If you are someone who loves learning new skills and you are considering starting to learn how to dance, then we recommend you give bachata a try.
This genre was born from a fusion between Spanish guitar music, indigenous Taino and Sub-Saharan African musical elements, and southwestern European influences, which in other words, is the true representation of the cultural diversity in the Caribbean.
Today, bachata is at the center of the musical Latin American industry, and artists like Shakira, Rosalia, and Ricky Martin have released singles in this genre. The most popular artists in bachata today are Prince Royce, the band called Aventura, Romeo Santos, Luis Vargas, and more.
To learn more about this fascinating subject continue reading and find out what is the origin of bachata, what is the difference from salsa, what are the different styles in bachata, and more.
You can search for some of the best adult dance classes near me here.
What is the origin of Bachata?
Bachata originated in the Dominican Republic during the decade of the 60s. The genre has a rocky history of ups and downs and many musicians' hard work behind it.
For example, Jose Manuel Calderon, the musician who is considered the person who created bachata with his song "Borracho de Amor" (Drunk in love) in 1962.
After that first hit, he continued to produce and create great bachata music that has survived the test of time and is still listed today. He also innovated instrumentation in bachata, applying strings, horn sections, and piano and replacing the maracas with a güira.
During the late 60s, Calderon moved to New York City to record some music with some American labels like BMC and Kubaney. He lived in New York for about five years and then moved back to the Dominican Republic.
Once he was back in the Dominican Republic, he discovered that bachateros (bachata musicians) had been marginalized, since the genre itself had been associated with poverty and prostitution. The only radio station that kept playing bachata was Radio Gurachita.
However, once Calderon moved back to the Caribbean, he worked hard on improving the genre's reputation. With time, bachata started to gain popularity again and it started to grow, spread, and develop.
Today, bachata is known across the entire American continent and the world, the same as many other Latin American dancing genres like salsa, merengue, tango, and more.
Keep in mind that you can have online classes or you can search for a dancing course in a ballroom with other people. You could also hire a private tutor on Superprof and see if there are discounts if you take the class with more people.
If you take classes with friends we guarantee you'll have a lot of fun while you learn how to dance. At the end of the day, the idea of learning a new skill —like learning how to dance— is about enjoying yourself and doing something you like!
What is the difference between Salsa and Bachata?
Many dancers at the beginner level tend to confuse some Latin American genres and don't know what are the differences between salsa and bachata, for example.
To understand the differences between these two genres you have to understand that each one has a different rhythm and beat, the basic sound is very different for salsa and bachata.
If you are at a beginner level, you probably don't know what is the difference between salsa and bachata music. However, if you take a dancing course you will start to learn which is which just because you are constantly listening to this music.
Both genres can be danced both with a partner and alone. However, each step and movement is different for both. For instance, in salsa dancers move their hips side to side as they also coordinate the rest of their body with the rhythm.
On paper, bachata is the same, but instead of just moving one foot from one side to another, dancers tap their feet and pop their hips every two steps. In other words, you take two steps to the right and pop your hip and foot and then you take two steps to the left and pop the hip and foot to the left.
Turns and twists are part of both of these dances but each turn is executed differently depending on the dancer and the genre. For instance, if you take a bachata course or class, you will learn that each turn comes at a given beat or part of the song. On the other hand, with salsa, a dancer can turn whenever they feel like it.
If you feel like you need help perfecting your dancing steps, you can always ask your partner to help you practice and if you don't have a partner, you can find one right here on Superprof.
What are the styles of bachata?
Learning to dance bachata is not as simple as it might sound, especially since the genre has so many different styles. There's traditional, modern, bachatango, sensual, Dominican, and more.
However, if you start by learning one style, you can easily start learning the other styles with a few lessons and classes. You can choose one style at the beginner level and then move on to other styles once you hit the intermediate level.
Each style has a different origin. For example, traditional bachata is known as one of the original styles, as well as Dominican bachata. On the other hand, bachata moderna and sensual bachata are very popular today since the dance moves are more contemporary.
If you practice one style you can easily move to another. All you have to do is learn what are the movements for each beat. You have to pay attention to each arm, hand, foot, and hip because in bachata music every part of the body is moving and has a different purpose.
For instance, the footwork in bachata is famous as well as the sensual movements of the hips. Many bachata instructors start each class by asking their students to let their bodies lose. If you are rigid, you won't be able to dance to bachata music.
We recommend you watch a video or several videos of people dancing bachata, so you get an idea of how to move each arm, leg, foot, and hand. If you practice on your own, you'll see that your classes will go way faster and you will have a lot of fun.
If you found your tutor on Superprof, make sure to ask them if they can recommend some home videos you could watch to practice your dance moves, and footwork, and learn how to follow the beat.
Keep in mind you can always ask your tutor for help in any movement or if you feel like you are not progressing as fast as you'd wish. Remember that dancing is a skill and to learn it you need to take things one step at a time.
Where is bachata popular in the United States?
As you could see, bachata is quite popular in Latin America and consequently, it is also popular in the United States, especially in cities with high Hispanic populations.
Many of these genres —salsa, merengue, tango, and bachata— are commonly known in the US, especially in cities like New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, Houston, and so on.
If you are searching for bachata instructors in your area and you don't live in a city with a large Hispanic population, you can always search for an online dancing tutor.
Learning to dance shouldn't have geographical limitations, and if you wish to learn without having to search for online videos, then know that you have an alternative other than a YouTube video.
A tutor can give you tips on foot, hand, arm, and hip movements because they will see how you move and they will be able to correct you.
Keep in mind that having dancing lessons or attending bachata classes can also count as a form of exercise, which means that not only you'll be learning a new skill, but you'll be doing something good for your body.
Bachata is a highly demanding dance since it has so many styles from just one basic move —footwork side to side and popping your hip to the left and the right with the tap of your foot.
Superprof offers a wide variety of dancing instructors that can teach at beginner, intermediate, or advanced levels. Keep in mind that if you chose to have in-person lessons you have an opportunity to practice basic and complex dance moves with a partner. Even if bachata can be danced alone, it is better if you practice with a partner.
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