Fusion Exchange FAQ

The Fusion Exchange (FX) is an annual dance event held in a different city every year. Prior locations have included Houston, TX (2008), Portland, OR (2009), San Diego, CA (2010), Boston, MA (2011), Oakland, CA (2012), and Las Vegas, NV (2013). In January 2014, we are heading to Denver, CO! The Fusion Exchange offers daytime classes on various topics of dance and evening dances to a variety of music. This was the first event of its kind.FX sets itself apart by being professionally-run, upscale, and chock-full of amenities and creature comforts. It has continued to grow, lead, and innovate in the fusion genre. And, it has sparked an entire dance movement leading to local weekly and monthly dances, and regional and national events.

FX is a celebration of individual expression, and sharing that experience with others through social dance. We give our attendees the tools to build something new and enjoyable as they grow and challenge their dancing.

Fusion is an improvised lead-follow approach to dancing to any style of music that does not have a strictly defined dance aesthetic. Just as music adopts, adapts, and blends various influences and styles, fusion accomplishes the same in the form of dance. It is a triad of connection between your movement, your partner’s movement, and the music. Depending on the music and the dancers, fusion can mean creating a new and unique dance style to unique music, or combining one or more established dance aesthetics into a single dance to reflect the single sound of music with multiple influences.

Many Fusion dancers are versed in the fundamentals of various dances, be it blues, tango, west coast swing, Lindy Hop, waltz, or hip hop. By finding the commonalities between various dance styles, or creating new movements, dancers can actively adapt and improvise their movement to music of all influences.

Fusion is a continuously-developing concept and can mean different things to many different people. For our organizers’ views on Fusion, click here. For our LVFX instructors’ views on Fusion, click here.

• FX promotes a culture of interpretive freedom that allows you to grow and experiment as a dancer by exposing you to concepts and ideas from across the dancing spectrum
• FX provides value that other exchanges don’t, such as breakfast, lunch, and late night snacks every day; unlimited free water and coffee; a minimum of two class options each period; classes that are more than an hour long; practice sessions in between classes and so much more!
• FX has a proven track record of running a professional, on-time schedule of events with innovative classes that are challenging to beginners, intermediate and advanced dancers

In addition to what the event structure and variety adds to your experience, we also bring you an event that creates a family. Every year, we receive great feedback about the strong sense of community, positivity, and appreciation of others that FX fosters. Being free to enjoy your dance experience how you wish to enjoy it is part of what makes dancing fun.

This event is a celebration of individual expression and sharing that experience with others through social dance. We give you the tools to build something new and enjoyable as you grow and challenge your dancing. Specifically, we feel that everyone is important, with something to learn and teach, that imagination should be the only limit to expression, and that dancing should be fun!

Our mission is to be the world’s premier event for fusion dancing. We believe that by developing dance skills and communication, it is possible to use partnered social dance to its fullest extent to express any type of music. By embracing many different dance styles, techniques, and inspirations, we can build a limitless dance toolkit that will free you from constraints on your creativity. To make this possible, we hire professional instructors to teach classes that challenge intermediate and advanced dancers, cultivate fundamentals, and encourage innovation. Our evening dances feature a wide variety of music that ignites the imagination and broadens boundaries. Our constructive learning environment and welcoming atmosphere builds an inclusive community of talented, creative, and dedicated dancers who value individualism, continuous learning, and growth. Together, we set our imagination in motion.

Ivy Grey founded this event in 2008. She had trained in many different backgrounds and her dancing was influenced by the confluence of dances. Seeking a welcoming atmosphere where she could dance to music not typically assigned a specific dance style, she hatched a plan to create the Fusion Exchange. The first Fusion Exchange took place in Houston, TX and was a great success. From the first hundred-plus people that attended the event in Houston to this year’s event, the Fusion Exchange has continued to grow and promote the idea of dancing without interpretive boundaries.

