r/Bachata

Is there a difference? I see these overcroweded workshops at these festivals online, but they aren't technically classes? How is it structured?

Do you rotate and dance with complete strangers at workshops like you do in classes at a school?

How long do the last? An hour?

Are there any workshops that you attended that were really good?

I'm a total beginner in bachata (a few weeks in).

During the actual dance I have no idea what I'm supposed to say or do besides the footwork.

Do you make small talk the whole time? Do experienced dancers just stay quiet and focus on the connection? I feel a bit awkward not knowing whether silence is normal or if I'm missing something.

Would love to hear how you handle this, especially early on, did it get more natural with time?

They are an east-european couple that makes fun of the bachata environment, especially sensual bachata. They are usually in a dance studio with other people dancing in the background. Examples of their videos are:

- both leopard dressed, doing overly sensual moves

- the guy giving too many kisses to the gal

- the gal going over guy's arm with a leg and bouncing his head to her butt

Please I'm scrolling since yesterday without any video coming up!

What do followers / leaders think that other other side likes much more than is actually true? ​​​​​​​​​​

Hi, guys i am 25 yo old actually untouched in life by opposite gender or becoming that close to someone, i feel when we learn moves where we touching girls shoulder or a girl touches my back, some girls touch it in inappropriate manner, or maybe i feel that, any remedy to get out of this awkwardness?

It's so hard to dance as a beginner as a leader. I feel like skilled followers are just going to get bored with me.

And then if I try to do something cool or interesting they will feel embarrassed and just brush me off.

I want to make a follower feel happy, but when I try I just look so weird. I don't know what to do.

I was told that making mistakes is fine, but when I make mistakes I feel like I'm not only embarrassing myself, but I'm embarrassing the partner I'm dancing with.

This is so difficult.

***FIRST OF ALL,*** *happy BACHATA BIRTHDAY to me,* today is my actual bachata birthday where nine (long, aka short) years ago I took my *first* lesson and my *first bachata basic* steps after half my life being duly traumatized and ego-injured by salsa 🤣🤣, and as of right now before I go party my ass off tonight, the last dance I had this week was with my first salchata instructor. 🤩

Now that that’s out of the way, I would ***looooooove*** to hear from all and sundry any specific songs you consider to be required listening as a bachata dancer - a song that is classic, a song that you find unique or ground-breaking, a song with a sound or by an artist that you consider iconic to bachata.

I’m just curious as to what people like and value and connect with, and wondering if there will be songs mentioned that I’ve never heard!

For me having started in 2017 in LA I was surrounded by DJ Soltrix (RIP 🤣), and **Cool** is always going to have me in my feels as a classic Soltrix sound. My very first favorite bachata song was **Dile** by Kewin Cosmos, and Romeo released *Golden* so **Imitadora** was played like twice every night.

I *love* traditional but hate that it’s characterized as fast so **Hombre de Tu Vida** by Joe Veras is a standard, as is **Te Mal Informaron** by Allendy. Also Monchy y Alexandra and Romeo’s entire *Utopia* album.

Pinto is amazing, I will never get over JR, and Dani J eventually won me over with his personality and absolute professionalism, though I mostly like his slower stuff like La Piscina and Atemporal.

DJ Husky can do no wrong, DJ Khalid is completely tied to the rise of sensual for me out here, meeting DJ Selphi is one of my favorite memories, and there is a place for DJ Tronky as well 🤣

There are so many good producers out right nowwwwww

but Gawvi’s **Trapchata** is a unique song that I wish there was more of. I don’t think there’s been another song I’ve heard that sounds like it.

Hit me with your thoughts and recs! 🙏

I am an experienced follow and improver lead myself, so I thought it will be fairly ok-ish to teach my fiancée, who has never danced, the basics. But I find it surprisingly difficult to teach the basic steps (I have experience in teaching a follow, but have never taught a lead before).

What he struggles most with is to communicate wether he makes a step or a tap. For example: Does he want to dance „step-step-step-tap“ or „step-tap; step-tab“. It is so bad, that I am unable to pick up the difference although normally I am good at reading even inexperienced leads.

Apparently his way of learning and mine are vastly different. So after today I am officially out of ideas how to explain/show etc. So I‘m asking you: How did you learn it, how would you explain it to a complete beginner?

I've been dancing Bachata for half a year and recently started going to socials. However, I've found myself experiencing more and more stress during these events.

At first when I went to socials, I usually went with my friends or classmates, and I had no expectations for myself, so I would just go to watch others dance and occasionally join in if a song I liked came on. If I feel overwhelmed, I will just go back to my classmate and then dance with them and find some confidence for myself because they are nice. I love Bachata music and the vibe of some social dancing, so some nights I felt really good.

