I'm a follow that only leads occasionally but I'm always curious about the other side. Most of the follows I lead are experienced and often switches as well, so I don't think I have a good idea of the typical follow. I know what I see when I watch the dance floor though ...

So I'm just wondering! Is there a common move/mistake/backlead that you notice in follows, that you would like to see corrected? (Is there something that tells you this follow definitely started dancing in 2021 or later? 🤣)

For context, it might be helpful to know how long you have been leading. Thank you!!

Is it rude for someone give unsolicited feedback on technique that isn’t related to the safety of a move during a social dance? Does it make a difference if they do it in the middle of the dance versus at the end of the song? Do you think this should be reserved to your teacher or to a class setting?

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Juan Bautista has a famous bachata song called "Pegao De Que". From what I understand, the song is about a rival musician who apparently claimed that he was "pegao", which I take to mean he was saying he had become a core part of the bachata music canon.

Does anyone know who this rival musician was that Bautista was calling out in the song?

Ironically, with the popularity of this song and others, it now seems to be Bautista himself who has become "pegao", more so than whoever his rival was.

Does anyone have any video of what sensual bachata used to look like before it was taken over by zouk movements? Please let me know!

Hello everyone hope this message finds you well I wanna get into playing the guitar I’m a big fan of Aventura and would love to play there songs what guitar would you recommend?

I’m trying to learn bachata sensual by myself with a friend any video recommendations for moves or combos. There are so many and I don’t know which stuff is actually practical or not. I’ve only ever danced salsa and traditional bachata.

So i got told i might have to redo the beginner course and can't advance to beginner+ kinda. Its like in between right now. I will go to socials now, but how can i improve leading, especially without feedback? I kinda am a sensitive person to touch and the smallest.touch feels like i press too much, also the follower beginner sometimes do motion themselves so there is no real feedback. I have to retrain how much i move someone.

But that's not all. Is it also ppssible to practice the moves somehow? Doing air solo is kinda weird

Hey! I would love some suggestions for getting better at home, solo, without a partner. Unfortunately my financial circumstances at the moment don't allow for me to go to regular classes in person (sucks, I know) but I've been missing dancing so much. It brings me so much joy and definitely boosts my confidence. I know nothing can truly compare to in person practica but it just doesn't seem like an option for me at the moment.

something slide-y enough to enable a 205lbs, 5'11 man to spin but also grip-py enough so I don't fall like a fool?

I don't know the actual name! But it's this without the body wave. https://bachatasteps.com/?search=pretzel

1. Leader puts the follower into Preztel
2. The leader leads the follower to tilt/bend over
3. The follower stays bent over while the leader moves across the follower, sliding the arms so they move from around the follower's midsection to their arms, like a tunnel.
4. The follower stands up at the end.

My issue is with step 4, I'm sometimes finding followers only doing a hair flick, standing up early, or not letting me complete the move.

I'm just wondering if there's tips on how to make it more obvious/clear I need the follower to stay down until I pass over them, or if there's common mistakes I might be making that's indicating the follower should stand up?

My instructor said to make sure you use smaller steps in basic steps because it helps you move your feet quicker with more control. So, the faster the song the smaller steps and the slower the steps the bigger the steps?

Also, how far should your knees be bent in basic. I have my knees bent but I still feel like my movements are bit stiff. How do I increase my stability in my movements?

Hola dancers!

As someone who's been active in various dance communities, I've consistently noticed people searching for social dance venues and events worldwide through different WhatsApp groups and forums. I've experienced this challenge firsthand too, spending hours searching through old Facebook groups and various websites trying to find places to dance when visiting other countries. This challenge became an opportunity to merge my two passions - latin dancing and map development - into The Latin Dance Map - a web app to help dancers discover and share social dance events globally.

The app is an interactive map that helps you find regular dance spots you can rely on, with a focus on recurring events (weekly/monthly socials). You can explore venues and their events, filter by dance styles and days of the week, and access a collection of local "Agendas" - various platforms like Instagram accounts and WhatsApp groups that track events in specific areas.

Since this is meant to be a community resource, I've made it easy for dancers to contribute. Whether you know of a great dance spot that's not on the map yet or notice information that needs updating, you can submit suggestions through the app. To maintain quality, all contributions go through a validation process before being published.

This is very much a work in progress, and I'd love to hear your thoughts on making it more useful for everyone.

Try it out: https://thelatindancemap.com

Hi,

Could someone describe the difference between Bachata vs Kizomba?

What is the difference in music style? What kind of music is Kizomba music in contrast to Bachata music?

How would you describe the difference in dancing?

Thank you

When a lead starts leaning, they're generally focused on doing the moves, that often it feels like it doesn't really match the music. I think once at a more intermediate or advanced level, both the leads and the followers are better at recognising the higher and lower energy parts of the songs or if it feels off (let's say a super slow cambre during a highly energetic section).

But I remember being told followers are more sensitive to whether movements match the energy of the music compared to leads, especially at earlier levels (makes sense to me since they have a more reactive role) but just wondering how true this is?

