How to Satisfy a Dance Festival Crowd

​Latin Dance festivals have been around for more than 20 years now.  In that time, they’ve grown from one festival every few months for the whole world, to 4-7 festivals every weekend in different cities around the world, at the same time.  Our dance communities have exploded into an international network with dancers demanding more - it's a "buyer's market" with so many options out there.  Festivals must meet or exceed those expectations in order  thrive, or even just survive. Some events deliver on expectations, the great ones over-deliver, but unfortunately many have not yet delivered on some basic requirements. It takes time and experience to get it right, and every year is a learning experience. Let’s help our event organizers knock it out of the park to make our experiences awesome, and their event as successful as possible.  

Make your guests happy and get some FREE promotion!  While we know we can't make every dancer happy every time, here’s our "Top 10 ways to satisfy a dance festival crowd" to get you started 😀.

1. BE ORGANIZED  
   The #1 complaint is lack of organization.  No one said it was easy to organize event, which is why most people don’t bother.  It’s a lot of work.   A LOT OF WORK, and so much of it can’t even be seen or be appreciated.  But heck, if you’re going to step up to the plate and organize a whole dance festival, plan well in advance, get advice from experienced organizers (not just any organizer, but ones who live up to that name of “organizer”), and improve your processes each year.  Here’s some heavy hitters that you don’t want to mess up:
   1. Share details about the event ASAP – Long gone are the days of one congress a weekend anywhere in the world.  So if you want people to choose yours, make it a priority to get relevant information to the masses ASAP (date, venue, artists, workshops etc.) Closer to the event, provide information about parking options, airport shuttles, nearby food options, things to do in your city.  Make the logistics easy so they can look forward to the fun!
   2. Keep your website clean with current content - This seems self-explanatory yet some websites are so busy/confusing that they lead you on a wild goose chase to find basic information like "when" the event takes place.  Make your website a valuable resource, and use technology to your advantage to communicate schedules, headliner info, tickets, competition results etc.
   3. Registration & Sign-in process – Make it easy to buy a ticket.  Then when guests arrive, make it easy to pick up passes.  Today's technology should make easier/faster, right? Not always.  If you don’t have a clear process that your staff can follow, your guests will be frustrated before the event event begins.  Things like a poorly run registration desks can ruin the reputation of an event.  
   4. Signage – Make it easy to find the event with well-place signs.  Most festivals are held in a hotel, so once inside make it easy for guests to find your event.  Large venues often have multiple events going on simultaneously, so put up signs to direct people to YOUR festival.  Following salsero-looking people in team jackets can be a good start but what if there's no one to follow? Clearly label "registration desk", “performer green rooms”, social dancing genre rooms for “salsa”, “bachata”, “kizomba”,  and don’t forget to post workshop schedules, performer lists etc. Hopefully you see a theme here - “MAKE IT EASY”.  People want to dance, learn, socialize, not be put through an obstacle course to find their fun.
      
      
2. PROMOTE HONESTLY
   False promotion is obviously dishonest, and that reputation lasts for years (more on dishonesty in another blog).  Promote your booked artists on the flyer, not the people who have once performed at some point in the last 7 years.  Whether or not intentional, it misleads potential guests if you promote artists who aren't going to be there this year. Maybe the promos were accurate, but the there were unexpected travel issues like visas or other immigration complications at the last minute.  Unfortunately, this does happen.  Some artists/promoters do good job of posting apology videos to explain what happened.  Some guests who were drawn to your event by certain artists have purchased flights, taken time off work, or booked hotel rooms and will be disappointed to say the least.  Being honest, sincere and transparent about well-intended mishaps that were out of your control can go a long way.  But do prepare for some backlash.  Plan early and look into potential challenges.  
   
   
3. START ON TIME 🕘
   Technically this could go under the “be organized” bucket, but since I’m a punctuality nazi I thought I’d dedicate a whole point to it.  I’m still not sure how chronically late people survive in this world, but they somehow make it – irritating many along the way. Schedules keep everyone on the same page.   If you can appreciate that your guests chose to come to your event, respect their time so they're not wasting time that could be otherwise spent.  If the schedule says the shows start at 9pm, do everything you can to start at 9pm. If the shows start an hour late (for no reason other than disorganization), you’re likely going to lose those customers next year, at least the ones who value punctuality. Of course there’s tons of people who hope you’ll start late because they are never on time either.  But that's a low standard to aim for.   So decide what kind of event you want to host – a professionally run event that respects people’s time, or an amateur run event whose schedules are mere suggestions.
    
