Bachata

Bachata is a dance style developed for the folk music of the Dominican Republic. The music uses different instruments to make syncopated rhythms and is often romantic in nature, and the dancing reflects this. The base moves are not fast and not hard, but variations of them that pick up on the complex rhythms of the music quickly upgrade this dance to something more.

Learn Bachata at Long-Steps

We’ll take you through all the steps from scratch. Even if you have never danced before, we will show you how. You do not need a partner to learn the dance, your instructor will dance through it with you.

Long-Steps currently teaches Bachata periodically during our Adult Classes and by Private Tuition.

Long-Steps teaches Bachata according to popular and recognised resources.

History of Bachata

Bachata, as a musical genre and a dance, developed in the Dominican Republic in the 1960s. For several decades it was viewed as a low-brow style associated with brothels and bars, and its introduction into the wider world was delayed. These days, Bachata is a much loved and increasingly popular dance style in many places around the world. Its inclusion in the Urban Latino dances is well established.

Bachata music has four beats to the bar, and these four beats are often danced as three steps and then a tap or a hip movement. Different ways of dancing to these four beats create a syncopated rhythm that echoes the different rhythms played by the traditional instruments used to create Bachata music.

Like many Urban dances, Bachata has developed different variations as it has travelled around the world, encountered different dance styles and adapted to changing musical trends. Some variations are smoother, some bouncier, some have more turns or crosses, and the tempo can vary. This makes Bachata very open to personal expression and interpretation of the music.

Sources:

Technical Details

Time Signature: 4/4
Musical Selection: Bachata
Tempo Range: 116-140 beats per minute

 

More on Urban Latino
Bachata | Bolero | Mambo | Merengue | Salsa