Excerpt from Judy Chen’s post on WLDN – 5 Feb 2010

WOW 2010 is set for September 3-5, 2010 (Friday to Sunday) in Shanghai China. The confirmed instructors are Jo Thompson , Rachael McEnaney, Kate Sala, Scott Blevins, and Niel Paulsen. Guest instructors include: Jo and John Kinser, Marilyn McNeal, Meiling Leong, and Sue Chin Choo and more to come. For more information, you can go to www.wowlinedance.com

As you plan your flights, you will want to arrive in Shanghai on 9/1 or 9/2. Please note, if you are flying in from Europe, U.S., or Canada, your arrival date is usually 1 day later than when you fly out. So plan to depart either on 8/31 or 9/1.

The WOW 2010 dance event starts 9/2 (Thursday night) with and open line dance party in the evening. Workshops starts on 9/3 (Friday) and will run through 9/5 (Sunday). Since we are in Shanghai, there will be a lot to do in the city. On 9/3 (Friday night), we’ll go to eat dinner at a restaurant & to see a show (similar to a Las Vegas show but much cheaper). On 9/4 (Saturday night), we’ll tour the Bund, which is one of Shanghai’s most famous tourist destination. On 9/5 (Sunday night), we’ll have a dinner party with Karaoke & dancing to end the WOW 2010 dance event.

For those dancers who would like to tour China after the dance event, the trip will be from 9/8 to 9/15. You will have two days prior to the trip (9/6-9/7) to tour Shanghai or see the World Expo.

Tour Itinerary

We are planning to travel to Su-Zhou (The Silk City) on 9/8, Hang-Zhou (The Heaven City) on 9/9, Xi-An (The Emperor’s Tomb) on 9/10-9/11, and Beijing (the Capital of China) on 9/11-15. The tentative itinerary is on www.wowlinedance.com. We are estimating the cost for the tour right now is approximately 6660 Yuan (less than $1000) which includes for all sight-seeing fees, bus trips, 2 local flights, all meals, and hotel costs. We won’t get the discounted group airfare price until June 2010 (this is a policy of all Chinese airlines). So if you are interested going on the tour, we need a copy of your passport that shows your name, passport number, expiration date, and birth date so the travel agency can reserve tickets and hotel rooms. The deadline for booking the tour is April 1.

Here are the costs for WOW 2010 Shanghai.

1) International round trip airfare (Fly in and out of Shanghai (airport code PVG)); if you are going on the tour afterwards, schedule your flight home from the Beijing airport on 9/15

2) China visa application fee (I recommend you get a multiple entry visa which is about the same price as a single entry visa). Everyone needs a visa unless you are a Taiwan or Hong Kong resident

3) Hotel fees from 9/1-9/8 (which you will pay through the travel agency ASAP; There are two options, the Sports Hotel and the Marriott. The Sports Hotel is less expensive while the Marriott is 5 star and includes free internet access. To book the Sports Hotel, you must pre-pay through the travel agency ASAP (approximately 620 RMB per night per room double beds and 2 free breakfasts). The Marriott can be booked by email or by phone (850 RMB).

4) 3 day workshop fees (9/3-9/5), entertainment fee, meals, transportation (airport pickup & local).

5) Personal spending money on 9/1-9/2, 9/6-9/7 (meals & transportation, shopping)

6) Entertainment fee (9/3-9/5) (optional)

7) If attending the tour, it will cost approximately 6,660 RMB (less than $1,000 USD) which includes for all sight-seeing fees, bus trips, 2 local flights, all meals, and hotel costs (double occupancy; single room is an extra $225 USD).

Booking Shanghai Hotel

Mr. Yu (the Travel Agent) (ybyer1617@hotmail.com) was informed by the Sports Hotel that the room situation is going to be really tight during the World Expo. The government may ask for a block of rooms and then we can only have what it left. You are guaranteed the room and the price of 620 RMB per night but only if you prepay the travel agent ASAP to reserve the room.

There are 2 ways of payment for the Sports Hotel: you can go to your bank to wire the money to the travel agent. If you choose to do this, email me and I’ll give you their bank wiring info. But remember the bank always charges a fee when you wire money.

The second option is you can write a check to me, mail to

Judy Chen

3150 N Sheridan Road

Apt 26C Chicago,

IL 60657

If you want double occupancy, send a check for $50 a night for yourself. So if you are staying from 9/1 to 9/8 for 7 nights, mail a check for $350. Please write your roommate’s name on a piece of paper. If you want a room all for yourself, mail a check for $700. I’ll pay Mr. Yu in RMB for you, and depending on the exchange rate I’ll pay you/you’ll pay me the difference in RMB upon your arrival in Shanghai.

Remember, there is another choice for hotel, the Courtyard Marriott Shanghai Xujiahui which you can book yourself. For reservations, email Leon Cai directly (leon.cai@courtyard.com) but cc me (jyingchen@hotmail.com) and put WOW 2010 in the subject line. The price is 850 RMB (5 star) with breakfast & internet included. They will ask for your credit card to guarantee your reservation and will charge you when you check out.

Paying for the Tour

If you would like to attend the tour, you can wire the money to Mr. Yu or you can also mail me a check of U.S. $1,000. I’ll pay Mr. Yu (the travel agent) and you’ll get an official receipt from the travel agent. I’ll pay Mr. Yu in RMB for you, and depending on the exchange rate I’ll pay you/you’ll pay me the difference in RMB upon your arrival in Shanghai.

Also there is a second trip added after Beijing, starting on 9/15 to 9/20. I’ll get the details in a month. So if you have the additional time, book your flights at the end of February. You can buy a round trip ticket to PVG from 8/31 to 9/20 or 9/21/10.

We’ll email you after we receive you register. If you haven’t received an email, please be patient. My registration lady is pregnant and she happens to be my daughter, so I’ll be a grandma in July.

If you have any questions, please email me at JYINGCHEN@HOTMAIL.COM. Or you can call me in China 86-13916311879. If you can’t reach me there, I maybe in the U.S. and will be reachable at 1-646-266-2406 or 1-352-350-4728.

Judy Chen