As well as the "usual" I'd like to see:

1. Monica Loughman doing a class on poise, lines, and interpretation

2. A seminar on flexibility and injury prevention/treatment by a medical professional (chartered physio most likely)

3. A session on following and leading from the viewpoint of non-verbal communication and led by a psychologist

4. I have a soft spot for Al Espinosa, Eddie and Maria Torres, Saloman Rivera and several others but as a top 4 I'd settle for these

5. A dance workshop on musical interpretation that includes items such as syncopation, phrasing, timing...

That's prob enough for openers.

Two things would really make a huge difference, but they might be tricky to pull off, so just as suggestion.

1.  For the smaller rooms:   a raised platform for the dancers would be great to enable people to see whats going on.
2.  For all the rooms but especially the Rueda and the larger rooms, a head mike for the instructors would be great.  Maybe a quick line /sound test of them to make sure they work  ( I've learned that from bitter experience )

Number 5 as suggested by westman09 would be good I think, as long as we spend a good bit of the class 'doing'  i.e identifying the pauses / phrases timing in the music and putting it to good effect.

I have to say I dont keep track of teachers names all that well, those lads mentioned in 4. sound expensive, and I suspect that getting them might be tricky.    Wynn Morris was brill last year, Rueda classes were great fun, love to see him back again.

DHMR/H.

Just a quick post on the Head mics, every room (with the exception of the two small rooms) have head mics every year but some teachers seem to just not use them no matter how much we encourage them..

Keep the suggestions coming

Strange, I know a few instructors were hoarse from shouting there.      The only class I went to where there was a headset was the Rueda and it appeared to be a bit wonky - loose connection in the arm by the look of it -  so the instructor gave up using it in favor of his voice.  Maybe a how-to / troubleshoot sheet could be emailed/given to them in advance?

I hate head mics...there's really no call for them if a) you know how to project (not shout) and b) you are a good enough teacher that you are not competing for attention with the fabulous-looking/moving partner who has just rotated to you and you need to chat to.

I know that performers fees work out really expensive and that is one of the reasons that you don't have performances from the instructors; but I would love to see some Irish shows at salsa school. You could go through the same vetting procedure as most other events (dvd's sent in advance). I really think it would be great fun and would give an opportunity for the "locals" to show what they can do.

Hi Mike

would love to see a class by Frank Santos..best bachata i have ever done.

would also love to see more variety of classes with Fritha Fallon especially given her amazing dancing background

would like to see more rueda classes particularily aimed at a more advanced level, would suggest maybe Lazaro Lopes or Moe Flex.

would love to see other dances included in the weekend, maybe bachata-tango (say with Tony Lara) Argentine Tango with Monina Paz, Samba, Rumba...the list is endless

other teachers or dj suggestion: Judy & Nathalie from Tralee (djs), Linda Flanagan (teacher.

I know not everyone likes headmikes, but I'd like to be able to hear the details of the move , the jokes etc.    Its part of the 'experience' of a Salsa school.   Plus lets face it they have a certain 'hey I'm a professional' look to them.   They take the effort out of projecting, so they can concentrate on entertaining + instructing no?

Laura's idea is a good one imo - there are deffo undescovered talent on the Irish circuit.

I don't wanna sound like a broken record but i was asked what i would like see change about the Salsa School... My Reply was NOTHING SHOULD CHANGE

Salsa School in my opinion hits all the right values in a salsa weekend: Great venue, low cost, All levels training, (bachata, salsa, salsa on 2, meringue, reuda, stylings, reggetron) all under one roof, plenty of dance floor, money to charity and friendly attitude from everyone... to name just a few.

now being hypocritical: i would ask that cross body lead should not be broken down and thought at intermidiate level by all the teachers. Maybe at the starting class to get everyone up to speed but from then on please,please, please teacher intermidate salsa. This is not just in maynooth, intermidiate teachers are slowed down by people not knowing basic and improver moves.

Ok, my opinion on change would be the complete opposite.  That that does not change, stagnates, that that stagnates gets old, lame + boring or worse.   No one should ever be happy with status-quo, not in life, not in work, not anywhere else either.

I'm not suggesting perfection will be reached, but small changes, with big gain. Over time 20 small changes will vastly overshadow one radical one, the sum being greater...n all that jazz.

