LDG Carnaval Updates: T-Shirt Design! Costume Exchanges, Headdress, Mens Costumes, Last Indoor Rehearsal!

Hello beautiful LDG Carnavaleros,

I hope you are doing well and taking good care of yourselves.  I have been sick, so I apologize for this email being sent later than I hoped.  Here are a couple of updates in our Carnaval preparations:

T-Shirts ~ 

Our graphic design for our Carnaval T-shirt has been completed with the generous artistry of Raquel Ponce de Leon. We hope you like it! Thank you Raquel for working with us for weeks on this project!  We hope to have our t-shirts ready in early May.

Costume Size Exchanges have been processed and shipped back to the vendor.  Those of you who ordered exchanges, they will be available at ODC for pick up on Wednesday 4/29 anytime before LDG class.  I was able to bulk ship everything to save on the cost, so return shipping is only $10. per person. 

Headdress Frames- Our fabulous Section Leaders will distribute your headdress frames at your section rehearsals or at Sunday rehearsal.  Dancers will sign off that you have received since we want to make sure everyone receives one and there are no extras.  Thank you!

Instructions on Decorating your Headdress ~ Special Thanks to Monika Ascencio for creating this guideline for you to embellish your headdresses to highlight your unique personality.  Thank you to Tina Milo for bringing these frames all the way from Colombia!  And thanks to Dudley for creating the tutorial video that accompanies the written instructions.  Enjoy!

This year, we are unable to host a large Embellishment Workshop because the ODC Annex will be closed for renovations. So instead, each Section will organize a small gathering to embellish your crowns and help each other with the decorating process, share materials, and get to know each other in this fun, creative activity.  Please coordinate the purchasing of materials in bulk so that you can save money on supplies and shipping charges.  There are many talented creatives in our group who can share ideas for embellishing your crowns, we love to see you express your unique personality.  Please take photos and video clips of your gatherings and your decorated headdresses and send them to me, so I can share with our videographer.  Please do not post these on social media since we want to save the element of surprise for the Carnaval Parade.

Men's Costumes will be available at this Sunday's Rehearsal for you to pick up.  Please assign someone to pick up your costume for you if you cannot be there.  Thank you!!

Tutorial Video for the Samba Dance 

I've been sick so I haven't been able to record the tutorial for the Samba. I hope to record the tutorial on Saturday and share.  Thank you so much to Bethica and Monika for subbing class while I'm recuperating.  

Section Placements ~ 

Section Leaders are working on drafting out section placements for all the dancers in preparation for our outdoor rehearsals and to prepare for a couple of formations for the Salsa Dance.  Please collaborate with your section leaders and remember that every row is a front row, and everybody will be seen especially since we are having our own film-maker.

Last Indoor Rehearsal!!!

This  Sunday 4/26 is the last indoor rehearsal at the beautiful Abada SF Studio.  We hope that you have enjoyed the journey so far and that you continue to attend your section rehearsals and LDG class.  Being outdoors will be a little disorienting and that is normal.  We will work through this transition together and I will send another email next week to prepare us all. Thank you!

We will need 6 Volunteer Parade Water Monitors and 6 Pacing Monitors:

Please email latindancegrooves@gmail.com with the names, email, phone numbers and t-shirt size of anyone who wants to volunteer to be a Pacing Monitor or Water Monitor and we will send the job description, dress code and time commitment required.  We vet these positions since there are specific duties involved, so please email us on or before 5/1/2026.

Carnaval Music Playlist:

I have updated the Spotify Music Playlist on our website to include our Carnaval Parade Music.  The last three songs on the Carnaval Rehearsal playlist are our Parade Songs. The Section Leaders have the "slower" version of the Salsa Song for you to practice with.  Enjoy! 

Thank you so much dancers for being so supportive with one another.  It really does take a village to create this magic and we appreciate all of your unique contributions to our presentation.  As always, please email me with any questions. Thank you!

with love and gratitude, 

Elizabeth and Dudley