Bachata Dancing for Dummies

I was the biggest dummy in Bachata. I was the slowest dancer in learning to pick up the steps, and my turns were always off. Even years later, when I started to perform, I had some of the worst Bachata performances as everything was hard for me. But, precisely because dancing was hard for me, I learned some hacks and tricks to help me and now I can help you. 

Tie Your Shoelaces Together

Not literally. But imagine your shoelaces are tied together as you dance. In other words, take small steps. This way your feet can’t go too wide and it helps you keep your center of gravity closer to the ground. When you take big, wide steps, your centre of gravity is high and you are not balanced or grounded. So taking tiny steps when turning is a critical hack for dancing Bachata better.

Tap 

Despite the importance of tapping, everybody forgets it. Three steps and TAP. Repeat it over and over again as you dance. Don’t put any weight on the foot you tap with. There is maybe two percent of your weight on the foot that you tap with. The foot you tap with also tells you the direction you go next. So if you say out loud three steps and TAP as you dance, your body learns it faster. Try it!

Ignore Your Hips

Everyone has seen great dancers on YouTube or in person and their hip movement is fantastic. Beginners want to emulate this and look that great on the dance floor. It’s a mistake. Hip movement will come naturally once you have your basics down. It is a product of weight transfer. But more importantly, you are adding an extra layer of complexity to Bachata when you are still learning your basics. So make it easier on yourself and concentrate on your basics. You will find your inner sexiness and flow. 

I promise you the hip movement, the sexiness, and flow come with time. And if you take classes at our school, we talk about that. But for now just take it easy. Enjoy the dance. Have fun, and remember, you’re not a dummy for wanting to learn all these tricks. 

Everyone can struggle dancing Bachata it doesn’t mean you or others are dummies. All you need to do is apply the above tips.

Here are some more tips on Bachata Dancing for Beginners. 

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