But now I've started attending different socials on Saturdays, Fridays, and even weekdays. The reason is because when I am not dancing for a few days, then I just start to lose the feeling. I'm not only going with friends but also trying to go by myself. This has started to make me feel a lot of pressure. Sometimes I don't recognize the song, so I don't know how to dance, so I can just look into the follower and don't know what to do. Also, nobody wants to dance with me when I go to a new place because they usually dance with people they know. Sometimes I run through all the combos I know and then don't know what to dance to after a few songs...

Should I just reduce my social attendance and focus on classes instead? My classmates are at a similar level, and at least we know each other. Sometimes I feel like I dance like shit and then just want to go back home early.

I’m visiting Canada from mid July to mid August. Please shared recommendations for socials in Toronto Vancouver and Montreal Quebec . Thanks

So first of all I just want to state that I'm a complete beginner at the moment. I don't know what it's like to climb up the skill ladder in terms of beginner, intermediate and advanced. That's why I'm curious from others perspective on this.

How would you describe the learning curve in Bachata? How realistic is it for a beginner who started in his late 30's to reach at a somewhat advanced level? Like, what is a realistic time frame on that? 6 years? More? Obviously, this depends on how much time, money and work you put in.

I'm getting pretty serious about this and I want to be "good" rather than it just be a hobby for time to pass. I'm not saying I want to be some skillful master that performs at shows or become some certified teacher/instructor, I just want to be able to dance where it feels like second nature. Like it should feel like walking. I really want to get at that point.

I'm working really hard at this and I practice home everyday. I listen to my instructor all the time. I wish I had a practice partner, but maybe that will come later.

Also, as a side question...is learning a new dance bad for my bachata growth, or can it help it? I want to learn another style, but I haven't decided yet.

As a beginner, I'm interested in different perspectives on how to grow as a dancer. I'm open to any feedback and suggestions.

Thanks.

Going next week, what are your experiences so far?

Was the start delayed?

Was there a break?

How long did it go?

Is the set list the same for every location?

Do they sing all songs together?

I've been taking classes & social dancing for 6 months. I still feel like I'm terrible.

If I lead a dance and someone tells me it was nice or I'm a good lead, I smile, but inside I know its not true. I see the advanced, creative moves other leads do, and the smiles on their follow's face. I have a bunch of moves, and sometimes I do them.

A follow once told me to be more musical instead of just doing moves. I'm supposed to know the song, anticipate the changes, and move accordingly? This idea that I'm not musical has really wormed its way into my brain.

I went to a hip hop/edm event and it was so much more fun. I didn't have pressure to lead my partner. No girl looked bored at me, or declined a dance. Everyone was really friendly, there wasn't the weird social hierarchy/cliques like happen in latin socials.

So yeah I think I might switch. Any advice appreciated, how much longer doing bachata until I can really express myself and make a more fun experience for my partner?

Hola Bachater@s,

Would you happen to know of an online course with a great solo section? I also would like to send in videos every once a while to receive feedback.

Also I wonder if I should look into online courses of other solo dances like hiphop/afro as they have many elements used in bachata. These probably won't have any footwork lessons but I can imagine their bodywork lesson could be much more in depth.

If anyone have tips or advice, please share your thoughts.

Thanks 😊.

New Bachata dancer here. I'm enjoying the learning process. It's been very interesting, but when I dance with other people I kind of tense up and get anxious. It's so hard to remember moves in advance. I keep doing the same simple moves because I don't want to mess up.

Leading is so hard. I have to memorize rhythm, memorize sequences and steps and then guide a person all at the same time. This is going to be a long process. People were telling my Bachata is way easier than Salsa and other social dances. If this is consider "easy" then I have no chance in those other dance styles.

I feel awkward and just completely out of style.

A few years ago I was led into a really low dip, very slow (at the end of a song), it was surprising because in the end position I believe I was basically lying with my back and neck across the leaders legs (above the knee) and somehow they are crouched very low so my head is not that far from the floor, height wise. But it felt comfortable and fully supported.

Anyone know the name or have a clip of such a dip? I'm hoping to recreate it as a lead.

Edit: to be clear, I don't mean to recreate it socially, I mean to try it with a practice partner who may become one of my demo partners, decide whether I want to learn it properly or not, and if I did learn it I'd save it for a demo in a group or in a private practice group.

I am the follower

Hi,
I am a 38 yo female follower. I started taking bachata classes 2 weeks ago, and although I am still learning I attended a couple of social dancing nights.
I am now looking for online resources I can use to practice at home as the classes are just once a week.
Is there anything do you recommend? Like YouTube videos or channels? I’d like to ramp up my game!
Thanks