There are tons of moving parts to this event and we do everything possible to make it great. This includes things that you directly experience and enjoy (like food – 3 late night snacks, 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 1 brunch, free coffee and water all day and night) as well as things that are more intangible (like licenses, permits, insurance, etc). Although sometimes discounted by other events, these intangible parts are necessary to protect the event so that it doesn’t get cancelled or shut down for any reason. Furthermore, FX is at least one day longer than most other events. We’re also committed to stepping it up with the venues to give you unique locations and at least 2 rooms of music or classes at all times. That’s 3 full days of classes (15 hours of mind-blowing classes) and 3 full nights of dancing, from nine until the break of dawn (24 hours of social dancing). Double the space means double the cost. But it also means double the variety, which makes this event special. We also hire a large selection of instructors to work as an ensemble team. This means that our attendees get to learn many different styles from great instructors well-trained in their areas who dance other dances and understand transferable movement and vocabulary.

Please note that the event organizers put in hundreds to thousands of hours of work on the event, and receive little to no monetary compensation in return.

For more information on this topic, please see our open letter to the fusion community.

In 2012:

• 44% of dancers were Intermediate to Advanced in Argentine Tango
• 86% of dancers were Intermediate to Advanced in Blues
• 23% of dancers were Intermediate to Advanced in West Coast Swing
• 62% of dancers were Intermediate to Advanced in Lindy
• 36% of dancers were Intermediate to Advanced in another style

No and yes. It’s everything, but there are a lot of blues dancers, and over 90% of attendees have some blues experience. You’ll hear blues music as one style amongst many. A blues background can help in many of the classes, but every year we have dancers with very limited blues experience who have a great time at the classes and dances.

At the Fusion Exchange, our DJs play a variety of music suitable for many different dances and backgrounds. During the event, you will find music ranging from electronica to blues; from current pop to trip-hop and hip-hop; from jazz to Argentine tango; from original composers to one-hit-wonders and everything in between.

We’ve given a lot of thought to “What is Fusion Music?” and an in-depth explanation from a music theory (for dancers) perspective can be found here. For those of you who simply want to know what you’ll hear at the fusion exchange, please read on!

While the technical definition of fusion (music that combines two or more genres) is accurate from a music and history point of view, over time, “fusion” music has been re-defined by the community of fusion dancers. There is also now a distinction between fusion music and indigo, which is sometimes called alternative blues or “alt blues” music. For an example of music that we consider to be Fusion, Indigo, or fusion-friendly, please click here.

• Fusion music tends to be more synthetic or electronic in nature and provides the opportunity for a lot of different styles of dance to be used during any set, or even during one song. Fusion sets have a wide variety of alternative music including alternative tango, blues, soul, disco, jazz, pop, lyrical or rhythmic electronica, or any other genre of music where a definitive dance beat can be felt and danced to. Fusion sets can be a wide variety of things so that a dancer can incorporate skills from a wide variety of dancing. DJs assigned to a fusion set have an open opportunity to play to their style.
• Indigo music (sometimes referred to as “alt blues”) is music that is similarly composed to blues music, but done by non-traditional artists, with non-traditional instruments, and a non-traditional element, but it’s still mostly appropriate for blues dancing primarily. DJs assigned to play an alt blues set can play traditional blues or “fusion” in their set, but the hour is going to mainly be devoted to songs that may have a blues-influenced beat without being blues songs.

We have a selection of past music available for streaming on Project Playlist, and you can also see samples of our DJs’ playlists on their bio pages from the Portland, San Diego, Boston, and San Francisco Fusion Exchanges, as well as original music composed by fusion dancer David Keogh.

We rotate cities every year. The location is selected through a combination of attendee voting and organizer vetting. We love the exposure to new people and locations, making the event accessible to people on both costs, and spreading the Fusion movement.

Contact the fusion exchange organizers and pitch your city. If anyone from your city has ever attended, there’s a good chance it will end up on our list of candidate cities. The most important things that we’re looking for are: acceptance/support from local organizers, local dancers willing to host, local people excited about the event, venues that have at least 3 rooms that can fit a total of at least 500 dancers. For perspective, our last two events were held at Springstep in Boston, MA, and Just Dance in Oakland, CA. Each has a 5,000+ square foot main ballroom, as well as at least two other rooms for classes and dances.

