The Latin Festival Madras is more than just a dance event. With parties, travel, food and holiday experiences thrown in for good measure, it promises to be a carnival of sorts, says organiser Arun Srinivasan, who is also the founder-director of dance school, Salsa Madras. The festival began in 2014 with three international acts and 80 participants. Now, in its sixth year, they are gearing up to welcome 20 global artistes and more than 200 participants.
What is constant is the dancing. Mambo, Salsa, Kizomba, Bachata — one will get to watch and learn a range of Latin-Afro dance styles. “We have grown organically each year. The idea is to expose Chennai to world-class dancers and at the same time, make the city an attraction for tourists who like to dance. Dance tourism, if you will,” explains Srinivasan. The festival has seen increasing European participation over the years, some of them regulars, apart from local dance enthusiasts who turn up almost every year.
While the core of the festival — with over 25 workshops in the four dance styles, boot camps and parties — is at Taj Vivanta on September 21 and 22, the schedule kicks off a day earlier at Covelong Point, where Srinivasan promises “lots of dancing under the stars, surfing and perhaps a few shows by some of the artistes”. Much like the previous editions, it then wraps up with a two-day getaway to Puducherry’s French Colony for a post-fest bash and a slew of pool parties, termed a “must-try” by former participants.
A global lineup
Having travelled to more than 60 such gigs in the last 10 years, Srinivasan has picked up little things that enrich the experience. His entourage of dancers and DJs include Frankie Martinez from the US, a pioneer of the Afro-Latin Funk movement; Ryoko Ohara from Japan, a choreographer and finalist at the World Salsa Championships; and Ania Helmobakk from Poland, an international ballroom dancer, among others. “The specialty of our festival is that everything is under one roof, from accommodation to food venues and the workshop studios. This way, the trainers, DJs and participants will all be able to enjoy the experience as one big community,” he says.
Given that the workshops and sessions are intensive, he recommends the festival for trained dancers or those who have progressed beyond the beginner level. “However, amateur enthusiasts are more than welcome to join the pre and post events, such as the Madras Mambo night or the Swirl Salsa Night to watch some stunning performances, if not shake a leg themselves,” concludes Srinivasan.
The Latin Festival Madras is on from September 20-22. Packages with accommodation at ₹22,470, while regular passes start at ₹1,300. Details on latinfestivalmadras.in