Hello everybody, I am not quiet able to lead the follower to change place from side to side in close position...usually from my left (after a dip) to my right. Should I move my foot first, and then move her, or do the two things simultaneously?

I - lead - mostly dance salsa and have learned batchata moderna here and there, but I decided to take Sensual batchata classes for the firet time recently.

And one thing I really struggle is that I am unsure what I am doing.

The instructors tell me 'we are going to do this and that' And I do them and follows do the body/neck rolls based on how I rotate and move/lead.

But still wondering if I am giving clear signals or if putting my hand is enough for follows to do their part. Or follows just do it because they know what we are doing in the class.

Instructors dont explain much about it and I haven't tried them at social yet.

My questions was is it how we learn sensual batchata and everything will click if I keep following what instructors tell me to do?

I have taken several different sensual batchata classes but they teach things almost the same way.

Would appreciate any tips on what I should focus and how to get better quickly in this situation.

I’ve been working on my styling lately. I obviously don’t want to interfere with the lead, but there are some moves I try to add when there’s an opening, such as a windmill on a turn or a hip roll or a cha cha step during a Madrid step. What are some other moves or styling elements I could add in between certain moves while dancing in pair?

what specifically differentiates bachata sensual and bachazouk or are they mostly similar?

So, I just stared taking beginner Bachata course 2 weeks ago. It was interesting. I had a good time and I learned some basic concepts and some history of the dance.

I am 35 years old. I have no dance experience in my life. Zero. My news years resolution was to try something out of my comfort zone. So this is what I chose.

A couple observations/questions from more experienced bachata dancers if this is the right thing for me to do -- Am I too old for this? I noticed a lot of the women in my class were younger than me. Should this be an issue I should worry about? I just felt out of place.

How else should I learn and try to get better besides classes? I feel like I will forget certain concepts/movements after classes. I've been watching some online tips that have helped.

Are festivals worth it? My instructor said that that everyone should consider attending socials/festivals to improve. I haven't been to a social yet, but I plan to. Festivals seem really overwhelming and expensive. Are they really valuable?

I'd like to get better in the most efficient way possible. I feel really awkward in this phase, which I guess is expected, but is the learning curve steep? Everyone learns differently, but right now it's painful.

I'd appreciate any responses. Thank you.

Besides the obvious things like good frame and no back-leading, what does a great followers do well technique-wise that mediocre followers don’t?

As soon as any other type of music comes on I can’t dance, even just to enjoy it.

I despise clubbing for its head bobbing, but I don’t know what else I could do at a bar or something.

I know a guy who can just enjoy himself to any music solo or with a partner, and have fun.

Any help?

I did have a break for a month so I get that this would contribute a lot, but is it really that easy to fall out of being a much better dancer?

Is practicing alone at home gonna be enough to at least maintain a level? I don’t want to be stuck in a box step - Madrid- body roll reverse - hip roll routine.

Also I found it awkward to get close to followers, might’ve been since I’ve started dating my girlfriend, but even back in September I wasn’t having these problems, and we’ve been dating for a year st that point already.

I want to enjoy dancing, I’m in my head a lot and outside of bachata/kizomba/salsa, I don’t know how to vibe to the music

Any help?

Hello ! It's not a traditional song. It seems like a remix. The lyrics are in spanish.

During the chorus, I could hear "Hey pa pa", "repuesta"

Shazam didn't find it

I'm just about to book my place at Bachaturo this year and really looking forward to it but it got me wondering - what are the biggest bachata festivals across the world that happen every year, either in terms of sheer numbers or prestige? Whether they're bachata only or a SBK type festival.

What’s up everyone?

Melvin War here! If yall haven’t already done so, BCHTA RISING VOL 2 is out, the long awaited sequel to the BCHTA RISING album by sP with Pinto making a return and track by Jensen, Jean y Alex, Mario Baro, and more!

A lot of great work on there. Make sure you guys tune in!

Leaving a link below to Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/album/5be1wLN9oiZHlQAwm6pdd1?si=bSFVqOA8T6GodXemILnzzA

#ThisMeansWar

Options are presented in alphabetical order. I understand that people dance a mix of styles—as I do as well—I invite you to choose the one you learned and dance primarily as well as to comment with the style and your geographic locale (as specific as you wish, ie. Los Angeles, the Baltic region). Thank you in advance for your participation and have a great day/evening/weekend and enjoy your socials if you’re dancing. ❤️💃🕺🪩🪘

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Is there a point where you feel like you finally know the complete rule book, all the tools, you can use them by heart? I frequently get bored by my dancing, by the ideas that I have, of course I have good dances as well. But after one year of Bachata I still struggle with some basics and a lack of technique and forms, I wonder when this will end, or if it will ever end? And you reach the permanent flow-state of the "Master of Bachata" :D

Hi guys,

A few years ago we started to learned Bachata with my partner and she loved that, but after baby number 1 and baby number 2 we can't really find the time to go to the dance studio anymore.

So now I am looking for something alright online for both of us, does anyone there has experience with something nice? Ideally something where we can follow one lesson every week, but I don't really know how it works online.

We're probably still beginner/intermediate.

Thank you so much guys! Have a great day!