If you haven’t been active in dance for some time then you might not know much about dance conventions. Whereas if you happen to be entirely new to the world of dance you might not even know that such a thing exists, much less know what they’re all about. While many people are satisfied taking an hour class a few times a week, others seek additional outlets, like conventions, to get their fix and take their dancing to the next level.
A dance convention is an event put on by promoters and professional dancers that hires a team of professional choreographers on tour through cities across the nation and around the world to host intensive dance programs and workshops. It is an opportunity for dancers of all levels to expand their dance education by training with master instructors from various styles of dance. Some refer to this as dance boot camp since most conventions last from 3 or 4 days up to to one week, with workshops and events scheduled around the clock. Typically classes will run all day from morning until night, followed by an evening social where participants dress up and dance to live music from sundown to sunrise, and literally dancing ’till they drop!
There are always a series of performances throughout the course of the event; sometimes from competing couples and groups, as well as participants from specific divisions. There are also competitions like the ‘Jack and Jill’, where partners are matched at random and must improvise a dance to music chosen on the spot and compete against other instantly paired couples for a cash prize. There are contests where students pair with their instructor and compete alongside them against other student/instructor teams. There are of course competitions held for the creme of the crop, where top ranking professionals battle it out for top honors and awards. There is typically a wide range of dancers from complete beginners to award winning, seasoned professionals in attendance at such conventions.
Although most conventions are held in enormous conference rooms inside of large hotels and can have up to several thousand participants at a time, it is still a good idea to register as early as possible since some sessions limit the number of registrants to make it more personal and allow enough space for attendees to be able to see clearly and move freely. Also, some workshops fill up quickly due to popularity or limited space. In addition to a plethora of classes often taught by world renowned choreographers from film and television, there are also exclusive classes for technique, styling and other specialized areas that you won’t often find in the average studio. Workshops are a great way to break monotony and add something new to whatever you’ve learned from your home studio.
Another perk is that many conventions host vendors which allow you to buy or even sample new products (many of which aren’t widely available in stores). From special foods, energy drinks, DVD’s, dance shoes, clothes and other accessories, you can find just about anything at these conventions and sometimes at discounted prices! Another great thing is that even though many conventions offer a wide variety of dance styles to choose from at each event, there are also entire conventions dedicated just to one styles. For example, this month there are tango conventions in Italy and California; a hip hop convention in Orlando; swing conventions in London, Munich and New York; and much more.
So whether you’ve never attended a convention, or have and are just looking to add something new to your repertoire, this is a great place to start, while also networking with other dancers and having a blast all at the same time!
