Steps on how to dance bachata
4 Basic Bachata Steps To Dance Any Song
As you should know bachata lives in the last years its golden age, as it has become one of the dances with more followers. A relatively easy dance for the beginners and where the most expert dancers have many possibilities to show their talents.
Emerged in the 1960s in the Dominican Republic as a transformation of the bolero to Antillean tastes, nowadays it is not missing in any dance hall or school with bachata lessons that boasts.
Its typical choreography was born in the 1990s, with two forms of bachata dancing:
- Dominican bachata: the couple usually dances with few figures and focusing on hip and foot movements.
- The urban bachata: the dancers get together and separate to be able to carry out different figures focusing the movements in the body.
For most experts, the main characteristic of bachata dancing is undoubtedly continuous hip movement, especially in the fourth beat (the rhythm of bachata has a four-beat beat, the dance of eight).
Bachata is a dance where personal style is fundamental. But what are the basic steps of bachata you should know to dance to any song?
#1. The basic step of bachata
The basic step of bachata, in fact, consists of three steps that are danced in the first three times and a touch with the sole of the foot that is performed in the fourth time.
When the sole of the foot touches the ground in the fourth period of time, the hip moves upward. A hip movement that is more marked in women than in men.
The basic step of bachata must be carried out in good style from the beginning of the learning process. A recommendation that is usually made to master it is to keep up with the music and keep your knees slightly bent. In this way, the movement of the hip will naturally arise.
#2. Turns in the bachata
One of the fundamental movements of bachata is the twists and turns.
The most basic of all is the one in which the man raises his arm so that the woman can make a complete turn to the rhythm of the music. Then they both return to the normal dance without losing the rhythm.
The process of the twist in the man and woman would be as follows:
- The return of the man in the bachata
As she dances, she counts the times in her mind (1,2,3,4), and when she reaches the fourth beat, she begins to raise her leading arm (the extended arm) over the couple's head, starting to release the pressure of the other arm.
In beat 1 of the next measure, the pair will begin to turn by making a circle under the man's arm, gently holding onto the leading arm.
The turn will finish in time 3, so that in time 4 both the man and the woman are dancing in sync again.
The return of the woman in the bachata
In time 4, the (extended) leading arm of the man begins to rise. At that point, keep holding on to the leading arm, but remove the other arm from the partner's shoulder and move under the leading arm curve.
In beat 1, the woman turns in a circle under her main arm, trying to finish the turn in beat 3. The intention is to reach the normal dance position in beat 4 and start again together the steps in the opposite direction in beat 1.
#3. Screw
Screw is a step of the bachata in which the girl passes in front of the boy. A position changed a little more complex than the previous ones, but without apparent difficulty.
In the coiling, the man advances and positions himself behind the woman. During the process, she will raise her left hand so that the woman can be placed in the screwed position.
In the course that the man passes behind the woman, she stays in the same place. This is how you get to the coiled position, with the man behind the woman.
#4.
The waves of bachataThe waves are one of the main movements of sensual bachata. A dance that, as its name suggests, plays with the sensuality of the movements.
The wave is a very simple step to execute. You just have to step forward the body a little, climb up, lean back slightly and bring that tilt from the head down as if it were a wave that slides through the body.
The continuous repetition of the movement will be what makes us look like a wave.
As you have seen, the steps of bachata are not really very complicated or complex. But like everything else, it takes a lot of practice to be able to score and let yourself be guided to perfection.
Bachata is a dance in which people of all ages can participate and lately it sounds everywhere, so go ahead, sign up for bachata classes whatever your level. You'll have a great time!
How To Dance Bachata For Beginners
The Bachata is one of the most fun dances to do at clubs and parties alongside Salsa and Merengue.
In this video you’ll learn how to dance the Bachata dance steps.
Bachata Dance Step #1: The Side To Side Basic Steps
Summary of the Bachata steps:
Men:
Side with left foot
Close right foot to left foot
Side with left foot
Tap right foot to left foot (Partial weight)
Side with right foot
Close left foot to right foot
Side with right foot
Tap left foot to right foot (Partial weight)
Women:
Side with right foot
Close left foot to right foot
Side with right foot
Tap left foot to right foot (Partial weight)
Side with left foot
Close right foot to left foot
Side with left foot
Tap right foot to left foot (Partial weight)
Bachata Dance Step #2: The Fwd & Back Bachata Basic
Summary of the steps:
Men:
Forward with left foot
Forward with right foot (small step)
Forward with left foot
Tap right foot to left foot (Partial weight)
Back with right foot
Back with left foot (small step)
Back with right foot
Tap left foot to right foot (Partial weight)
Women:
Back with right foot
Back with left foot (small step)
Back with right foot
Tap left foot to right foot (Partial weight)
Forward with left foot
Forward with right foot (small step)
Forward with left foot
Tap right foot to left foot (Partial weight)
What Is Bachata? History & Character
Bachata is a dance from the Dominican Republic, and it is one of the hottest Latin dances today.
It is a sensual dance where both partners bend their knees, and step from foot to foot, while creating body and hip movement. This dance has a unique movement at the end of every 4 steps – where instead of switching weight you “tap” the foot in place without weight. So there are a total of 6 weight changes and 2 “Tapping” steps within an 8 count of Bachata.
The Bachata Count & Music
The Bachata music uses a 4/4 musical structure with phrases of 8. You simply count the moves in counts of 8 – 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8. Each count is a full beat. Alternatively you can count in 4s – 1,2,3,4 – 1,2,3,4. The Bachata music is very sensual and dramatic. Artists like Prince Royce have made a name for themselves by producing many top Bachata hits.
More Bachata dance lessons.