Below is the contact information for each department- we attempt to respond to all email within 72 hours.
It is also very important that you email the correct department with your questions (i.e. All housing questions [volunteers and DJs included] should be directed to housing.)

• For general questions, email José at jose@fusionexchange.org
• For on-site staff (formerly volunteer) questions, email Sacha at sacha@fusionexchange.org
• For private lessons, email Lauren at laurenfhenry@fusionexchange.org

Open Dance is our new registration platform. It allows you to select an event package, add extras such as private lessons and merchandise, and update your registration at any time. If you have already attended one of the many dance events that uses Open Dance, you may use the login you previously created. Otherwise, you will be prompted to create a new account during registration.

We accept both Paypal and Dwolla. Paypal can be funded with a credit card or bank account, while Dwolla can be funded only with a bank account.

Before December 12th, you can transfer your pass to any one (in the same dance role) at any time for any price. Once you have transferred your pass, please let us know. We recommend using the sample email below. Upon receiving notification of transfer, the administrative coordinator will work with the purchaser to update the database.

We are currently working on automatic, email-less pass transfers using Open Dance. We will update the FAQ and let everybody know when this functionality is up and running.

Please do not use your transfer as an opportunity to make an extreme profit. Keep in mind that we are building a community with this event, and that we keep prices as low as possible to make sure everyone can attend.

After December 12th, we will no longer update the database with your transfers. The purchaser will need to present “evidence of transfer” upon check-in at FX. We suggest an email sent from the original FX registrant to fusionexchange2014@gmail.com with the purchaser copied/CC-ed. The purchaser should print out this email and bring it with him/her to check in at FX. Note that the purchaser will be looking for a registration packet under the original FX registrant’s name. Without this email, we will not let someone pick up a registration packet without ID that (mostly) matches the name in our database.

———————– SAMPLE EMAIL———————–

Dear FX:

I have sold my [lead or follow] [All Access Pass or Dance Only Pass] to

[purchaser’s full name]. I have received payment and I release my spot to

[purchaser’s full name] effective [date].

Sincerely,

[Original FX Registrant Full Name] ———————————————————————

If you have your FX registration number/ID, please include it.

No, unfortunately we offer no refunds on any purchases related to the event (this includes private lessons, add-on classes, and merchandise). If you are unable to attend the event, please follow the instructions above to transfer your pass to another attendee. Our event typically sells out in a matter of hours to days, and attendees typically have no problem finding a grateful person to buy their pass.

At the Fusion Exchange, we carefully balance the lead-to-follow ratio for the classes and for the event. When ratios become unbalanced, we put a hold on registration for that role, and open up a waiting list. (Even if the event is not sold out.) Once the event sells out, we start a wait list for people interested in purchasing passes on the secondary market.

To get on the waiting list, go to our registration page and add the appropriate $0.00 “Waiting List” item to your cart. There are separate waiting lists for Dance Only and All Access passes, and you are welcome to add either or both. We will contact waiting list registrants in the order they submit, and unlock your registration to allow you to add an event package.

Note that some people choose to sell their passes directly to other attendees- be sure to check the Event Facebook page for these (often short-lived) offers.

Winter got you feeling down? Well travel out to the FX location a few days early for some pre-FX fun!The “make it a vacation” opportunity changes slightly each year. In 2012, dancers came out early for dancing on Wednesday and a scavenger hunt and pre-party dance on Thursday. In 2010, we chartered a bus and about 60 dancers went to Disneyland for the day. Activities change from year to year based on the location and people involved. We’d love to see you come out early to play a bit before classes start Friday morning!

There is ONE opportunity for super-early-bird tickets. After the class demos on Saturday night, we play a little “Where’s Waldo?” with Andrew Sutton. Find him (and beat the crowd trying to do the same), and you can get deeply discounted tickets for the next year’s event. Other than that, DJs, on-site staff, instructors, and organizers register early, while normal registration opens in August.

Make sure to look for the Odds & Ends Email that is sent 6 – 10 days before the event begins to make sure there aren’t any last minute details that you might have forgotten. If you get on your flight before opening it up, you might find that you left something behind that would better your experience at FX. Don’t let this happen to you and just take a few minutes to read through that email!

