What Social Bachata Looks Like
Bachata Newbie
Take this class if you have never taken Bachata lesson before!
We will introduce you to the basics of Bachata hold and steps. You will have all the basic elements of connection, travelling turns and be well versed in the basic steps in all directions. These lessons are designed to be drop in style so you do not need to wait to start your class. This class will help you feel confident in all the basics until you are moving without thinking!
Bachata Rookie
These classes are for experienced beginners. This is a level 2 class where you need to know the basic step, basics of leading and following and basics turns. We will have a combination that may have 2 to 3 elements and span over a couple styles of bachata. Our focus is on providing value and quality for our students. These classes are set to have a small number of students so that you get more personalized attention.
Why is Bachata important to Salsa Dancers?
Bachata adds a nice balance to a salsa night. Salsa has more fast paced harmonies and Bachata is a slower tempo. When you go to a salsa event you will hear a Bachata song played every 2 to 3 salsa songs. If you don't learn Bachata you will sit out 40 % of the time!
Dancers love the mix of Bachata and Salsa at the Latin nights because it helps them preserve energy while still continuing to dance the night away. Bachata is quite east to learn. It is a dance from Dominican Republic. It is danced widely all over the world but not identically.
We focus on teaching a fusion of the many styles.
What Bachata styles do we teach?
Our bachata classes are a combo of all the styles below. You get the best of all worlds! The class is structured in a way that you can drop in to any class. No need to start on a certain date.
Dominican Bachata
The original Bachata dance style comes from the Dominican Republic where the music also was born. The original Bachata Basic Steps moving within a small square (side, side, forward and side, side, back) The embrace or frame also could be very close to semi-close to open.
The Original Dominican Bachata is today danced all over the Caribbean, now also faster in accordance to faster music, adding more footwork, turns/figures and rhythmic free style moves and with alternate between close (romantic) and open position (more playful adding footwork, turns/figures, rhythmic torso etc.). This style is danced with soft hip movements and a tap with a small “pop” with the hip on the 4th beat (1, 2, 3, Tab/Hip). Can be danced with or without bounce (moving the body down on the beats and up again in between the beats by springs the legs a little). Dominican Bachata is created by the people over many years (from around late fifties) for social dancing and is still evolving.
Bachata Modern/Moderna
A newer Fusion Style . This style has basics that are the same as Traditional Dominican Bachata, but with added dance elements and styling from Salsa, Tango, Lambada. In the style, couples typically move their upper torsos more, put greater emphasis on the hip pop, and women use more exaggerated hip movements. The most direct fusion influence on modern style bachata dancing comes from the adoption of salsa turn patterns.
Bachatango/Bachata Tango
Fusion Style from the West. Dancers have infused Tango elements to their bachata dance that can easily be crossed over to the Bachata beat. There are different degrees of Bachatango danced all over the world. A lot depends on the tango level of the dancer. Most bachatango dancers know both dances and can easily mix the two. Even though BachaTango is unheard of in the Dominican Republic, Bachata’s country of origin, BachaTango has become popular with foreign instructors outside the Caribbean.
Bachata Sensual
Bachata Sensual is a mix between dance and theatre with strict follow and lead principles. The dance is an interpretation of the music with mostly circular movements and body waves, except when the music has stronger beats, when the dance uses isolations and dips. The dance is done in closed hold and focuses on sensuality in both partners.