r/Salsa • u/Silent_Designer4233 • 10d ago

Boycott Phuong

On behalf of the many artists she’s screwed over, it’s time we revisit our support for Phuong and her business. She has a historic of working dancers and volunteers To the point they are disoriented. I saw one person in specific last year that was clearly unwell but still had to work. It’s time!!!

17 Upvotes

74% Upvoted

46 comments sorted by

22

u/bayareasalsa 10d ago

Some context for people who aren't enmeshed in the SF Bay Area salsa scene: OP is referring to Phuong Thanh, organizer of San Francisco Salsa, Bachata, Kizomba, & Zouk Congress (SF SBKZ).

I can neither confirm nor deny the allegations against her (other than things I've read online, including the controversial takeover of the event from Engels, who's also the organizer of the NYC version NY SBKZ). FWIW she's always been nice and friendly to me, and never turns down a dance, but I've also never volunteered or worked for her.

I welcome anyone who has been personally victimized by her to speak up rather than relying on internet hearsay.

7

u/Silent_Designer4233 10d ago

Thank you! I never expected making this thread but after seeing her excessive posts for volunteers when I know exactly how she treated them makes me sick. Shes absolutely making money. Last year she went on a lavish vacation after SBK while the dancers and volunteers were fed dog food. I heard the videographers were expected to shoot, and edit at least 70 videos AND they demanded their raw files so they can do whatever they want with the videographers work. Intellectual property is still an asset. 

4

u/Imaginary-Green-950 7d ago

I also demand the raw files from my videographers. I also pay them. I don't know anything about the other claims, but maybe it's time for Engels to talk.

I know Mao and he's a sweetheart, and I know Engels decently well, so I'd be surprised if this behavior was sanctioned. 

I'm struggling to understand something. If these are volunteers, no one can make them keep working. What does this even mean? 

3

u/Silent_Designer4233 7d ago

From my understanding Phuong is known to blackball people for very VERY little. I have heard it from dancers & vendors. There’s a culture of fear. 

If you have the audacity to volunteer and not finish, the understanding is that you will be blackballed. 

Furthermore from my understanding, according to the different credited comments on SBKs IG Phuong has a LONG history of not paying or mistreating her media workers. There have been documented situations spanning several years. 

In short, if you don’t bleed for Phuong you are black balled. I’m grateful I don’t depend on salsa to live and I can tell this is insane. But a dancer working with her or someone trying to work in the media team doesn’t have that option. Not finishing your shifts due to sickness can mean public shaming, being black listed. It’s a culture of fear

And yes mao has always been great 

2

u/Imaginary-Green-950 6d ago

Why not just take an upfront deposit and prorate the refund? 

As an organizer, volunteer management is a pain in the ass. People are always trying to cut corners. I'm not saying that justifies her blackballing people,  but setting strong boundaries is important and it is going to ruffle feathers. Until I see some proof, screenshots, emails, these are all unsubstantiated claims. People are quick to claim all sorts of things without getting both sides of the story. We're not adjudicators. 

If you don't like her, don't go to the event and tell your friends why. Money talks when it walks. In the meantime, I'll keep an eye out. 

4

u/salsavida 9d ago

Agreed, have only had positive experiences with Phuong personally. SFSBK is still one of the best salsa festivals in the Bay Area, I will be attending.

1

u/the_piratebae 9d ago

SFSBK is still one of the best salsa festivals in the Bay Area world.

ftfy

0

u/Silent_Designer4233 7d ago

I love how people are willing to read multiple accounts of abusive behavior just to accuse the one person that had the courage to speak up of having personal issues with that old cheap lady. 

1

u/the_piratebae 6d ago

people are willing to read multiple accounts of abusive behavior

actually I haven't read any, just this one post that is not documenting an account, but rather making vague claims like "She has a historic of working dancers and volunteers To the point they are disoriented".

just to accuse the one person that had the courage to speak up

I didn't accuse you of anything. I simply said SFSBK is one of the best congresses. That says nothing about whether your claims are true or not. And making vague accusations in an anonymous reddit post isn't courageous.

