Bachata songs have very structured tones. They are in sync with eight beats per round. The early Bachata dancers structured the dance steps around the tunes in the Bachata songs.
Beginners learning the Bachata dance will benefit from taking some time to become familiar with the songs and their rhythms.
Keep your ears open to the pauses in the music. Also, look out when the music tends to pick up the pace. This knowledge will help you structure your steps in tune with the music. This step is very important to be in sync with the song and to avoid awkwardness.
Becoming familiar with the 8-beat dance
Beginners will also benefit from learning the Bachata songs even if it is their first time dancing the Bachata dance. The Bachata songs tend to have lengthier introduction music than most songs in the music industry. Sometimes, lyrics or the beat begin as late as twenty seconds after the audio begins.
Beginners can directly start with the eight steps mentioned below for the introduction music as well. The beginning music will suit steps that are low key, soft, and slow.
Learning the Bachata without a partner
Bachata is called a dance with eight beats. When you search for a Bachata class near me, the steps you will learn are four steps each. Once dancers are standing comfortably with both their feet at a normal distance, the steps are as follows:
The first four steps are towards the left.
• In step 1, with your left leg, take a step toward your left.
• In step 2, take your right leg and place it near the left leg as well. Both your legs need to be on your left side.
• In step 3, take your left leg and again go to your left.
• In step 4, take your right leg and move toward your left, and tap.
• The next four steps are towards your right.
• In step 5, with your right leg, take a step toward your right.
• In step 6, take your left leg and place it near the right leg as well. Both your legs need to be on your right side this time.
• In step 7, take your right leg and again go to your right.
• In step 8, take your left leg and move toward your right, and tap.
• Repeat with 1, 2, 3, (tap), 5, 6, 7, (tap).
Females learning the Bachata dance can try to sway their hips. To stay in sync with the steps, females can roll their hips since their motion is usually more pronounced when compared to a male doing the Bachata.
Learning the Bachata with a partner
When you learn about the Bachata class near me, the Bachata steps and the 8-step moves are similar while dancing with or without a partner. But when a partner is added to the dance, it becomes more complex (but not impossible) to be in sync for both dancers.
In the Bachata dance, usually, the male leads the first 8 steps, and the female follows the lead. In this case, the person who is leading the dance will determine the directions. The male will go to the left from the male’s perspective first, so that is right of the female.
The situation will reverse when the woman is leading for the second set of moves.
• To add complexity and excitement to the dance, the couple may move left (1,2,3,4), then right (5,6,7,8), then left (1,2,3,4), then right again (5,6,7,8).
• The male will lead the first two sets and the female will lead the second two sets.
• After that, the couple may also move front and back. To the front (1,2,3,4), to the back (5,6,7,8), and repeat. The male will lead the first set and the female will lead the second.
• The couple may repeat left and right and couple it with front and back.
These are the basics of the Bachata dance. Bachata dancers need to remember the 8 basic moves. They must tune their moves according to the song’s tune to avoid awkwardness. If you are practicing to perform at an event, then it always helps to select your song and listen to it multiple times before the event.
Good luck!