Hey family!! I am so grateful for all the messages expressing interest in learning the basic steps to go to a Latin nightclub and dance your heart away. Bachata is one of the few dances you don’t need to know, much to carry a whole song with your partner, but definitely, there are some things you need to know.
Master the must-have moves.
Here is one of my favourite tricks to help my students: The fastest way to get the basic steps down and make it automatic is, as you’re practicing, say out loud, three steps, and tap, three steps, and tap over and over.
The basic steps as a leader or a follower are a three-step and a one-tap count. As a leader, you start with your left foot, you step to the left 1, bring your feet together on 2, step out on 3, and TAP on 4, and then you’d step back on 5, 6, 7 back home and tap on 8. As a follower, you start stepping with your right foot.
So, leaders, you’re always moving with your left foot and followers, you move with your right foot.
Three steps and a tap, three steps and a Tap. If you say it out loud, you’ll pick it up sooner.
Know how to lead a follower to a “Left” or an “Inside” turn.
Leaders, you do what we call a “C Prep” as you’re stepping out to your left on 1, 2, 3, 4, then using your left hand, you spin the partner inside counterclockwise on 5, 6, 7, 8. Followers, as you’re going on, 5, 6, 7, 8 to the left, you’re spinning inside.
A basic turn is a minimum requirement to dance to a single song; therefore, we teach it in the very first class of nine weeks so you can have a feel of it, and we will help you to perfect it in Bachata Level two after you have you basic moves in place.
Know how to do “Back to Back” turns.
A leader should do turns both to the left and the right when leading a partner. Once you have this skill set, one of the basic combinations you can do is what we call the “Back to Back move. We love back-to-back turns because they are not complicated and look beautiful on the dancefloor.
To start doing yours, leaders, lift your left hand into a C Prep on 1, 2, 3, 4, and then you spin your partner inside, so that’s counterclockwise in 5, 6, 7, 8 while keeping that same hand up, don’t drop it, now turn your partner outwards.
From the follower’s perspective, this move requires you to turn to the right, which is turning clockwise on 1, 2, 3, 4.
Basically, with the same hand, you’re stirring both inside and outside, and this creates the base for many combinations.
There is so much more to learn in bachata, but if you know those three basic things, side basic, single turns for the follower, and back to back turns at a minimum, you can dance for four songs, which equals having lots of fun on a night out compared to remain as an observer while others dance.
Please don’t forget dancing is never about the dance moves. It’s about connecting with your partner. When I started dancing as a leader, I didn’t feel that way. I thought that my partner would be happier if I had more moves. Then I realized the thing that makes my partners happy is my smile while dancing and me sending out positive energy, not stressing myself out or them,
Guess what?
If you want to feel relaxed and confident when dancing, come and join us!!. You will learn modern bachata and the next time you go to any nightclub, you will see it, you will be able to be a part of it, so check out our site for bachata Level one.
I can’t wait to welcome you to our big family, have you coming in a week to week, having fun, connecting with new friends, and letting lose to amazing Latin songs. Click here to check our current schedule.
If you have any questions you would like me to answer here are some ways you can contact me: message me on Instagram (torontodanceSalsa), on Twitter (#torontodanceSalsa), on Facebook (Toronto Dance Salsa) or email me at [email protected].
