About the Dance

Bachata was born in the back alleys of the Dominican Republic countryside where broken hearted cowboys would go to find love.  The beautiful music, with its distinct bongo beat, base, & plucky guitar riffs, is a descendent of bolero & traditional African son.  The country's dictator Rafael Trujillo tried to repress the "scandalous" dance, banning the recording of bachata music.  This bad stigma on bachata lingered with the upper class for many years after Trujillo was assassinated in 1961.  It wasn't until the early 90's that this curse was fully broken by Romeo Santos & his boyband Aventura in New York.  The group revolutionized the music, infusing it with R&B to create "Modern Bachata." Almost overnight, this new flavor exploded around the world, & now rivals salsa in popularity.  The dance developed alongside the music, infusing spins inspired by salsa dancers.  People couldn't get enough bachata, so DJs began remixing pop songs with bachata beats.  In Spain, dancers Korke & Judith created "Sensual Bachata," known for it's body rolls & isolations.  Various other styles have developed, but the music, has stayed true to its origins, still passionately portraying love & heartache.

We at DSJ are firm believers that, in order to adequately express the music, a good bachatero must be fluent in the 3 main styles of bachata: traditional, modern, & sensual.  We start students off with modern & gradually add traditional & sensual elements throughout our program.