Convention Frequently Asked Questions
Important information and Frequently Asked Questions regarding the ROUNDALAB (RAL) convention. This information may also be found on the RAL website homepage under the Convention tab.
What are the dates of the RAL convention?
RAL typically begins the Saturday before the National Square Dance Convention with an evening reception. This reception is casual and there is no dancing. The RAL convention then continues all day (approximately 8 am to 10:00 pm) on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. The last sessions finish before noon on Wednesday allowing participants adequate time to prepare for the NSDC
When should you plan to arrive?
Most attendees will arrive Saturday afternoon and leave following the Wednesday morning sessions. Board of Directors members need to arrive on Friday to be ready for meetings all day Saturday and should not plan on leaving before 3pm on Wednesday.
What is the location of the RAL convention? ROUNDALAB will try to select either the same venue as the NSDC or select a venue reasonably close to allow for an easy transition from RAL Convention to NSDC.
What is the hotel room rate for the RAL convention? Hotel rates will be posted with the registration information for each convention.
Hotel amenities will be posted with the registration information for each convention.
Is there an airport shuttle? Transportation options to and from the airport will be listed with the hotel registration information.
How is RAL different than other conventions? RAL focuses on educating the round dance cuer/ teacher. Although the instruction is directed toward the cuer/teacher, many non-cuer/teacher round dancers attend RAL frequently and find it to be a great experience. They learn information and techniques at RAL that are not presented in any other convention. We encourage all round dancers to attend.
Can I register for only part of the RAL convention? No. RAL does not offer a per-day registration. You must register for the entire convention regardless of how many of the daytime sessions you attend. You may, however, attend only the evening dances and pay at the door for those dances without attending the rest of the convention.
How do I make a hotel reservation for RAL? You must make your own hotel reservation. The hotel reservation phone number is on the registration form and there is also an online reservation link on the RAL website.
Why should I make the hotel reservation through ROUNDALAB if I can find a better rate? Hotel reservations in the RAL room block help pay for the convention. By registering with ROUNDALAB, you are helping keep the cost of the convention registration as low as possible for everyone.
Do I have to stay at the convention hotel in order to attend the RAL convention? No, there is no requirement that you stay at the convention hotel. However, the RAL convention receives credit toward rental of the meeting/ dancing space based upon hotel rooms used by our convention attendees.
What is included in the RAL convention fee? The convention registration includes the opening night reception, three-and-a-half days of education sessions by leading round dance instructors, business meetings (which can be very educational and are the heart of RAL), three evening dances on a beautiful wood floor, six refreshment breaks, the evening Awards Banquet, digital education syllabus, all convention materials, networking with round dance leaders from around the world and much more.
Where does my ROUNDALAB convention registration money go? For the past several conventions, 100% of your collected fees go to expenses for the convention. ROUNDALAB subsidizes the balance of the expenses to help keep costs down.
Will I have education choices at ROUNDALAB? Yes! There will be one to three educational opportunities at any given time. Typically, any time there is a session that is dedicated to cueing, there is also a simultaneous session or two that is not dedicated to cueing. There are sessions for all phases and experience levels. One of the most common “complaints” is that people had to choose between multiple sessions that they wanted to attend. Sometimes couples split up and attend two sessions at the same time and then share what they learned with each other later.
What is the suggested attire for ROUNDALAB? Daytime is casual attire, although we request no halter tops, shorts, etc. Evening dances are casual attire or round dance attire, as desired. Many dress up for the awards banquet, but that is not required.
Should I purchase the meal package for the RAL convention? YES! Sharing meals together is one of the best features of the RAL convention. Sit with Board members and cuers and teachers from all over the world. Make new and lasting friends, connect with friends you have not seen for a while. You will also have a seat ready when you are ready to eat, you won’t need to find a restaurant (make a reservation, wait in line, etc.) Also, the meal package helps RAL meet our Food and Beverage requirements, which helps lower convention fees and improves our nightly room rate.
What if I have special meal needs? The hotel can accommodate special meal requests. Be sure to include special needs on your registration form. If you have questions, please contact the RAL office.
Can someone come to the awards banquet if they are not attending the RAL convention? Yes, sometimes parents, children, friends of convention attendees wish to attend the awards banquet. Contact the office for further details. Banquet tickets must be purchased in advance. Deadline is May 21.
What if I have further questions? That one is easy, simply contact the RAL office at roundalab@roundalab.org or call 1-877-Y-I-DANCE (943-2623). The office is open Monday through Thursday, 8 am to noon and 1 pm to 5 pm, Eastern Time.
Will we see you at the RAL convention? We hope so!