Extraordinary!
How do I get into the workshops at the Congress?
The Congress is designed in such a way that you will be able to get in to at least one or two of the workshops taught by your favourite teachers, although maybe not all of them. The idea is to try several different teachers rather than just going to one. We have such a fantastic line up that you will want to do this anyway. We believe that if you just want one teacher you will go to a normal weekend workshop.
The Congress is an entirely new concept that allows you to go to the top teachers from around the world without the expense of travelling far and wide to catch them all.
You can learn from the teachers at the Congress in 3 different ways. Every famous teacher will be asked to teach a mixture of seminars, workshops and masterclasses.
Seminars
These are large sessions taking place in our theatre. The teacher stands onstage and uses a head mike so that everyone can hear her/him, and there is a large screen so that students can see the teacher either by looking at the stage or at the screen. This enables more people to see clearly. We can fit over 300 people in the theatre and will have helpers on hand to rotate students so that there is the opportunity to spend part of the seminar at the front. Entry to the seminars is easy because we can fit in a huge number of dancers.
Workshops
These take place in several different sized rooms. In the larger ones the teacher will stand onstage with a head mike, and in the smaller ones they will be on the floor as in a normal class. The size of the workshops will vary according to the capacity of the room. Entry to the workshops is on a ‘first come first served’ basis and numbers will vary. Some workshops can take 30 people and some can take 80 people.
Masterclasses
These are small sessions for advanced/professional dancers only. They cost extra and will be organised according to demand. These are the only classes that can be applied for in advance, and will be very limited in numbers. Non-professionals will not be able to book these.
Cost
The Congress is designed to be as cost effective as possible. For instance, if you pay £129 for your pass and attend all 3 shows plus 6 different workshops over the weekend, each show or workshop will cost you just over £14. This means that you can experience the expertise of the stars for a fraction of the price of a normal weekend workshop or show with the same or similar stars. Yes, some workshops and seminars will be big, but many will be normal sized workshops and of course you can do more than 6 if you have the stamina!
The Buzz
The Congress promises to be a large event with a real energy buzz to it. You will be an astronaut – no, a danceanaut! - in our galaxy of stars. You will be rubbing shoulders with the great dancers of today and many fellow dancers. We have students, teachers and performers all coming to breathe in the atmosphere, see the stars and dance away the days and nights.
Will you be able to stand the heat?