Best Bachatas For Beginner Bachata Classes

April 15, 2013 by ·
Bachata classes in NYC

Bachata Class in Brooklyn, NY

Most bachata songs have a pretty clear beat that beginner dance students are able to pick up.  It’s not like salsa or Argentine tango,  where beginner dancers struggle with the tempo.  But many bachata songs have long introductions.  Some may be too fast for the beginner bachata student;  and some may have too many breaks and pauses where the base totally drops out.

Take a song like Te Extrano by Xtreme.  A great bachata, but I usually don’t play for a beginner bachata lesson because of the long intro.  It’s more effective for teaching  to play a song like Mi Receta De Amore by Los Toros Band.  This may be one of the slowest bachatas out there.  But,  it’s great for beginners who almost always rush the timing.  This song will slow them down.  They will learn how to move the right way for bachata,  and not worry about keeping up with a fast paced song.

Here’s a list of bachata music best for the beginner bachata student and beginner bachata classes.  They are all slow to moderate tempo, with a steady base.  These are some of the songs that I play when giving a private bachata lesson or during my beginner group bachata classes.  Once the students are more comfortable dancing bachata, I will play songs with lots of accents, breaks and long introductions.

Slow to Moderate Bachta’s With a Steady Tempo: Pasion Monchy and Alexandra, Dos Locos Monchy and Alexandra, Cuando Volveras  Aventura, Voy a Dejarte  de Amar Frank Reyes, Tu Eres Ajena Frank Reyes, Me Voy Hector Acosta, Corazon Sin Cara Prince Royce, El Amore que Perdimos Prince Royce,  Rechazame Prince Royce, Sin Ti Grupo Extra, Su Hombre Soy Yo Prince Royce

Bachatas With Long Intros: Te Extrano  Xtreme, Casi Casi Toby Love, Llorar lloviendo  Toby Love, Pomise Romeo Santos, Obsesion Aventura,  Su Veneno Aventura, Incondecional by Prince Royce.

Filed Under: bachata dancing, Dance lessons, Dance studios Brooklyn, Latin dancing, Private dance lessons · Tagged: , ,

What Is Latin Dancing?

March 25, 2013 by ·
Latin dancing in Brooklyn

Latin Dance Classes in Brooklyn. Ray and Stephanie dancing salsa.

Do you offer Latin dance lessons?  I’m asked this question all the time. When I answer yes.  Many students then  ask what it is Latin dancing? They know they like it and want to learn it, but aren’t sure what is.  Why is jive one of the five dances in Latin dance competitions,  while Argentine tango isn’t?  That’s another question I often hear.  So, here’s a break down.

There are generally two different meanings.  There is social Latin dancing, and there’s formal ballroom/Latin dancing.  Formal Latin dancing has five dances: cha-cha, jive, paso doble, rumba and samba.  When you see an international Latin or American Latin dance competition, these are the dances they are doing.

Then there’s social Latin dancing.  This is what most people are doing in a dance clubs, what you hear on Spanish radio stations, and what most students want to learn.  These are dances that originated in Latin American  and Caribbean countries.  Salsa, bachata, merengue, cha-cha, rumba, and samba are the most popular.  There are many many others.  Popularity depends on where you are.   In the Dominic Republic, bachata and merengue are more popular than salsa.  In Cuba, salsa is way more popular than bachata.  But over all, salsa is the most popular and bachata comes in 2nd.  This is right now.  Ten years ago, bachata was not as popular.  And ten years from now, something else might become popular. In certain parts of Mexico, cumbia is very popular.

It might seem weird, but Argentine tango is not classified as a” Latin dance.”  Here are some reasons why.  It’s not danced in place and it doesn’t have hip motion like the other above mentioned dances.  Argentine tango moves around the room like a ballroom dance and has no hip motion.  It’s more like a ballroom dance, but isn’t.  It has its own classification.   So why is Jive, which is American, one or the five Latin dances in formal competitions?  Well, It’s danced in place,  has lots of hip motion, and kind of looks more like the other Latin dances, and less like a ballroom dance.  The people who organize these competitions wanted to have five dances make up the competition, and wanted an American dance to be one of them, so they choose jive.

Filed Under: Argentine tango, bachata dancing, Latin dancing, Salsa Dancing ·