restaurant and room service. The hotel restaurants are a bit pricey and have fairly limited offerings. For instance, the snack shop mainly offers sugary deserts and small sandwhiches and the main restaurant has a fairly small list of meals which run from $12 or so for pizza to $25 for entrees. Outside the hotel, there are a few restaurants within walking distance which is where most people probably go to get their main meals. The only one that I can personally recommend is Ram Restaurant which is a brew-pub with a reasonably priced menu and some good beers on tap. Room service is the only game in town for food after midnight and while pricey, one can not put a price on the value of a meal after 5 hours of dancing. Keep in mind -- the tip is already inluded in the bill. I always stock up on a bit of snack food before I go to a congress as it can be tough to get to a grocery once you are there.

Map of Restaurants near the Westin O'Hare...

Pacing Yourself to Finish the Race

Pacing yourself is one of the keys to not only survival, but enjoyment. My first few congresses, I took every class, watched every performance and danced every song like it was my last from beginning to end. And I almost killed myself. Don't get me wrong, I loved them but they were incredibly exhausting. Now I take a much more measured view and look at them as more as a weekend of fun than a test of endurance. Plan to relax and take naps. A nap or some downtime before the evening performances will ready you to dance till dawn. Picking the 3 or 4 workshops that you really want to take rather than trying to knock out 6 will also make it easier for you to keep your energy up and retain what you have learned.

Gadgets

Most people at the congresses carry phones, cameras and video recorders with them throught the day and night and valuables are pretty safe. The phone is going to be one of the best ways to keep track of your buddies in the expanse of the hotel. Make sure you have your phone on vibrate or low volume in the workshops as it is annoying in any classroom to have them going off all the time. Instructors generally allow video taping of instructor performing the routine at the end of the class and few allow video during the classes. This is a salsa crowd and things will generally be perfectly safe but you still want to keep your eye out and not flaunt your stuff.

Enjoy and Bring Back Stories

Congresses are one of the great things about the Salsa Lifestyle. Opportunities to immerse yourself in a weekend of dancing without all of the normal distractions and obligations of home and to see a whole new level of dancing. Hopefully this gives you some ideas on what to expect and how to make the most of it. See you in Chicago!

Geo-

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