The weather is great and you feel like lovely tropical vibes: a feeling of a summery holiday, but in your own country. Dancing salsa and bachata, BBQing in the sunshine with a group of nice people, good atmosphere and good music. You get the picture. Since 2016, even before Striktly started, Robert, Marco and I initiated LOTS: Latin On The Streets. A get together where you can dance and practice low profile, while enjoying food and each others company while the sun sets. 

But where do you find this ideal location to start your own LOTS?

Based on my experiences I’ve set up a list of conditions you can use to test your location against. Prefer to discover locations in Rotterdam you can consider for your own LOTS? Download the Movely app and get free access to a list of my favorite LOTS locations in Rotterdam.

What are the location must-haves?

A good LOTS location has a few basic conditions. These are some that I categorized this way, but you can obviously judge yourself if you agree or that you feel that other conditions are of bigger importance.

• Possibility to use a toilet

A public restroom nearby is quite nice. You can think of a toilet within public spaces such as a library or a museum, but also a cafe or restaurant might have a toilet you could use. If it concerns the hospitality industry, make sure you meet an arrangement with the owner and maybe bring some spare change. This enables people to stay longer at the LOTS rather than going home early because they really have to pee.

• Shelter from the rain

However it won’t be necessary every time, it is convenient to have a place to shelter if it starts raining. In the Netherlands you never know if a sudden shower comes around. If you have chosen a good spot, this is no reason to shut down the LOTS. So make sure to choose a location with a place to shelter when needed. All my favorite locations provide some level of shelter. Download the app and you can start right away!.

• Secluded but open environment

It is nice to have a bit of a secluded location for your LOTS. It is fine if a curious bypasser comes to peek what is going on, but a LOTS has not the intention to attract a lot of people. Especially in these times with corona measures. LOTS was started as an approachable way to practice dancing, sharing salsa and bachata tips, and broadening your dance network. The focus lies within the group, not on exposed dancing. Therefor a rather secluded location would help with that feeling of security so you feel free to try and experiment.

When do I consider it secluded? In general when it is not located in the middle of a busy shopping area, something a little more remote. E.g. you can meet at the Maritime museum as this is covered from rain, but this is in the middle of the city center close to a busy crossroad with many people walking by. Locations that are below streetlevel for example, work better. This way the location lies out of direct eye sight. Besides, a more secluded or remote location gives some freedom based on the use of music. This way you create less noise disturbance for the environment.

• Dancefloor

If there will be dancing, the dancefloor is a good element to take into consideration. Some fanatics can dance on literally any surface, but in general it is nice to have a smooth and even surface. Be careful not hurting your knees! This varies between an ideal floor such as natural stone without joints, to less ideal surfaces such as cobblestones or loose sand. Make sure that before you decide on the location you check the surface of the potential dance area so you can communicate this to your fellow LOTS-goers. Is it a perfect dancefloor, or is it better if they leave their dancing shoes at home and should they be dancing on sneakers?

Nice to have’s

Some of the elements that definitely make the location are the nice to have’s. They might not be as important to everybody, but it does give that extra level of experience of your LOTS.

• Accessability

How do your LOTS invitees come to the event? By bike, with the car or by public transport? You can take this into consideration when choosing your perfect LOTS location. It might come in handy to have a location that is accessible by public transport or has free parking nearby. 

• Building an atmosphere

Not every place has that atmospheric vibe. You can imagine that a parking near a industrial area might be secluded but not necessarily look very ‘gezellig’. However you can always pimp it, it is something to take into consideration. Is your location perfect for watching a sunset? Is it lit at night? Or is there a cute arbor or lots of greenery? All these elements add up to the ambiance of your LOTS. So again: go check it out. Visit your location and discover what vibe you get and get a taste if this might be your location for a LOTS. 

• Your ideal location

In your city there will also be multiple locations that are perfect for a LOTS. Are you not interested in figuring out your own ideal location? In the free Movely app you can find my 7 favorite LOTS locations in Rotterdam. Prefer to look for your own spot? Do it like Marco and I did: grab a scooter or bike and make a day out of it. Discover your own city, so in the end you’ll know the best kept secret locations for your LOTS.

Conclusion

Go and explore! Consider the above mentioned elements, but do mainly what fits your ideal LOTS afternoon or evening. Make sure to inform other about the basic conditions such as the availability of a toilet, if there is a possibility for sheltering for the rain, the accessibility and the quality of the (dance)floor.
Have LOTS of fun!

