An Interesting Bachata Dance Percussion Loop

 

 

I have an epic topic, and I am presenting it today. I recommend putting on your dance shoes afterward for a jam session because this article will turn you in circles. I chose a unique topic to write about thus far, and I bet you will consider this engaging hobby as a technique to relieve that stress and learn a new culture with my experience.

 

Most importantly this past month from September 15 to October 15 since 2018 in Canada, but established earlier in the U.S.A, we celebrated Latin American  Heritage Month.

 

Today being the last day, I would like to talk about a Latin- American Dance provocatively known as: “The Bachata Dance”.

 

Art is made to excite the mind, and soul by using most of your body to maneuver around with a dance partner.

 

Its origin comes from the Dominican Republic in the first half of the 20th century, which was outlawed for 65 years because it was deemed as “Vulgar”, and insensitive to the people. Also, it was named based on a term that best describes “Bitterness”, which I found quite amusing due to the nature of the song’s passive tune. In 1990 the dance was legalized, and the first official album was recorded.

 

The melody of the music sets the mood in each song.

 

The rhythm flows through your body in a mellow yet uplifting state of mind, which takes your mind off your worries so you can indulge in more relaxing guilty pleasures. I close my eyes and imagine being on an ocean boat in the Caribbean floating towards an island, with my greatest pleasures awaiting.

 

I spoke to an instructor who provides dance lessons in the art and is also known as a spirit lifter among many, where he has successful recommendations to his repertoire, from the students I have seen in his videos, and pictures on his Instagram

 

His name is Daniel Camargo, also known as “D-Style” because of his versatile dancing.

 

Danny, as I would call him, is a Latin Dance Instructor. He has taught many people the art of dance, bachata. He has provided excellent coaching skills that have produced fine dancers and performers in the city. He is of Colombian roots but was raised in Canada. He loves dancing where he started with hip hop, followed by break dancing. Then came reggae, and eventually, he found himself through Bachata and mainly the Latin origins of the dance. Daniel has participated in competitions, to bring awareness to the culture. He works for two studios one of which is called– Star Dance Centre, in North York, and the other is called Drey Dance Academy, which is in East York.

 

He founded his own urban Latin dance group but because of Covid, that is on hold. He has performed as a backup dancer in the states, during the Eighth Street Miami Festival and now he produces music in the form of Bachata and Reggaeton. He also has two music videos, one of which was recently made here in the city of Toronto. I spoke to Daniel over the phone and asked him a few questions:

 

Why and how has Bachata Dancing become important to learn based on providing satisfaction to the learner?

 

“Bachata has become more popular in a way because it is more playful and sexier. It also provides a leader and follower roleplay in that system. Whoever participates gets satisfaction because it also provides chemistry with their partner with a sense of joyful connection. Why Bachata dancing is more popular than Salsa dancing is because Bachata music is more fusion-able, where you can take more songs and generational them by taking older songs and modernizing the appeal to the listeners”.

It was interesting learning a bit about dance & music that perceives the diversity in our city and gives a name to the cultures that are growing popular among the people. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the music as well as watching the dance moves, I would want to try it out myself, of course.