Bachata Geneva Festival 2026 - The Festival of Nations
Very nice event overall - but some improvements please...
Workshops: please tell the teachers to turn with the back to the people frequently so that it is easier to copy their steps. Not doining that has caused some stress & frustrations among participants in several Workshops as they could not follow the steps from their perspective.
Stages: Pictures did not match naming, e.g. Roberto & Magdalena (Roberto was left & she was on the right side, same with other couples). Also, why not have the ladies' names first?
Teachers: Many good ones. Why Gatica & Melvin on Sunday afternoon? - where some people had to leave so they could not attend both of their lectures.
Have the stars on Saturday please.
Alonso & Noelia - good dancers but not so good teachers - especially Alonso, talks too much but it doesn't help, does not mention technique, all of a sudden does the move and then wants to continue and wonders why nobody got it...had to ask him several times to slowly show what he just did. It annoyed him but everybody was greatful about the explanation.
Tehina & Emilien: amazing Influence Dancers but they not explain no bit of technique, Gatica & Melvin do that very much (& well).
Adriana & Duda: chroeo was not usefull for social dance and one move is even dangerous for the followers, leaders would mostly rather hurt them. I replaced it with sth safe.
Very good teachers: Julia & Iban, Eva & Owen, Klau & Ros, Magdalena & Roberto
Demos: too loud! Lower the volume. Take care not to hurt peoples ears.
Food Bar: Cash / Card Payment - make it obvious to everybody before they stand there waiting just to be told the wrist-band-payment does not apply there - happened all the time. Make a poster or sth next to the food bar.
Also, more staff. People had to wait up to 20 minutes to get their food.
Coffee: take a look at how Bachaturo is doing it - they have extra coffee pop-up-stands for coffee & soft drinks, which makes the process of getting one very fast. At Geneva Bachata, it takes them 15-20 minutes & you get a small, not well tasting coffee - dissatisfying.
Payment System: cool overall at the event. Refund process with Kadens does not work properly, had to contact their service team.
Toiletts: Women's toiletts often had veeery long waiting lines...while men's toiletts were free. For next year, make one men toilett into a women toilett (cover the sign with other sing or sth).
Rules during workshops: Advice *Men* (not Leaders, bc some women do also lead) to behave more, e.g.: do not stink, do not push other leaders (take care where you move), do not create a gap by going inbetween the lines where there is no follower so the prepvious leader cannot practice anymore (go where there is a free follower), handle the followers more gentle and rather than just "freestyling" just to be fast enough - actually follow the choreo in detail and therefore do it slowly and gentle. (I am a female Leader and nearly every follower was complaining about that about the male leaders).
Gender vs Role awareness would be nice: Some Men, when they realised I "dance as Leader" asked: "Ahh, you are the man." ... I replied with "I am a woman (gender) and I dance as Leader (Role)."
Overall, well organised, nice clothing collection again and good music, teachers and atmosphere :)
