Festival in Montreal

[firebirdenpointe]

I heard festival 2012 will be international, in Montreal. I couldn't find much info online, so does anyone know how this is going to take place?

[Kathleen Sinclair]

A National Festival in 2012! For only the third time in the history of regional dance, the organization will congregate on a national level at one major festival. All of the member companies will participate in the special five day festival following the similar format for the regional three day festivals.

 

Regional Dance America National Festival 2012 dates are April 30 through May 5, 2012 in Montreal, Canada

 

All performance will take place in the Place des Arts; classes at Le Plais Des Congres and the lead hotel will be the Hyatt Regency. There will be more information after the RDA National board meets in early October. Updates will be post at RDA website

 

Hope to see you in Montreal in 2012!

[djeowmom]

This sounds truly exciting and Montreal is such a beautiful city ... this should be a great festival! I am quite sure my DD's company will plan to participate. I am curious Ms. Sinclair, as many of our company dancers are school aged (I don't think we're unique in this), why RDA doesn't seem to consider school breaks or holiday weekends for at least some of the festival days in either regional or national festivals. RDA is so important to my daughter's experience, but missing so much school time becomes challenging.

[Temps de cuisse]

School breaks are not considered as you can imagine all the different school districts that are involved throughout the region/nation. What would be a school break for you wouldn't be for another part of the region/country.

 

For the National Festival the time period is based on theater, hotel and studio availability along with time frame. Facilities have to booked 2 to 3 years in advance. Late April/early May are popular as it is free of end of the year testing, activities and graduations and works the best for most people. There are not many "holiday" weekends during this part of the year. Maybe Easter and that is one weekend that anyone who schedules events tries to avoid. Memorial weekend is hard in that in many parts of the west coast, HS graduations occur. Going into June has the same problem along with the beginning of summer intensives. Regional festivals have the same challenges.

 

As you can see there are many factors that have to be considered! As for missing school, I tell my parents that they (or the school) never flinch at students missing classes if it is a school-based activity. Think: choir competition at Disneyland, regional/state sport tournaments, Odyssey of the Mind competition etc. RDA offers artistic directors a letter to their school to explain the importance of RDA festivals to help students that have difficulties being excused. Ask your director for a copy if this is a problem for your DD.

[Kathleen Sinclair]

Thanks Temps for the response!

[djeowmom]

Thank you both for your responses. Not trying to be ignorant here, and we do of course all do what we need too. I do also realize that much of the planning is at the mercy of venue schedules. Just always curious, that while Spring Break is never consistent, even in the same school system, Easter is a holiday that many schools across the US observe to one degree or another, Memorial Day, another - (I do see Temps de Cuisse has addressed these). Neither of these would fully allow for a long convention, but could shave off a day or two. Probably all been considered before, just thought I'd put it out there. Thanks again for hearing me.

[trythis]

What is required for travel to Canada now a days? Will we need passports?

[gav]

What is required for travel to Canada now a days? Will we need passports?

 

Yes, Americans now do need passports to enter Canada.

[trythis]

Crap.

[mom2]

Well, if the event isn't until 2012 you have plenty of time to get the passport.........

[BelaNina]

I know this is an old thread, but trythis - you can get a passport card for your child and for yourself. Passport cards are only good for US citizens to travel to Canada and Mexico. They are less expensive than full passports. I got my children and myself a passport card last August in addition to our regular passports. My husband opted not to get one (even though he travels to Mexico on business regularly!). The kids can use them as ID cards too.

[cakers]

Okay, we were told we could book the hotel through RDA and get a discount, but when we tried to do that, the discounted rooms were "sold out". We can go through the hotel directly and book a room because the hotel is not sold out, but the rate is $200 a night.

 

What is that? Why offer an RDA discount and then not tell people that there were only a limited amount of discounts available? Now we are forced to either pay a much higher rate, or go to a cheaper, but MUCH less nice and/or convenient hotel. Boy, it just doesn't seem right that some folks are able to get a better deal than others. There should be one RDA rate for everyone. JMHO.

[gav]

My suggestion is to contact RDA. When groups book a hotel discount, the hotel usually only releases a certain number of rooms to the discount at a time. That doesn't mean the discount is necessarily sold out forever. RDA might be able to get their contact at the hotel to release more rooms. Or, RDA might be able to give you the name of their contact at the hotel, and you can try to sort it out with that person yourself.

[cakers]

I believe that the person who is handling the booking of the rooms is, or has attempted to contact RDA, but had had no luck at the time she sent out the emails notifying members of the problem. She did say she was going to try booking again tomorrow, but she tried contact the hotel directly and they would not honor the RDA discount through their regular reservation procedures. The AD has received some frustrated e-mails from other companies as well, so we are not an isolated instance.

 

This has been one of my frustrations with RDA. We receive initial information and then it never seems to work exactly like we're told it's going to, and the changes usually involve more money.

[ddsbiggestfan]

I know this is an old thread, but trythis - you can get a passport card for your child and for yourself. Passport cards are only good for US citizens to travel to Canada and Mexico. They are less expensive than full passports. I got my children and myself a passport card last August in addition to our regular passports. My husband opted not to get one (even though he travels to Mexico on business regularly!). The kids can use them as ID cards too.

 

In my other life (when I'm not driving my daughter back and forth to dance!) I'm a travel agent, so I wanted to take a minute to clarify this advice from BelaNina. If you are traveling to Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean at a land border (i.e. driving or on a train), or in a seaport (i.e. on a cruise ship), the passport card is fine. However, if you are traveling by air you MUST have a regular passport. All international air travel requires a passport. So if you are attending RDA from an area outside of the Northeast or upper Midwest I suggest that you plan to obtain a full passport. They are not too difficult to get, but the sooner you do it the less stressful the experience!