Other dance lessons:
How To Dance Merengue
How To Cha Cha Dance
Swing dance moves (East Coast)
How To Rumba Dance
Salsa Basic Steps
Did you get it? Leave a comment below.
basic steps and movements for beginners
Contents
The main advantage of such a dance style as bachata is its simplicity. Bachata can be mastered at any age, regardless of dance experience. All it takes is your looseness, sense of rhythm, and a willingness to improvise. But before you shine on the floor, you should work out the basic elements. There are not so many of them in bachata.
The dance consists of steps, hip movements and hugs - all elements are filled with tenderness and warmth, because initially the Dominican folk dance supported the inhabitants of the republic in the difficult atmosphere of military coups and harsh dictatorship, helped to distract from a sense of danger and anxiety. nine0003
Basic movements in bachata
The basis of bachata is four side steps, the last of which is emphasized by putting the foot forward or placing the foot on the toe, as well as the corresponding upward movement of the hip. At the same time, the partners are constantly in close contact with each other, holding both hands or, in the case of a closed position, one hand of the man holds the woman’s hand, his second hand is placed at the waist.
The basic step for four counts alternates with the “tossing” of the partner from one side to the other, simple turns and moving around the dance floor. The dance is accompanied by smooth, but rhythmic movements of the hips. During the performance, the couples also place accents in the music - by moving their heads, slowing down the tempo, or specially tightening individual elements. At the same time, partners complement each other's movements all the time. nine0003
The task of the man is to guide the dancer and seem to rock her in his arms, while the goal of the woman is to succumb to the movements of her partner, to improvise and decorate the dance with accents invented on the go.
Looks charming and very romantic!
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Bachata step count
In any dance direction there is a count, but in bachata it goes up to eight. Here's what a classic bar would look like:
- 1-2-3-4 - left,
- 5-6-7-8 right,
- 1,2,3,4 left again,
- 5,6,7,8 right again.
Accents fall on "4" and "8": legs and hips. Try dancing eight counts in different directions, at the end of each four, put your foot on the toe. When you lift your foot off the ground, your hip rises involuntarily. Increase this effect a little - and now your hips are already moving to the beat of the music, and you are performing bachata! Practice these steps first solo and then with a partner. The legs must move in sync, and the hips, arms, and heads can improvise to the music. nine0003
Dance to this rhythm until you feel the so-called bachata pulse. Remember to keep your back straight, your knees slightly bent, and your pelvis slightly back.
Basic moves in pairs
When these moves seem too easy for you, it's time to move on to the next step - easy turns with a partner. All elements should look soft and relaxed, for this the dancers learn to understand each other. It is important that the dancer feels what direction the man is giving her, and knows how to succumb to him.
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Bachata movements in a couple look something like this: a man starts dancing from his left foot, a woman from her right. Basic step in place - left foot, right, left - accent. To the side: left, right, left, accent. Then a left turn with the left foot, over the left shoulder. And a right turn: from the right foot over the right shoulder. Repeat until you feel the urge to improvise and add something special to your movements.
After this stage, there is no need to watch video lessons, it's time to get together in a dance studio and develop together with the same novice dancers. At the La Boca club, each training session is more like an incendiary party than a dance lesson. You are guaranteed a great mood and a charge of Latin American energy! nine0003
Video: Bachata - Group Show Number
Getting Started with Bachata: Clothes and Basic Movements
Contents
To answer this question in a few words, it is rhythmic, mesmerizing and sensual.
But this is already at the final stage. For beginners, such a direction as bachata does not lend itself to the first time. In this dance, it is important to learn how to move to the rhythm, master the basic steps and throw away the constraint. Learning to dance bachata is better in a team of like-minded people and with an experienced mentor. Both of these are offered to their students by the Laboca dance club. nine0003
Bachata drove the world crazy at the beginning of the 21st century, but long before that, she conquered the Dominican Republic. For the inhabitants of this republic, dance is one of the ways of communication, flirting, but no one there learns to dance bachata on purpose. This dance is in the blood of the Dominicans! Despite the fact that bachata seems light and uncomplicated, it always conveys a hidden meaning, which includes the hardships of the poor, the struggle for freedom of expression, and a sad love story. It is not for nothing that only the poor danced bachata for a long time, and only then did it begin to be performed along with salsa and tango by representatives of the middle class.
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What is the main thing in bachata?
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As with any Latin American dance, the most important thing is the rhythm. Synchronization with the music is achieved through the basic step of the bachata, on which the rest of the dance elements are layered. The classic bachata movement is four steps with weight transfer to either side with an emphasis on the last step.
This direction is performed mainly in pairs, while the man traditionally “leads”. The first thing that always catches your eye is the romantic mood of the dance. It is full of hugs and very close movements as a couple. Bachata performers are always great at improvising, which is why you should not stop at learning the basic dance movements. nine0003
Bachata clothes
To captivate the audience and your partner on the dance floor, you need to feel stunning, because nothing relaxes like confidence in your appearance! Tight but light clothing is considered ideal for performing bachata.
For example, a fitted dress with a loose-fitting skirt. Plus - shoes with stable heels no more than six centimeters high. Shoes should fix the foot well, otherwise there is a risk of injury.
Where to start? nine0010
Often, for those who want to master bachata, the most difficult thing is not the technique of its performance, but the emotional component of the dance. Mutual trust of partners, lack of embarrassment, established close contact - this is something that cannot be achieved by numerous rehearsals. But, fortunately, this can be achieved through communication in a circle of like-minded people. That is why it is better to look for a suitable dance partner in a special studio, and not among your friends. If you start together and work your way up from beginner to pro hand in hand, your bodies will start dancing in unison too! nine0003
Bachata movement technique
There are no complex combinations and strict positions of arms and legs in this direction. The bodies of the partners are located as close as possible to each other, their arms and legs move freely.
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