We are proud of our welcoming and inspiring community. We believe that everybody brings something of value to the dance floor, and that everyone has something to learn and to teach. We’ve designed this event to build community without judgment or hierarchy, and our attendees are a tightly-knit national and international family of dancers.Depending on the year, 75-90% of our dancers come from locations other than the host city. More than 30% of our dancers have attended at least one prior FX. In Boston, MA, in 2011, more than 350 attendees pre-registered. Thirty-Three states were represented, of which most registrants were from: Massachusetts (60), California (59), Texas (38), Washington (32), New York (23) Oregon (23), Pennsylvania (21), Colorado (16), and Illinois (9). Twenty-two international dancers attended from countries including Australia, Japan, Germany, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Canada.

Our average dancer is intermediate or higher in at least one of our main dances, and most consider themselves advanced in some type of dance/movement. Many are blues dancers, because it is a very easy dance to use as a transition or baseline.We ask people to self-identify their skill level. We use this information to aid instructors in class planning. According to our registration records, most dancers consider themselves intermediate or advanced in one or more types of movement, typically 2-3 dances, one of which is usually blues dance. From the feedback on our surveys, most attendees consider the other dancers who attend FX events to be very highly skilled, friendly, and open minded.For more information regarding class levels, please click here.

Our community is very welcoming, but the Fusion Exchange is not designed for beginners. The material taught assumes that basic lead-follow skills are already known by the student. Inexperienced dancers will probably be uncomfortable with the pace of classes or the commonly expected baseline of dance knowledge on the social dance floor. So, think about how comfortable you are on the dance floor in improvising and dancing to challenging music and with people who’ve been dancing for many years. If this doesn’t scare you, then you’re fusion-ready!

This is a program to help new dancers integrate into our community as fast as possible. We pair up experienced dancers and newbies before the event, and encourage mentors to explain how the event works, introduce their friends to dance partners, and and give them a friendly face to turn to.Sign up for Fusion Friends by selecting the “FF Opt-In” option during registration!

Do you miss the days when dancers would carry dance cards that you could put your name on to ensure a dance in the future? Well friends, they’re back and come with a challenge. We’ll be giving you a dance card with the names of 10-20 dancers at Fusion for you to find and dance with. Each card is different, so don’t expect the people on your card to come and find you! We will send these cards out before the event so you can try to find them on facebook before seeking them out! Don’t forget to wear your dance card so you can mark it off!

We believe strict levels and auditions take away from the dance experience. We generally have at least one All-Levels and one Intermediate/Advanced class per time block, and will provide as much information as possible to help you match yourself with the right class. Please carefully read class descriptions, and note any prerequisites listed. These are not arbitrary: they’re the minimum abilities our instructors know students need to get something out of a class.
For more information regarding class levels, please click here.

FX now offers guided practice sessions, or “Practicas,” for All-Access and Dance-Only pass holders. A single, one hour Practica session will be held each night from 9-10PM and will have a specific focus such as Tango, West Coast Swing, or Fusion. Practicas are a great opportunity to reinforce what you’ve learned during the day or what you’re having trouble with in a safe and supportive environment. FX instructors and selected advanced dancers will be on hand to freely offer you advice and give you feedback. You do not need to have a partner to attend and benefit from an FX Practica! For detailed information about this year’s Practica’s, please visit our DFX 2014 Practica Page.

Our event is about social dancing, celebrating and inspiring each other, and creation on the dance floor. We do not have competitions, which to us means more community, less drama, and more time to dance!

We don’t believe in limiting your dancing with rules, but we do need to keep you safe. The number one rule at FX is mutual respect: disrespectful, inappropriate, or obnoxious behavior will not be tolerated. In addition, all attendees must comply with any local laws and venue rules about alcohol consumption, noise levels, etc.For our Dancer Code of Conduct, click here.
For more on the relationship between Fusion and “rules,” see Andrew’s extended Fusion description:

