Bachata

Guitar songs of the countryside

Bachata began in the Dominican Republic as romantic guitar music, influenced by the bolero. Jose Manuel Calderon made the first bachata recordings in 1962. For years it was looked down upon by the upper classes and played mostly on small radio stations and in bars, and was sometimes called musica de amargue, bitter music, for its songs of heartbreak.

Into the mainstream

In 1990 Juan Luis Guerra's album Bachata Rosa brought a polished version of the style to a huge audience. In the 2000s the New York group Aventura, led by Romeo Santos, mixed bachata with R and B and pop and made it a global hit. In 2019 UNESCO added bachata music and dance to its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The basic step

The bachata basic moves side to side: step, step, step and then a tap or small hip lift on the fourth count, repeated in the other direction. The music has a steady four-beat pulse, with the guitar's requinto lines and the bongo and guira keeping time.

Styles

Dominican bachata uses lots of quick footwork and close or open hold. Modern bachata adds turns borrowed from salsa. Sensual bachata, developed in Spain in the 2000s, uses body waves and flowing movements. Social dancers often mix all three.

Bachata and salsa

Many salsa parties also play bachata, so learning both doubles your dancing time. Bachata's simple basic makes it a great first dance before salsa's turn patterns. See our learn page for salsa lessons.

← How a Salsa Band WorksRight and Left Turns →