(2025) Inside Hello Bachata Fest: Candid Talk with the Creators | Festival Tips & Stories

🎉 Welcome to a candid roundtable with the creators of Hello Bachata Fest soon to be Hello Dance Fest! Mao Mambo, Masha Kizz, and Jsmoothsalsa get real about what it takes to organize a successful dance festival.

🔥 Topics we cover:
What makes a festival great
The real work behind the scenes
Fun stories and challenges
Evolving the brand: Hello Bachata → Hello Dance
Advice for dancers and future organizers

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 - Intro: Who We Are
00:25 - State of the Economy (and how it affects dance events)
01:47 - How dancers in other cities/states are feeling about the economy?
03:41 - The direction of Hello Fest and its Evolution
06:48 - Why San Francisco has the strongest dance scene, IMHO
12:25 - San Francisco bay area has a lot of festivals
14:10 - Why is the dance community in San Francisco so huge?
15:24 - Why Go to a Dance Festival?
21:11 - How scheduling works at Hello Fest
23:47 - What's so great about dance festivals?
27:17 - Success Comes From the Dance Community
30:15 - Volunteers Don't Get Enough Credit
33:18 - The Venue a Festival Selects Does Matter
35:16 - What are Tracks?
38:13 - Each Genre Is It's Own Festival
40:10 - Why Hello Fest is Worth Checking Out
41:44 - It's Okay to be on a Budget
42:24 - Praise for Our Website
43:17 - Deejays/Instructors Appreciate Having Flyers
44:46 - The Only Reason Why The Hotel Signs Multi-Year Contracts
46:00 - Who is JSmoothsalsa?
47:13 - Stop Sometimes and Appreciate Your Accomplishments
48:00 - What's Mao Mambo's Goal for 2025-2026
50:11 - No one talks about what happens when everyone goes home
51:37 - If It Looks Organized A Lot of Work was Put In
53:07 - Until You've Organized Your Own Event...
54:12 - Why Put Up a Festival
55:37 - Outro

🎟️ See the latest lineup + get tickets:
👉 https://hellobachatafestival.com
👉 https:/hellodancefest.com

🙌 Huge thanks to all the artists, DJs, and community members who make Hello Dance Fest special every year. We see you and appreciate you!

📲 Follow us:
@hellodancefest | @maomambo | @mashakizz | @jsmoothsalsa

#HelloDanceFest #DanceFestival #BachataFestival #LatinDanceCommunity #BehindTheScenes #FestivalTips