Why I promote Bachata Dominicana

You might be wondering, why on earth is a Japanese German person teaching and promoting a dance from a foreign culture ? Well… It’s not easy to answer in one sentence..!

Back then around 15 years ago when I started dancing Salsa, Bachata and Merengue, there was no such thing as “Bachata Dominicana“, “Bachata Moderna“ or “Bachata Sensual“. There was only Bachata. Plus, I would have just started dancing so my awareness and knowledge were very little on the different dance styles. Even later I would learn more about Salsa how there are different styles such as Cubana, NY, L.A. etc., however I would never hear such things about Bachata.
In fact I did not like Bachata. Yes, you read it right lol. I remember how 2009 when I was going to Latin dance parties in Frankfurt, Germany, every week, I would like the music, but I never enjoyed the dance. The way the people around me danced Bachata was simply not looking exciting to me or something like I would like to learn.
I remember also how I felt upset when I danced with a Dominican guy who would tell me to move my hips and I’d be thinking to myself “my hips are my own business, why is he telling me to move my hips???“ - You see, I had NO IDEA what Bachata was about, until I met my ex boyfriend who is Dominican. Thanks to him I got to know about all the famous Dominican Bachata artists such as Anthony Santos, Raulin Rodriguez, Yoskar Sarante, Zacarias Ferreira, etc., and he taught me how not only to dance but also love Bachata. The more I learned about this music and dance, the more I fell in love with it and our daily life has always been accompanied by Dominican music including Merengue, Dembow, Dominican Salsa and of course Bachata. Although I had started as a Cuban Salsa lover, a life without Bachata was simply not possible anymore !!
I traveled to the Dominican Republic, went to parties over there, got to know more about the Dominican mentality and culture, and even had the chance to witness the Dominican Easter celebration of Gagá which derived from the Haitian culture, a mix of catholic and the Haitian religion Vodu (Rara in Haitian).
It was only after ending the relationship of five years that I have started to understand that most people in the local dance scene do not dance the Bachata I had become so used to, as I was hardly going out dancing anymore during that time.
The way the Dominicans dance Bachata has become so normal and natural to me that I just could not wrap my head around why most of the social dancers were dancing so differently ! You might be thinking it was brain washing by my Dominican ex partner, but that’s not true, Bachata has become part of my life more than I would have expected.
Not being able to dance the way I learned to love and enjoy Bachata was extremely frustrating. I started to wonder why most of the dancers were so eager to learn Salsa the Cuban way but when it came to Bachata they would not care about the Dominican style. Instead the new wave of Bachata Sensual was taking over and the Bachata Moderna became the “Normal Bachata“ and a little bit out-dated and the Bachata Dominicana was just invisible. My frustration and even anger kept growing. It was around that time that I started teaching Dominican Bachata thanks to a friend, and that I started joining festivals around the world in order to find my tribe.
The rest is history..

Now that you know my story of Bachata, let me explain you WHY do I care so much about Bachata Dominicana ?
See, when you know the original form of something and when you know where something comes from, if you have all the knowledge and experience, can you just close your eyes and ignore it? I often use the comparison of food - 30 years ago when I was a child nobody cared about Japanese culture and Sushi, and now it’s been spread all over the world; however if you look at the Sushi in Japan it is different from the Brazilian or American Sushi, where they use cream cheese and deep fried things, sometimes even fruits in other places. Is it still Sushi then? Is it Sushi for the Japanese people when it’s originally coming from Japan ? This is my core question when it comes to Bachata as well.

I would love to use the expression what Mari used , a dance instructor and promoter from Australia, who said she feels a huge INJUSTICE done to Bachata. The word Bachata has African roots and means “party”, the dance originates from the Dominican Republic which also has been recognized as a Dominican World Heritage by the UNESCO in December 2019. It deprives from a - what Edwin M. Ferrera ( Areíto Arts ) would say - “forced“ mix of African, European and Indigenous heritage due to the dark history of colonization and slavery back in the days. When you look at the dance of Bachata the Afro Caribbean roots are undeniable - the groundedness, the body movement, the grove, their feeling to the beat, the sensuality and the way dance is used as a celebration of life.
Now let’s look at Bachata Moderna and Bachata Sensual - this is not about bashing them or critizising them, rather an analytical comparison. Bachata Moderna uses the Bachata basic steps which is 1,2,3 tap/push (depends on who teaches it), but it has adopted a lot of turns and figures which come from Salsa techniques, and that is not the original form of Bachata. The same happened with Merengue, which is also a Dominican dance, equally being recognized by the UNESCO in November 2016. That’s the reason why Bachata and also Merengue are referred to as the “little sister“ of Salsa - which is not true, because Salsa and Bachata (and Merengue) are just completely different dance. The movement, the cadence, the rhythm and the feeling are very different from each other. Because of the similar background and history they do have some similarities, but in their essence they differ from each other. It’s also a common misconception to say Bachata is easier than Salsa. I would always be careful to do such a statement, because in my opinion all dances are difficult and deserve respect. Dominican Bachata is about displacing, and forms are changed not so much through complicated turns and figures, instead you create different forms with your body. Even the side to side basics are not originally Dominican. Yes, nowadays there are plenty of Dominicans in the DR who dance like the Western people but that’s because they learned it from YouTube and tourists. Not because they don’t like their own way of dancing, but because it’s become so globally dominant and more exposed than the original version. My other theory is also that the side to side basic is easier to learn because it requires more walking and less body movement which people struggle with (but this will be a different topic on its own). We need to remember, that in most Afro Caribbean countries dances are not something documented or taught at school. It’s a culture happening in their every day life, it’s a street dance, it’s part of their identity.
Very similar things are happening with Bachata Sensual. They use also the basic Bachata steps like Moderna, but now we reconize many different influences. I have to admit I’m not a specialist on Sensual but I can see influences from Modern dance, Brazilian Zouk, Bachata Moderna, Performance Art, Tango, even Ballet - it’s a huge mix of different styles. It’s very performance like and theatrical, something which would look good on a stage. Something Moderna and Sensual have in common is , that they are not grounded. It’s danced high up - which must be coming from the White/European/Western dance culture where dancers always aim for the sky, very similar to the Christian religion. Another thing that catches my attention is how in Sensual mostly the leads are standing still, hardly moving their body, instead are managing and controlling the movement and position of the follower while the follower is adding some extra styling to it, since that’s the only thing they can control themselves. I guess I can’t hide my sarcasm here lol. For my own defense though, I did take a Sensual workshop once! I always try out at least one time just to give it a chance. And I can say I didn’t enjoy it. Not because it was Bachata Sensual, but because it felt like a completely different dance. It didn’t feel like Bachata at all.
The Bachata I know is about body movement, feeling the beat, being connected with the instruments, the music, the movement, the partner, and most importantly with the ground. This is where the Afro Caribbean heritage comes to life.
It’s an incredible feeling once you understand it. While Dominican Bachata is very raw, grounded, and actually really “sensual“, and very connected to the black culture, both Moderna and Sensual are a creation by the White people, where the “blackness“ has been removed and yet the same name is being used: Bachata.