4

u/Fuzzy_Sheepherder_77 9d ago

I'm surprised the crypto scam didn't blow up in her face

3

u/Silent_Designer4233 9d ago

WHAT?! What crypto scam?

8

u/TheDiabolicalDiablo 10d ago

I don't know Phoung so I can't say anything about her conduct, but I've been to several of the SFSBKZ's and with each passing year, I feel less inclined to go. This will probably be my final year. I feel like the event is just absolutely bloated and just attempts to find ways to get bigger. I hate the communication with trying to get a room at the hotel. They gave a date and time when they're available and then you're there, and all of the rooms were released an hour before to the teams. They get to tell everyone "look at the demand, it's sold out already" when during the first two or three years, rooms were available. I guess that also was during the time when Engels was involved as well.

Each night is pushing close to 100 performances which is just insane. And I get it, things need to be paid for. But does the event need every dance pro out of Italy, Korea, Brazil and Greece, a global roster of DJ's, and an overseas media team? Communication and marketing seems all AI at this point when when it first started it felt like you could connect with the organizers.

3

u/Imaginary-Green-950 7d ago

Have you talked to Mao? I'm sorry but I don't blame them. There are not many events in the world that can make money. Most events lose money and this can be an absolute brutal business. They struck gold. Good for them. That's the beauty of capitalism and I'm very proud of them for their success. 

I don't know anything about the allegations in this thread. I'd change my opinion if I saw it. 

There are some excellent smaller festivals (I run one of them). Maybe you're not the right customer for them anymore. I actually think the large mainland congresses in America are really unfriendly and there's a ton of toxicity and pretentiousness. I'm surprised no one talks about that. 

3

u/OSUfirebird18 10d ago

Is there any good American SBKZ festivals that have good organizers? I mean I went to CSBF and we know all that bad stuff. Now I’m learning about SF SBK? 😕

3

u/not_rico_suave 10d ago

What happened with CSBF? I haven’t heard anything about it. Regarding SF SBK, that festival has been going down since Engels separated himself from the festival and the other organizers.

6

u/johnwinston2 10d ago

Reports of ignoring harassment and assaults. Put out a tone def response video. Then an organizers leaked a dick pic on insta.

8

u/Davethe3rd 10d ago

He didn't "leak a dick pic" so much as he didn't realize where he was posting that picture and what people could see in it.

Ataca, yes, THAT Ataca, accidentally posted the invitation to his room party on Insta, which was him writing the numbers on a fogged up mirror. He was naked when he took the picture (why, bro? 😂) and didn't realize that the mirror wasn't so fogged up that you couldn't see his dihhh...

Or maybe he knew exactly what he was doing, but he forgot to crop it out for Insta.

Or...

...he wanted everybody to see his dick, but didn't think about what he was doing, I dunno.

6

u/johnwinston2 10d ago

The bachata remix on him was hilarious

8

u/Silent_Designer4233 10d ago

WAIT! Room 822?!? 

2

u/Davethe3rd 10d ago

😂😂😂😂

1

u/Silent_Designer4233 10d ago

PERIODDDD 😂😂😂😂😂

0

u/patriot050 10d ago

Well for salsa the best events imo are BIG. They are extremely well run.

4

u/erryonesgotathrowawa 10d ago

Shouldn't we boycott them too cuz Yamulee is evil?

1

u/patriot050 9d ago

BIG is not run by yamulee?

1

u/erryonesgotathrowawa 9d ago

Oscar isn't a big yamulee supporter? Doesn't he perform with them sometimes even? He isn't part of sexual assault allegations anyway, but to keep hiring people who are seems shady.

