Adelaide is bursting with culture and creative energy. The city could pull you in so many new and interesting directions. If you ever find yourself bored, which I doubt happens often, all you have to do is join a class or participate in one of the city’s numerous events and festivals.
One of the festivals we look forward to here at Quicksteps is the Adelaide Sensual Weekend. It’s a festival that celebrates Latin social dance. You’ll find yourself in the company of other passionate dancers. With great music, high energy, and Adelaide’s staple wine and food, you will surely enjoy yourself.
If you want to make the most of your experience, you must know how to dance bachata.
Learn the traditional or sensual style at our studio today!
What is Bachata Dancing?
Bachata is a partnered social dance that came from the Dominican Republic years ago. It was inspired by bachata music, something that was born out of the cultural fusion in the Dominican Republic. The songs have European, Taino, and Afro elements.
Just like the music, bachata (the dance) draws inspiration from what was already popular in the area. You’ll find that the basic steps have bolero and ballroom dance references. The traditional dance dynamic has men act as leader and ladies act as a follower, but you can learn whatever position you want. Couples typically have a closed position with a lot of direct contact. There are soft hip movements, body rolls, with occasional taps with the hips. The dance style and count are very intimate and sensual – definitely not for the faint of heart.
Over time, bachata spread around the world, and new iterations were danced. These versions usually added new steps or rules from other popular Latin dances. Some examples of the variants are bachatango, bachata fusion, and the sensual style, in case the spice wasn’t already enough.
Read More: Why is Bachata taking over Salsa at QuickSteps (and everywhere!)
What Are the Benefits of Bachata Dancing?
Music
The first thing that will hit you when you join the dance floor is the music. Bachata music is slow, sensual and very romantic. If you love R&B or Latin songs, you’ll feel right at home. You might even find yourself taking notes and adding songs to your personal playlists.
Movement
Dancing bachata might look slow, but those dance styles filled with steady hip movements are anything but easy. It’s a great workout for people of all ages. You could take things easy with simple side-to-side steps and minimal bounce, or if you’ve danced for a long time, kick things up a notch with drops and dips. You’ll burn calories, correct your posture, and loosen up the joints without noticing!
Mind and Memory
Since bachata is a social dance, that means you do a lot of thinking on the fly. Each time you go on the dance floor will require a new combination of steps. You have to recall different steps and think about the best way to integrate them into your dance. It’s as much an exercise for your mind as it is for your body.
Creative Expression
Bachata is all about having fun and expressing your sensual self and what you are hearing in the music. A lot of dancers feel intimidated by the close contact, the sexy moves, and the music – but after you get over that insecurity, you’ll find that bachata is deeply creative.
Fun
Whether you are practising in the studio or dancing in the club, bachata is sure to put a smile on your face. The community, not just in the Dominican Republic but around the world, is also very encouraging. They’ll hype you during performances and provide an energetic atmosphere.
Read More: Where can I dance Bachata in Adelaide? | QuickSteps
Reasons Why You Should Try Bachata Dancing
Still on the fence about learning bachata? Here are additional reasons why beginners should make their way to our Adelaide studio:
Add to Your Dance Repertoire
Most consider dancing as a life skill, especially social dance. It’s the kind of thing you don’t realise you need until it is required. Weddings, birthday parties, business functions, charity events–there are plenty of spaces where dancing helps you network.
But what if you are an experienced dancer?
Well, if you compete, you know that bachata isn’t a part of American Rhythm or International Latin. Learning bachata styles would add to your dance repertoire. In fact, your experience in other dance styles works in your favour. You could easily integrate other basic steps into your bachata routine.
Learn to Improvise
Bachata requires couples to improvise. You could dance the same song over and over and still find new ways to express yourself. If you really want to put yourself out there, try switching out your partner! Different leader/ follower, different dynamics.
Improve Your Confidence
Every bachata dance clip you search for on Youtube exudes confidence and sexiness. Note that this is developed! Not everyone comes in knowing how to “work” it, but everyone does come out a little bit more confident each time.
Get Out of Your Comfort Zone
Different songs, partners, and clubs force you to confront the new and deal with it. Each time you get better at navigating change and staying with the count. The mindset is not exclusive to dance. The confidence trickles into other parts of your life, like relationships or work.
Bond with Your Partner
If you are in a serious relationship, bachata is a great way to bond. The tension and contact feed the romance. You’ll be more than ready to heat things up after a dance class.
But what if your other half doesn’t want to dance?
No sweat! It still feeds into your relationship. When you take bachata dancing, you tap into your more sexual side. When you see yourself in a different (sexier) light, you have more to give during dates and other intimate sessions. And who knows, your moves might rub off on them too!
Expand Your Social Group
As an adult, it can be hard to make new friends. There are only so many traditional spaces that let you socialise naturally. Taking dance classes regularly changes that. You have immediate access to a diverse group of people. Who knows who you’ll meet–maybe it’s your new dentist, potential best friend, or even a love interest. Think of the possibilities!
Celebrate a New Culture
Bachata is a Dominican dance popular in Caribbean countries. That’s halfway around the world from Australia! Appreciating the music, dance, and food is a great way to learn about a new culture. If you ever make your way to the Dominican Republic or any neighbouring islands, you know you’ll be right at home in the party scene.
Choosing the Right Bachata Dance Class
There are different types of bachata dance classes. Here is QuickSteps’ guide for students who aren’t sure of what class to take:
Private Lesson – 1:1 means you and the dance teacher get to walk through the lesson together. You can take the class at your own pace and have more dedicated instruction. It’s perfect for those who feel anxious about dancing and feel nervous around large groups. Advanced dancers who want to refine their technique also benefit from this.
Group Class – Group classes mean learning the dance with strangers. There is no fixed number of students for these groups, every studio has a cap per class, but there are times when they aren’t fully booked. Group classes are perfect for those who do not have a partner. But if you do, you could still take group classes. Here at QuickSteps, we don’t separate couples who want to dance together.
Since bachata is a social dance, group classes are the best way to mimic those conditions. We strongly recommend everyone try it at least once. We guarantee you won’t regret having danced to bachata music.
Self Study – Quicksteps has several bachata dance steps instructional videos on our website that walk you through the basics. Self-study can only take you so far. A teacher could correct a lot of early mistakes and prevent bad dance habits from forming. However, if you want to get a feel of the dance, there’s no harm in dancing at home.
Learning bachata opens you up to a whole new world. So what are you waiting for? Dance bachata with Quicksteps today!