In regard to the XBL, maybe theres not much the organisers/instructors can do here, when teaching a class, a good instructor first ascertains the level of the people he/she teaching. 

If none of them can XBL, then I guess he/she have to start with 'the basics'.  As you said:  "intermediate teachers are slowed down by people not knowing basic and improver moves".

So perhaps the problem is that folks, tend to over estimate which class they should be in?   Nature of the beast.    Difficult to regulate and control imo.

I look forward to Salsa School next year, not to see what is the same, but to see whats different.

MTC/H.

- Edited by Hugh1a on 28/09/2009 at 08:37

Following on a point mentioned by leixliplearner, it was during lunch on Saturday at this year’s Salsa School we realised that two of our team were raising money for Our Ladies Childrens Hospital in Crumlin and we decided to try and raise some money for what we felt was a worthwhile cause. As a result, €560 was collected and donated to Our Ladies Hospital. In addition, once we had paid all the bills and settled our accounts we found ourselves in the black and were able to increase that donation to €1000 in total.

As we announced the charity idea in the classes the response was incredibly positive and throughout the weekend we got a lot of very positive feedback, however, there was some negative feedback and we feel that some people did not entirely agree with this move. At out committee meeting following this year’s event the unanimous decision was that it was a positive move and one that should be done again ..... what do you think???

I don't have any problem with people collecting for charity.  What issues did people have?  If you don't want to give any money then don't give any money.

you can:

1. make it optional on the web booking form

2. have a stand/box outside where people can drop the dosh

3. allocate a portion of sponsorship to it and use the congress fees to pay the expenses, gives you and sponsors a "good" up

you must: make it clear that it's voluntary, absolutely, 100% crystal for those who don't want to contribute.

that said, I'll be contributing BUT

I fundamentally disagree with contributing to religious/political causes and public bodies: Our Ladies hospital comes under both those headings (though fundamentally not a "religious cause" it is in church control, a church with massive assets available to it to support the hospital)--yes, I know, think of the sick children (very emotive) but I guess the whys and wherefores of my stance are for another forum. Note below in the second link the chair of the board.

http://www.imt.ie/news/2009/07/drumm_slams_crumlin_management.html

http://www.olhsc.ie/AboutUs/BoardMembers/

Jeez westman, do you have to find a negative in every positive?

Oh and getting back to the original posts what about uTribe or Nuno and Vanda? Would love to see uTribe in Ireland!

Irish medical times link is a revelation - jez!   Would be better posted on Politics.ie though - shocking if accurate. 

While collecting for charity isnt normal, given the cost and ultimate focus of the event, I have no problem with unobtrusive charity donation requests.   

I would suggest however that the charity benefiting change per event if possible.  Personally I've always had a soft spot for ISPCA but there are unfortunately plenty of worthwhile causes, preferably not any of the super main-stream ones though.

/H.

- Edited by Hugh1a on 01/10/2009 at 13:09

adrian y anita would be nice for a lifts and dips class. i think they are just amazing! and swinguys if possibl, for salsa with a little twist. i also think wynn Morris is just brilliant in his rueda classes, but perhaps this time plcing him in a bigger room with proper floors? last year in the outer room (and the year before that!) was a near disaster. we couldn't hear much and the dancing almost failed...for me at least.

Hi, I see that people have been given their views on what classes should be taught, the way they should be set up etc but my opinion here would be related to the set of the Salsa Party on the Saturday night of Salsa School. I'm only going by my last and only experience of Salsa School 2009 but what I would like to see in Salsa School 2010 is a proper lay out of the room for the parties. Going by the 2009 parties I feel everybody was all "shoved" to the back of the hall in which there was no view of the dance floor taking place and everyone seated was a good deal of a distance away form the action taking place. I would like to see perhaps everyone seated all around the dance floor therefore enabling view of the floor and making it easier for dancers to select their own partner of choice for the next dance without having to go down to the back of hall in which everyone was crowded together. I know this was all said literally but I hope you understand the opinion I am giving.

Hi salseri,

I think could be a good idea to bring some cuban teacher able to teach the basic of the (tradional cuban music) and explane how it's possible to merge those movement like rumba, son, afro, in everyday salsa !!!!

Agua Rumberiti!!!!

Ste.

Hey Camina, what international teachers would you suggest?