It takes a large team of instructors to get the variety that our dancers desire and have come to expect. By assembling an amazing, yet large, team of instructors, everyone gets to be part of something greater than the sum of its parts. If you are applying to be an FX instructor, you should know that we usually do not guarantee instructors payment at their “full” rates. We typically offer a minimum “guaranteed” rate plus a bonus. We share the successes with you so long as you are willing to help us break even by agreeing to a smaller guaranteed minimum payment.We believe that everyone has something to offer, so we’re always looking for new instructors and ideas. If you’re interested in teaching, please email Lauren at laurenfhenry@fusionexchange.org

We select a very large ensemble cast of new and experienced DJs from many genres. We do this to bring the FX attendees an amazing and ever-changing variety of music to inspire dancing and personal expression. Most of our DJs are excited to be a part of building this new dance community and form of expression. Each DJ contributes 1-3 hours of his/her time over the weekend (whatever they feel comfortable with) which means that we usually have a team of around 20+ DJs. Depending on the time commitment, DJs will receive some form of free admission to the event. (Please note that DJs do not receive monetary compensation.)We enjoy the inspiration that comes from new and different DJs, so we’re always looking for new DJs and ideas. If you’re interested in DJing, please complete the application linked below. DJs receive free admission to the event (pass type depends on number of sets played), but do not receive monetary compensation. Interested? Please email Carl at carl@fusionexchange.org for more information.

Just like in the past, LVFX will rely on a dedicated team of attendees working hard to make the event go smoothly. In the past we have called these people “volunteers,” but as the Fusion Exchange grows this term is no longer fitting. The term “on-site staff” more accurately reflects the high standards and expectations we have of everyone on our team, as well as the appreciation, respect and of course compensation they receive.

The compensation structure has been updated this year to simplify the levels of on-site staff, and to add greater flexibility in how staff may choose to be compensated. The most exciting change is that on-site staff may now choose whether to apply their discount to the ticket they purchase during registration at whatever price tier they secure, or to buy a pass at a fixed price and avoid the registration rush altogether.The staff levels are as follows:

• Level 1:  Staff working 16-18 hours, 4-7 of which must be on Thursday may choose between: (1) a free Dance Only Pass (100% Discount); or (2), a free All Access Pass (a 100% discount).  Up to 5 available.
• Level 2: Staff working 12-15 hours throughout the weekend may choose between: (1) a free Dance Only Pass (100% Discount); or (2), an All Access Pass for the fixed price of $50.00 (an 80% discount).  Up to 5 available.
• Level 3: Staff working 8-10 hours may choose between: (1) a free Dance Only Pass (100% Discount); (2) a $75 discount off an All Access Pass (at the current price); or (3) an All Access Pass at the fixed price of $185.00.  Up to 15 Available.
• Level 4: Staff working 5-7 hours may choose between: (1) $50 off a Dance Only Pass (at current price); (2) a $50 discount off an All Access Pass (at the current price); or (3) an All Access Pass for a fixed price of $215.00.  Up to 10 Available.
• Just Want to Help: You can donate your time to support LVFX because you love it! THANK YOU!

Please email Sacha at sacha@fusionexchange.org

The Fusion Exchange is a labor of love organized by dancers for dancers. We are an all-volunteer organization made up of people from all walks of life who donate their time without monetary compensation because of the joy it brings to see Fusion Dancing in the world. If you have a love of fusion and a desire to serve others, you might be interested in joining our team. The common denominator among team members is that while we each hold down a full time job, we all have a full time commitment making the Fusion Exchange an incredible experience for everyone.

Want to join? Each team member spends 400 – 1200 hours and an entire year planning FX for you. All of this is balanced with working full-time outside of dance. As full compensation, they receive an All Access Pass, a t-shirt, and a free Dance Only pass to give to a friend. Each team member is also required to work as a manager for either one day all day, or one night all night during the event. All team members are required to arrive no later than Thursday morning before the event begins. Clearly, we do this because we love it! Still interested? Email fusionexchange2014@gmail.com and let us know what you can bring to the team!

Instructors receive an all-access pass, and are paid based on experience, reputation, and the number of classes they teach. We typically offer instructors a choice between a flat guaranteed rate, and a variable rate with a smaller guaranteed amount and an attendance-based bonus.

