Passionate. Sultry. Heart-pulsing. These are just a few ways to describe the sexy Latin dance known as bachata. Bachata is a newer dance style that originated in the Caribbean, and it’s just downright fun! Growing in popularity, it comes on almost as often as salsa music does these days in the clubs.

While bachata was invented over 50 years ago, it took about 25 years for it to find its place here in the United States. The music is infectious and as soon as it comes on, you’ll find yourself struggling to NOT get up and move!

Bachata began in the Dominican Republic in the 1960s, mostly to slower music. Dancers would create a square shape across the floor. The music featured an emphasis on every fourth beat, which translated a larger hip movement on that count (a signature style of bachata dancing). This type of bachata is now referred to as Dominican Bachata or Authentic Bachata.

As bachata migrated West and found its way into American schools in the 1990s, dancers evolved the square shape into a side-to-side pattern. Oddly enough, the name for this ‘revised’ bachata is Traditional Bachata. This is the style we continue to dance socially in the states. In addition to authentic and traditional bachata, there are subcategories such as modern bachata (an off-shoot of traditional bachata with more salsa elements and exaggerated hips), bachatango (a bachata – tango fusion), and of course, the competitive ballroom version.

Bachata would not be what it is today without artists such as Jose Manuel, Ramon Cordero, and Rafael Encarnacion. They truly shaped bachata music in the Dominican Republic. This exciting new sound traveled to New York with the help of Luis Vargas and Antony Santos. Similar to American blues, bachata was born from emotions such as romance and heartbreak. The Dominican Republic was an ever-changing, dynamic place to be at that time. They were no longer ruled by a dictator who promoted censorship and cultural degradation. Self-expression began taking on a new definition, and lyrically, it was a dramatic time in their history.

If you enjoy Latin music and culture, or just want a fun way to stay active, bachata is the perfect dance for you. It’s incredibly easy to learn, and quite useful here in the southwest! Current artists that have an excellent array of bachata music include Romeo Santos, Prince Royce, Aventura, and Pitbull. Almost half of the music that comes on in Latin clubs is bachata so it’s a great one to know!

At Dance FX Studios here in Arizona, we offer private Latin dance lessons as well as adult Group Classes. Schedule your next bachata lesson today and get those hips popping!