DANCE | Upstate NY Fall Latin Dance Festival 

The 3rd Annual Upstate NY Fall Latin Dance Festival, hosted by Essence of Rhythm Latin Dance Co., takes place this weekend and includes workshops and performances featuring performers from as far as Detroit, Boston, and Toronto. Darin Price, director of Rhythm Society, expects participants from all over New York State and beyond. DJ Sisco from Toronto and DJ Sal Sero from Rochester will provide the music.

The festival begins Thursday with a salsa party at Lovin' Cup (300 Park Point Drive), starting with a salsa and bachata lesson from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. Then the dance floor is all yours. Tickets will be sold only at the door for this event and are $5 before 11 p.m. and $10 after. Friday night opens with a special dance lesson at Visual Studies Workshop (31 Prince Street) at 9 p.m. followed by local, national, and international performers showing their stuff. Then, dance the night away with the salsa, bachata, kizomba, and chacha.

Saturday is chock-full of workshops from the experts. Workshops are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Rhythm Society (759 South Avenue), and then it's back to Visual Studies Workshop for performances and dancing at night (begins at 9 p.m.). Save some strength for Sunday with more workshops at Rhythm Society for all levels from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information about the festival go to unylatindancefest.com.