4. HAVE FRIENDLY & KNOWLEDGEABLE STAFF
   Their first impressions are going to last, and those opinions will likely end up on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter in 10 seconds, especially if the experience is horrible.  Delegate a knowledgeable, organized, decisive person to oversee your staff.  They should be excellent at customer service and representing your event in the best way possible.  Put your friendliest people at the welcome desk - people who know how to make others feel welcome, and have a friendly smile and warm personality 😊.  If you have that, then you only get half a check mark.  Charm can get you so far, but if you want a home run, these friendly people must be competent too.  They need to know how to execute an organized process, and they need to do it confidently and efficiently.  Don’t just throw your staff into a lion’s den to get eaten alive.  Arm them in information and training to do their job well and make things “easy” for your guests.  And if possible, label them with "staff" t-shirts so guest can easily find help.
   
   
5. CHECK 1,2,3 - CAN YOU HEAR ME?
   So we’re talking about dance festivals.  What will there be a lot of, other than dancing?  Music, duh! And actually, if there’s no music, there won’t be much dancing either.  Unless you're dancing to the drunken sounds in your head, but that’s another topic.  Ensuring great sound quality should be pretty basic, however it’s another element that isn’t always taken care of, and it's not cheap 😬.  Screechy sounds, high pitched sounds, unbalanced sounds, missing bass, too much of this and not enough of that… or just too loud period.  Dancers who are hardcore into music want to hear the nuances of every song and every sound, including voices over the microphone.  Don’t rob them of this experience. Please and thank you!  
6. PRODUCE A MEMORABLE SHOW
   Take time to organize your shows each night. Choose someone with a creative mind to produce a flow and energy that people can enjoy and remember. I’ve seen some really well produced shows and others that appeared so random, often politically driven.  The show is for your audience, your paying customers, so satisfy their desire to be entertained.  This might mean making tough decisions. 
   1. Enforce a time limit for each performance or make exception only AFTER you’ve seen their performance and know that your audience will appreciate the extra time.
   2. Quality over quantity:  On that note, people today have ADD, and have limited capacity to pay attention to lengthy shows.  Pre-screen where possible.  Some of the most fun events I’ve been to had less than 10 performances, standing room only. Then the rest of the night was for social dancing.  Find ways to give opportunities to "up and comers" but leave big nights for your finest.
   3. Coordinate your "show crew". Use tech rehearsals to ensure that the DJ, MC, artists, stage manager and audio visual staff are coordinated/practiced.  At a well run event, you likely won't notice how well prepared the "show crew" is.  But it will be obvious when they aren't. Prepare each night so that shows run smoothly, even if guests can't appreciate the work involved to achieve it.
      
      
7. HIRE FOR QUALITY & EXPERTISE
   1. Hire an excellent MC  
      This one is so commonly overlooked, but it’s a huge mistake to make this an afterthought.  Consider your MC like any artist who “performs”, except that the he/she probably has more “face time” and “voice time” than any other artist during the weekend.  Don’t cheap out on this because a good MC with a magic personality can add a lot of value in ways you wouldn't expect.  If you’ve been to the Canada Salsa Congress in Toronto the last few years, you know the impact of a fantastic MC.  Angus Dirnbeck is probably one of the best there is.  Now, I’m not just saying that because he’s the co-founder of iFreeStyle… LOL (ask around, and you'll hear the same).  In all seriousness, he is a true entertainer – witty, funny, charming, has an engaging voice and great microphone technique (a skilled MC is a pro on the mic).  He doesn't overstay his welcome on stage or during introductions. He understands his role, and so does the person hiring him.  As an aside, being the organizer doesn’t mean you should be the MC too.  Many organizers do not take on that role themselves (plus, do you really have time to prepare and do this role justice?).  Don’t take this role lightly.  A poor choice can ruin an otherwise great event.  Research your options and make the investment to hire someone who will enhance the show experience. 
   2. Hire performers who enjoy social dancing: Another major complaint is hiring headliners don’t social dance. Here’s the scenario:  You’ve hired amazing performers who are sure to entertain your audience.  You promote the heck out them to draw more people to your event.  It works and people from all over the country/world fly in to see them.. and guess what?  They want to dance with them too! Yet they are nowhere to be seen on the social dance floor (boo!). Before we make judgments, there are some valid reasons.  Here’s one of them:  we sometimes try to impress the "superstar" and bust out ever move that we know, sometimes so roughly and erratically that we risk injuring the artist.  If that artist is hired to teach, perform, or compete the next day, they don't want social dancing injures to put them out of commission and affect their ability to earn a living as a dancer.   So, don’t scare them off the dance floor - take care of your partners (as you should with any dancer) and give them time to rest.  Organizers, where possible, give time to your artists to interact with your guests on a social level.  Don’t over schedule them.  Outside of injury-risk factors or over-scheduling, hire dancers who are great at balancing performing and teaching, AND who genuinely enjoy social dancing and interacting with guests.  
   3. Hire instructors who are skilled at teaching:  It should go without saying that instructors should be skilled at teaching.  As we all know, being a great performer or social dancer does not equal great teaching ability.  If you hire an artist to perform at event, don’t just assume that their teaching is as good as their performing (and vice versa – some of the most amazing instructors aren’t the best performers, and some don’t perform at all).  Do some research, get opinions.  And as often as possible, consider travelling and taking workshops yourself to get first-hand experience.  Bring those instructors who are skilled at teaching (which is more than just explaining).  A well-planned festival has a balance of awesome entertainment and great learning experiences.  That workshop schedule – approach it like a designing a show.  It can attract guests who are hungry to learn, just like a great performance line-up can attract guests who want to be entertained. 
   4. Hire DJ's who know how to create an awesome vibe:   Most organizers know that hiring good DJ's is important, but there's more to it than that. Your team of DJ's should work together to and create a flow (just like the shows) so everyone doesn't play all "salsa dura" or all "salsa romantica" all night (unless there are dedicated rooms for that).   Also, and here's a big one... know your DJ's strengths, tastes and preferences. If someone is a hardcore "traditional bachata" DJ, don't put him/her in the sensual bachata room. Clearly not a good fit, yet it happens.  Should DJ's be versatile? Of course! But given a choice, many have a style or preference that they are known for. Make it your job to know what that is because they will likely kick butt in that area.  If you have 10 DJ's and 4 different rooms catering to specific genres, you can really take advantage of their expertise in a genre or style, giving that room of dancers a musical experience they won't forget! If there's one room, hire that DJ who is well-versed in all the styles and are skilled in smoothly transitioning from one vibe to the next.  
      