DJ compensation varies based on the number of sets played, and our most common compensation is a Dance Only pass (or a discounted All Access pass). For more information on why we compensate DJs using this scheme, please click here.

• DJs with one set may choose between: (1) a free Dance Only Pass; (2) a discount of $50 off an All Access Pass; or (3) an All Access Pass for a fixed price of $175.
• DJs with two sets may choose between: (1) a free Dance Only Pass; (2) a discount of $75 off an All Access Pass; or (3) an All Access Pass for a fixed price of $150.
• DJs with three or more sets may choose between: (1) a free Dance Only Pass; or (2) a free All Access Pass (a 100% discount).

On-site staff must pay in advance, and can be compensated with either an all-access or dance only pass, or a partial discount on either (depending on hours worked). Specifically:

• Level 1:  Staff working 16-18 hours, 4-7 of which must be on Thursday may choose between: (1) a free Dance Only Pass (100% Discount); or (2), a free All Access Pass (a 100% discount).
• Level 2: Staff working 12-15 hours throughout the weekend may choose between: (1) a free Dance Only Pass (100% Discount); or (2), an All Access Pass for the fixed price of $50.00 (an 80% discount).
• Level 3: Staff working 8-10 hours may choose between: (1) a free Dance Only Pass (100% Discount); (2) a $75 discount off an All Access Pass (at the current price); or (3) an All Access Pass at the fixed price of $185.00.
• Level 4: Staff working 5-7 hours may choose between: (1) $50 off a Dance Only Pass (at current price); (2) a $50 discount off an All Access Pass (at the current price); or (3) an All Access Pass for a fixed price of $215.00.

In addition, all organizers, volunteers, instructors, and DJs are invited to a thank-you dinner, typically on the Thursday before the event.

90% or more of our dancers stay in our official event hotel. Depending on our host city, we may have very limited homestay opportunities. First priority for these goes to organizers, instructors, volunteers, and DJs, and after that we attempt to match hosts with the best guests for their space. Unfortunately, we are unable to guarantee housing for anyone not working the event.

We started the hotel model a few years ago, and thanks to our expert negotiating skills, we’ve found that many dancers actually save money when compared to other housing options. For example, in 2012, our hotel offered:

• Rates as low as $27/person/night
• Free Internet, hot tub, continental breakfast, and linens
• A quick, free shuttle (or 20-minute walk) to the venue
• Tons of camaraderie and community with all the other dancers there.

Compared to the logistical and transportation issues around homestays, we love the convenience and low drama of hotels. Of course, you’re always welcome to stay wherever you want, and many attendees stay with friends and fellow dancers in our host city.

Private lessons are a great way to rapidly improve your dancing. Take a 30-minute private lesson from one (or more!) of the instructors at the Fusion Exchange. It’s never too late to schedule, but we recommend signing up before December 10th.

Private lessons will be held in a separate space on-site during the Fusion Exchange. You can sign up as a lead or follow. The standard expectation is that a lesson is one instructor and one student. Many instructors are willing to accommodate couples without an additional charge, but this must be confirmed beforehand.

If you have questions, email Lauren at laurenfhenry@fusionexchange.org.

Focus on what is important to you. Dance with a trained professional focused on improving your individual dance expression. Learn your strengths/weaknesses. Learn and apply movement theory. Get tips on social, competitive, or performance dance. Learn tips to make your dancing more comfortable or exciting. Develop a plan to progress your dancing. Gain insight or exposure to new styles and concepts. Learn rules and techniques of the opposite role, follow or lead, in a more comfortable one-on-one environment. Learn to apply your current skill set to another dance. Improve your connection, posture, balance, and strength to improve your dancing all around!

First, sign up for your private lesson(s) during registration. If taking the lesson with a dance partner, only one person needs to apply and pay, however, contacting Lauren at laurenfhenry@fusionexchange.org beforehand is essential to confirm that the instructor you have chosen also accepts couples at the same rate. In order to help your instructor best prepare for the lesson, we ask that you complete the Private Lesson Questionnaire. This questionnaire helps instructors determine where you are, what goals you have, and how to give you the most for your lesson time and allows us to extend an invitation, through GoogleCalendar, to your time slot once the event draws closer. You just have to fill it out and submit it.

