Ready for bachata dance? Vamos!...Riding the music in the sensual bachata way will bring you so many benefits on top of developing strong connection with your partner. Studies show that listening and dancing to music contributes to the lowering of one’s blood pressure, improved concentration, and relieved mind and body from stress and tension. Some of the most popular music and dance techniques are from the Latin American, such as the salsa, chacha, tango, rhumba, and bachata. Latin America music and dances has captivated the world with its unique rhythm and dance routines. Most of the time, these ballroom dances are used as a therapeutic exercise for those who want to love to dance and at the same to those who want to stay fit. At times, ballroom dancing competitions are the venue for people all over the world to showcase their passion and talent to the tune of or beat of their favourite music.

However, among all the dance routines mentioned, the Bachata dance seems to be less heard of. Where did it come from? What makes the Bachata dance different from other routines? These among others would be some of the numerous questions that would run on one’s head, but seriously, what really is the Bachata dance?

History of Bachata

The Bachata dance was said to have originated from the Dominican Republic. It is danced by couples usually in a romantic and sensual story-telling style. The Bachata dance was also, at some point, considered to be a passionate and sensual kind of expression of love through dance. Aside from the romantic-side of the Bachata dance, its story-telling humor also depicts women overpowering men. At that time, the Bachata dance was performed by servants after a hard days work. The dance was used as a means of merrymaking of the people in the village.

Of course, dancing and merrymaking would not be complete without music. It was said that the early Bachata music was created using items commonly found on one’s backyard such as garbage cans, pots, pans, and fences, among others. This is one of the reasons why the Bachata is called such because in some parts of the Dominican Republic, bachata refers to trash. Nowadays, electric instruments, particularly electric guitars, are used to create Bachata music accompanied by male vocals. Some of the popular Bachata artists are Jose Manuel Calderon and Rafael Encarnacion.

As time passed by, like any other Latin American dance routines, the traditional Bachata dance is performed with close body contact of the partners or while contemporary Bachata dance routines feature minimal body contact.

Benefits of Learning the Bachata Dance

The Bachata dance is not only fun to learn, it also has its own share of physical, emotional, and psychological perks. Physically, like any other dance routine, the Bachata dance serves as a great form of exercise. When dancing Bachata, every muscle of the body is used, from the head, arms, chests, hips, legs, and the feet.

Aside from being a form of exercise, learning the Bachata dance steps also stimulates one’s mind to harmoniously coordinate with one’s body. Socially, people who want to learn the Bachata dance need to be open with their emotions to be connected not only with their partner but also with the choreographer. Having the perfect Bachata dance choreography is not enough if not danced with passion, emotion, and connection from the couple. One of the best things that dancers get from dance routines is confidence, and the Bachata being one of the Latin American dance techniques fall under this. Boosting one’s confidence on the dance floor does not only end there but stays with one’s personality.

By learning the Bachata music and its dance techniques, one does not only learn the moves and grooves but also get to know more about the people and culture behind it.