      
8. CHOOSE THE HOTEL/VENUE WISELY
   Most guests prefer and appreciate when the event and hotel are the same. There are pros and cons to this which we’ll cover in another blog, but from a guest perspective, it’s simply more convenient and doesn’t require additional costs for transportation.   Other criteria to consider in choosing the venue/hotel include:
   1. Proximity to the airport (and cost to and from venue)
   2. Parking options and costs
   3. Safety of location
   4. Dance space capacity (make sure it can fit the number of expected guests)
   5. Quality of dance floors (hardwood for salsa dancing)
   6. Ability for the audience to view performances from all areas of the room
   7. Reserved floors for the event to avoid noise complaints
   8. Proximity to food especially for the late night "hangry" dancers
   9. Cleanliness of the hotel rooms
   10. Comfort of bed for the few minutes of rest that your guests will try to fit in during the weekend.
       
       Some events have failed on the hotel/venue choice.  So consider all the factors.  Good luck :) 
       
       
9. TO HIRE OR NOT HIRE A BAND
   Not every festival has live music.  And it's not always necessary.  Usually the larger events with big Latin communities will hire bands as concerts for the locals.  I've been drawn to some festivals just for the live music line-up, so for the music lovers, it can be a big plus.  It sounds strange to create a sub-group of "music lovers" in our dance scene since you'd expect everyone to be a music lover, but everyone is at their own level of music-appreciation.  There are dancers out there who couldn't tell you the difference between Tito Puente and Eddie Palmieri.  A crowd like that may not wholly appreciate a live band. However, it may be your objective to help educate.  If you do hire a band, know if you want it to be a "concert" (where they could go off on 25 min rendition with 15 minutes of that on solos from each band member) or if you want the band to perform live music "for the dancers". They aren't always the same thing.  And if you advertise incorrectly, you may have some unhappy attendees who complain about song lasting too long for dancing.  So some will just leave and return when the band's set is over.  A waste of your investment, no?  Know your audience, promote clearly and if you're hiring "for dancers", consider providing that direction to the band. 
   
   
10. TICKET PRICES
    It’s all about value. You may have hired top artists and booked awesome venue, so you're super pumped about it!  Someone has to pay for it, right? If you don't have sponsors and need to transfer those expensive cost to your guests, it can easily turn off those in your target market.  There’s a certain threshold that people are wiling to pay, and it may be higher for some really outstanding experiences.  If your pricing surpasses that threshold because you’ve overspent, re-think your budget and expenses.

And let's not forget to take care of your locals.  Often, out of town guests get treated better than the local community.  Locals are valuable ambassadors, and without them, there would be no local community.  Where possible, work with them, involve them, appreciate them. They’ll be more inclined to promote the event to friends.  Locals are excited to experience some "fresh blood" at their local congress so give them reasons to help promote it. Guests who travel to your city also want to experience it – the food, the weather, the sights, and the dancers who make up the community. An event well-attended by the locals speaks volumes!

Kudos to promoters who put in the effort (blood, sweat and tears...literally) to organize festivals with the intention of giving their communities the opportunity to learn, be inspired and entertained by the best in the business,  to meet new people and enjoy sharing that with other danceaholics.  Great events are not made over night.  Nail the basics and you're off to a great start!

How does your local dance festival rate? Did we miss anything?  Please comment below!  

QUESTION FOR THE READERS:  Which festivals around the world over-deliver on these basics?

Author

Caryl Cuizon, iFreeStyle.ca Co-founder