We also encourage you to bring a notebook to keep track of what you learn so that you can reference it later. Many people find it useful to bring a camera to record their lesson as well.

Please show up at least 5 minutes before your lesson. Check in with the registration desk when you arrive and then go to the assigned location of your lesson. If you are late to a booked lesson you lose that time, since we cannot allow your lesson to run late into another attendee’s time. Our policy is: any time-slot you book will be charged even if you do not use it for whatever reason. We will try to be flexible if we can. For example, if there is no one scheduled after you and it works with your instructor, going longer is not at issue, but plan to be early since this is often not the case.

For more information: Email Lauren at laurenfhenry@fusionexchange.org

No. You can pick out a few classes which you would really like to take, but be prepared for some of the instructor demos to change your mind. This is also a great time to consult your Fusion Friend!

The appropriate level may be different depending upon the class. Our class levels are determined by a combination of years of dance experience, technical skill, pace of learning, formalized training, individual strengths in dance, openness to public constructive critique, and personal values. Please click here for an explanation of the levels and a guideline for selecting appropriately.

Every year we offer small classes where some of our most experienced instructors take on a group of dedicated dancers looking for individualized critique and to watch others receive this critique. You will get 5-10 minutes of super-specialized private instruction and watch other dancers of different levels have the same experience. You’ll take home personalized, tangible things to work on that will radically improve your dancing. Plus you will get to watch others and see things that relate to your dancing in someone else. It’s an intense yet manageable way to rapidly improve your movement. Please note that there is an additional fee to participate in the special classes.

For more information: Email Lauren at laurenfhenry@fusionexchange.org

Food at the event ensures our event flow is not interrupted by the need to break off into groups and leave the venue for meals. Bulk purchasing also saves our attendees money, and builds community by providing more opportunity to socialize.

“We do our best to serve food preferences and allergies with a variety of options and clear labeling. Please let us know about your food needs during registration- especially if you have a serious allergy. We can’t guarantee to serve every food preference at every meal, but we try our best to provide vegetarians, vegans, carnivores, and those with allergies and other preferences with yummy sustenance the whole weekend long. The earlier you let us know about your specific needs, the better the chance we can accomodate you.”

We try to organize the schedule so that there’s something for every one at most times. That means at least two class choices at all times and two DJ choices at all times. You’re bound to find something that inspires you in every time slot! And, if not, socialize with your friends, because it will be different in an hour! We also start the schedule a little bit later every day so that you have some chance of catching a nap and taking all of the classes! We closely review the survey responses from our attendees as well. Every year we use these responses to improve the event and tailor it to the growing fusion community. Finally, we ensure 30 minute breaks between classes to give you time to rest, recuperate, and practice.

We gather everyone in one room 5-10 minutes before class starts and the next block’s instructors do demos of their classes. Based on class popularity after the demos, we assign the classes to different rooms. This lets the instructors strut their stuff for the students, and also ensures we schedule classes appropriately based on size.

Any professional wishing to photograph or film should seek permission at least 120 days in advance. Approval is discretionary and access to classes and participants will be limited according to our terms. All attendees should be given the opportunity to opt out of filming or photography. No photos or videos taken at FX should be sold.

We welcome amateur photographers and videographers to photograph or film during the event. For photographers, please be discreet and respectful, especially when using a flash. For videographers, please seek permission from instructors when filming classes (wrap-ups only please) and permission from participants if filming certain people in particular. Before releasing photos or videos to the public, please monitor photos for content that may be embarrassing, indecent, or unflattering. Please make your contact information known so that individuals may contact you to remove content. You should comply with these requests immediately.

We do not hire photographers or videographers for our event. However, we do rely on photographs to promote our event for the next year. We believe that photographs (including flash photography) are necessary to our success and we will not entirely bar flash photography from all rooms. If you have a medical condition related to flash photography, please let us know at least 60 – 90 days in advance and we will try to accommodate you.

No. No smoking of any kind is permitted at The Curtis, and the presence of any controlled substance at the event could have severe negative consequences for anyone licensed federally, including Ivy and Cameron. See the complete policy here.