I've always wanted to dance bachata in Poland, could this be the year? In 2017, I traveled through Europe and went to Bachatea 2017. It was honestly the biggest let down of my life. For a festival that big, with that stature, that name - I, along with hundreds or possibly thousands others wanted to cry after the first day.
The lighting, sound, floor, and workshop space was non-existent. Imagine a super big car repair shop with thin walls that divide the space into Bachata, Salsa, and Kizomba rooms. Imagine there is no dance floor. Just hard concrete that give nothing back. As the teacher is speaking, you can't really understand him/her because you also hear the echo of music and other teachers. WELP! This pretty much summed up Bachatea 2017 in Madrid, Spain.
As with any festival, there are pros and cons. Now that the cons are out of the way, let's talk about the pros. The stage and performances were impressive. Lots of seating was available and the stage was huge. Many artists from all over the world were also there.
After speaking to many artists and dancers over the years. Two festivals have always popped up as their favorites. One being Summer Sensual in Croatia, and the other being Bachaturo in Poland. I've always wanted to go to Warsaw so this might be the year. The organization, lineup, production, and overall energy looks promising.
Here is the recap from Bachatea 2017 in Madrid: