You’re thinking of taking either of these dances, and I’m excited for you. My life has significantly improved since I started Salsa classes more than ten years ago and became obsessed with Bachata. So I’m not telling you which one you should choose, I will describe each dance for you and talk about the benefits and differences between them to help you decide.
I will start by saying that you can’t make a mistake by picking either of them and once you do Bachata, at some point, you will do Salsa or vice-versa. Why? Because when you go to a Latin club, the two types of music that you’ll hear most will always be Salsa and Bachata.
Going to a Latin club it’s an exhilarating experience, and you would not want to be sitting on the bench while everyone is dancing one style of dance you are not confident to dance because you belong on a dance floor regardless of the music style being played.
Now, let’s look at some differences between each dance to help you pick the right one for you.
Salsa: The exciting and energetic dance.
Salsa is all about having a massive party with friends going fast, going left and right, spinning and doing tricks, without even having a chance to think about it. I describe Salsa as you’re on a highway on the Autobahn just blasting music on the radio as all you and your friends are singing along. Salsa is the adrenaline rush that we are all missing in our day-to-day lives. It can be especially appealing if our life outside of dance is kind of calm. So if you want that adrenaline, Salsa is the best one to take. Now, there are some things to keep in mind with Salsa
Salsa does have a longer learning curve in terms of confidence. The best way to approach Salsa is to celebrate small wins to encourage you to remain committed in the long run.
Those Salsa tricks and moves you see on YouTube take longer to master, but the rewards are incredible because Salsa dancers are appreciated anywhere. After all, when you travel around the world, you can always find a Salsa club from Saint Petersburg to Seoul to Los Angeles, Montreal to Sicily, you will find a Salsa club, and you will be able to use your skills and communicate through dancing. I loved learning Salsa first because it gave me access to every single Latin club around the world.
Bachata: Playfulness, love and sensuality.
Bachata is a romantic dance. Dancing a Bachata song can take you and your dance partner to a special place. Imagine the sun is setting. You feel the warm breeze on your skin while you’re dancing close, so close to a special someone. You are not in a rush; there’s just flow, connection and warmth.
Also, It’s a playful rhythm you can enjoy with your friends. I think about it like you’re all having tropical drinks and delicious food. There is no pressure because you’re on vacation. You are just enjoying the moment.
Bachata is the type of dance you enjoy with everyone, but mainly with a certain special person, you could have met on the dance floor. Or, if you’re already in a relationship, it’s something that you can share with your partner, as the closeness and playfulness of the dance can make it even more exciting to be with that person you know and you love.
I like to describe Bachata as a 90s boy band era where they’re singing about a love interest, a broken heart, or just trying to steal the attention of someone they deeply care about. And maybe that’s special about Bachata; it’s all about deep feelings.
Bachata dancing has a shorter learning curve that will allow you to experience faster progress. For example, in Bachata Level 1, we can teach students how to do a dip by the end of the nine-week course. On the other hand, in Salsa it takes up to level four to learn to do a dip just because it takes more coordination.
Bachata is the second most popular dance after Salsa around the world. So if you choose to learn Bachata first, it’s ok because you will find a lot of clubs where you can dance. After all, the DJ will play Bachata at least 30% of the time. so you will have time to dance your heart away.
Still not sure which one to choose? Something else that can help you decide is feeling the music. Check out our website to access Salsa and Bachata songs we love. Listen to them for a couple of minutes; which type of song makes you excited and makes you feel like you’re going to flow? Just listen to your heart.
Be confident that both of these options are great. You cannot go wrong with either option, and I’m a whole-hearted believer that when you start to learn one at some point, you will learn the other. But, remember, the biggest win is just taking your first step onto the dance floor, learning, and feeling connected to yourself, others, and the Latin dance greater community.
One of the most rewarding things I gained when I started to dance was belonging and confidence. I found in myself something that I never knew that I had, and so much more. Including the physical, mental, spiritual health benefits of dancing. So what’s stopping? You pick one and just get started.
Follow the links below to our Salsa and Bachata playlist:
https://torontodancesalsa.ca/salsa-songs/
https://torontodancesalsa.ca/bachata-songs/
I can’t wait to welcome you to our big family, have you coming in 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].