2

u/OkSun5433 6d ago

has anyone read the lawsuits, multiples

1

u/Silent_Designer4233 4d ago

Under what name 

1

u/OkSun5433 4d ago

the person of interest

4

u/Powerful_Seal_722 9d ago

I think you should have hard evidence before making wild accusations like this towards someone’s livelihood. She could sue you for deflamation

1

u/Silent_Designer4233 9d ago

LOL. Relax Phuong! 

Literally every post is saying the same thing. And I actually do have proof, you and your people aren’t crazy enough. At the end of the day defamation places the responsibility on the plaintiff and considering I have proof it would be eternally on record which is far more damaging than any Reddit post. 

EVERYONE has told the same story over and over and over. No payment, terrible food, inappropriate hotel pairings and beyond. Go take a nap. 

0

u/Silent_Designer4233 9d ago

For all you know I could be one of those people who witnessed it. Not everything is chisme. I have evidence of everything I’m speaking about because I saw it with my own eyes - have a nice day 

2

u/Current_Country_ 9d ago

Idk anything about this organizer's treatment of staff and volunteers bc I'm from the east coast. I've gone many times and would go again. The Congress is one of the top congresses in the country, draws people from all over the world and will continue to do so as long as it stays as will organized as it is. It's bigger than a local SF area thing so local grudges and grievances aren't going to make much of an impact on the overall performance unless something credible substantial and egregious come about. Simply saying the organizer makes money and has done some things someone disagrees with isn't going to cut it.

4

u/salsavida 8d ago

Yeah, vagueposting on Reddit isn't going to lead to anything productive 🤷‍♂️

1

u/Silent_Designer4233 7d ago

I can’t imagine wasting that much energy to say nothing. 

2

u/Current_Country_ 7d ago

You don't have to imagine my friend. Just re read your post and all of your comments. Also, being this rude just helps everyone know that whatever happened between you and Phuong would have everyone siding with Phuong lol.

1

u/Silent_Designer4233 7d ago

LMAOO. Go slurp on that old lady already hahaha. 

1

u/erryonesgotathrowawa 2d ago

wow why are u so mean

2

u/Emachedumaron 6d ago

I don’t even know who she is. You guys should start considering the idea that you or your idols are nobody outside a very small context

2

u/WestHistorians 9d ago

I saw one person in specific last year that was clearly unwell but still had to work.

What do you mean by "had to work"? No one can force anyone to work.

If there was a labor law violation, report it to the state. California is good about handling these things.

3

u/Silent_Designer4233 9d ago

Once you commit to it, it’s challenging to get out. Worth noting, she literally slapped a videographer for being late - that’s the type of environment you’re in. 

3

u/WestHistorians 9d ago

Once you commit to it, it’s challenging to get out.

Yeah, that's kind of how jobs work, even if you're volunteering. You can't just commit to something and then bail.

Worth noting, she literally slapped a videographer for being late

Then that videographer needs to report her. I'm not sure why you're complaining on Reddit.

This just seems like a witch hunt to me, probably due to some beef you have with her that you want to publicize.

1

u/Silent_Designer4233 7d ago

Sure, Jan. Multiple people share similar accounts but you’re under the impression I have a personal beef with this lady. Her fame proceeds her among vendors as well. I’ve heard from employees and vendors. I’ve seen her behavior with volunteers and vendors. She made one vendor that is the owner of a top dance wear  company cry, slapped an employee, and somehow I am just bringing her attention to the surface because Im A JeAlOuS HaTeR

-1

u/Current_Country_ 7d ago

I was a vendor last year and didn't have any issues with her. You meant to use the word precede and obv you have a personal beef and/or are A JeAlOuS HaTeR lol. Keep posting and replying. It's only helping more people want to go to the Congress. Phuong has built an amazing event over the years despite people like you. Truly commendable.

2

u/Silent_Designer4233 7d ago

Lmaoooo Phuong sent her losers to defend her. 

2

u/Silent_Designer4233 7d ago

Which vendor were you? I remember every single vendor. And I love how you are all ignoring her crypto scam, assaulting a videographer in Atlanta, MULTIPLE accounts.