Unfortunately people are not dancing much due to Corona. Dance schools are closed for months, parties and events are cancelled. But since the 1st of June there are some slight changes in what is allowed and what is not. Every press moment there are new rules presented or older ones are being loosened. We often get confused. So we got to the bottom of it, and are now sharing our insights with you, so you will know exactly how to organise your own LOTS (Latin On The Streets) within the boundaries of the rules. **

**This advice is based on the information of the Government of the Netherlands. No rights can be derived from our advice. It is not an official advice, rather just our translation of the current measures, applied to small initiatives to come together in the salsa and bachata scene. This advice is not applicable for event organizers and/or dance schools. When in doubt, please check the sources of this article, and always follow the instructions of the police and enforcement.

Am I allowed to meet up with a small group outside to dance?

Yes, and no… From the 1st of June 2020 you’re allowed to meet up in groups again outside. However, you do need to comply with the 1.5m distance between each other. Partner dancing or switching partner as we are used is therefor not allowed. 

Only for people within your household this 1.5m rule does not apply. This means that you’re allowed to dance with your partner if you live together with him/her. This means you are not allowed to change partners. A dance without a partner, with a 1.5m distance is allowed. 

Am I allowed to dance with my partner (with whom I live in the same house)?

Yes, as long as you share the same household you can. This does mean that you’re not able to switch dance partner. Luckily after a lockdown, coming together with others is already a step closer to dancing! Socializing and enjoying the sunshine is a big part of LOTS as well.

With many people can I come together outside?

For public outside spaces there is no maximum. But be aware that if you attract a lot of attention, and the 1.5m distance is not feasible anymore, the police might send you home.

Tip: a smaller group is less likely to be addressed than a big group. Law enforcement can easily see a big group as a organized event, which are not yet allowed. The better you keep your 1.5m distance, the lesser the chance of being addressed to keep the distance. Our advice would be to keep the group smaller than 20 people.

Are facemasks or other precautions mandatory when you dance outside?

No. Obviously you can just wear them if you or your friends feel comfortable with them. Consider washing your hands prior to the dancing. It might also come in handy to bring desinfectant hand gel.

What does one of those get-togethers look like in practice?

The weather is amazing and you’re in the mood to move on summery latin vibes and socialize with your dancefriends. That’s possible! LOTS is about more than just dancing. It is the vibe: music, good weather, BBQing. It’s all Bring Your Own. Tips and tricks will be shared about salsa & bachata while the sun sets.

You gather a preselected group of dancers to meet. For example at a square nearby or a park with enough space. You keep the 1.5m distance between each other. If you live together with your dance partner you can dance with him/her, but the couples do not switch partners. You only dance with your own parter / housemate.

Are you not living together with your dance partner? Not a problem! You can also enjoy single dancing. A perfect moment to work on those rusty shines. Or come up with an easy choreography, teach your fellow LOTSers and dance all together as a sort of line-dance. Afterwards you enjoy a self brought drink with a good conversation. A perfect day, outside, including the positive vibes. That’s exactly what LOTS can do.

Be aware: because for law inforcement it might be difficult to check who lives with whom, it might be that dancing with a partner will be prohibit by law enforcement.

What else should we keep in mind?

The most important is that you give each other space, you abide the distance rules and that you enjoy the getting together. A few things might help: 

• Stay home if you’re sick. It is important that you won’t join social initiatives like this if you’re not feeling well. So if you’re coughing, have a runny nose or a fever: please keep others safe by staying home. 
• Make sure that everybody who joins knows about the predefined agreements with each other.
• If you’re BBQing or you wish to arrange some drinks, make sure you don’t drink from the same cups. Easiest is if everybody brings their own crockery and cutlery. If you consider using disposable cups, bring a marker to write your name on it.
• You can always bring disinfecting hand gel to be sure so you can use it to clean your hands or objects that are touched by multiple people. 
• Bear your own responsibility towards the health and safety of yourself and others and respect each others views.
• If you’re planning to use music in a public space, also outside, make sure to take the surroundings into account. 
• There might be local differences on the enforcement of group forming. The most convenient is to check the website of your municipality to see if there are any mentioned rules or conditions.
  

What happens if I do not follow the rules?

The fine if you’re not following the corona measures is €390,-. This fine is easily avoidable by just keeping a 1.5m distance.

In the end it is all about coming together with your dance friends and creating a nice and positive atmosphere.

Have fun and initiate your own LOTS!

We hope we’ve inspired you to start your own LOTS, and don’t forget to share the pictures with us in the app or via info@movely.nl

Enjoy!

#spreadpositivevibes

Sources (Dutch):

Rijksoverheid – stappen na 1 juni in eenvoudige taal

Rijksoverheid – corona aanpak de volgende stap

NOS stories – met hoeveel mensen mag je chillen