It’s a repeated story that happened with Salsa/Son from Cuba and NY/LA Salsa, with Semba/Kizomba from Africa and the European Kizomba, Zouk from Martinique and the Brazilian Zouk, or even Swing/Lindy Hop which started with African Americans and then being taken over and becoming trendy through the white culture. How come we never learn about the people who created those dance? How come we don’t give credits to the “creators“ ?? How come once it becomes trendy, nobody cares about the roots ???
To bring up the example of Sushi again - even though the authenticity got lost in certain places and over time, everybody recognizes Sushi and most importantly: most of the people know that Sushi comes from Japan !!!
This may seem normal to you but let me tell you something, when it comes to Bachata it is not. How many times did I ask new students where they think Bachata comes from and the answer was almost all the time “Cuba“. Absolutely no offense to Cuba , but this is a clear evidence that neither instructors nor DJ’s nor the students care about education. I understand that not everybody is super dedicated to their hobby, I get that. But come on, at least find out where the dance you are learning is coming from, please?? How many times did I hear “Oh I didn’t know Bachata from the Dominicans looks like this“or even “I didn’t know there are different dance styles“. The most shocking comments I’ve heard is : ”I love Bachata but not the way the Dominicans dance, they dance so weirdly”, or, “I want to travel the DR and learn the original Bachata, but not the Dominican style, I’m more into advanced Moderna and Sensual“ - excuse me???? The way the Dominicans dance IS the original and most authentic one and not the other way round! How come that everything what the White people create is superior, and what the other races create is “primitive“ (another comment which made me super upset). Why is the original culture less valued and less known, while the copy cat culture is being hyped ? “Ignorance is bliss“ they say, but I see it as a huge problem that those ignorant opinions are moving a huge mass of people who apparently want to learn the dance. Guess what? No dance comes without a culture. Behind every dance there’s a culture, there’s a history which needs to be passed on and shared.
Most of the time it’s not even the students’ fault. It’s the marketing how Bachata is being presented, it’s the context DJ’s and dance instructors give it to them. Basically the most important part is missing: giving the Dominican culture the credit for this beautiful dance.

Look, I’m not saying that other dance styles should be banned, no.
I am asking for JUSTICE. I am asking for the right labelling. Neither Moderna nor Sensual are Bachata in my personal opinion. They have all their right to exist for sure and everybody has the freedom to choose what they like.
The problem with these names are it is very misleading. As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, when I started dancing I was very unaware of the different styles and names (in my case that happened with Salsa because Bachata was only Bachata), which is completely normal. It’s easier to use a simple umbrella expression for different styles and just call it Bachata. A great strategy to commercialize something which is so complex! But this is not only misleading, it is confusing. For somebody who is just starting with any Latin Dance, this can be very complicated and overwhelming.

Which brings me to the next point: I am asking for the right EDUCATION. I truly believe education is the key to raise more awareness and to respect and share cultures. Though whose responsibility is it and whom do we want to educate?

Shouldn’t be Dominicans educating their own culture, and not somebody like me who has nothing to do with the culture?
Let me ask you this, do you teach and share and defend your own culture to the other countries? Most likely not unless you are given the opportunity to do so such as your profession maybe. Well it’s the same for them. For the Dominicans, as I said before, their dance and music are a huge part of their culture, it’s their identity, it’s the most natural thing to have. Why should they share it if they have it in their home country? Now the story can be little bit different once they get out of their country and see what’s happening in other places of the world. However even though they might live in a different country, they still carry their culture in themselves so why should they spread it, if it’s such a natural thing for them.
Is it the student’s responsibility to inform themselves? I believe this depends on the purpose and goal every student has.
If somebody wants to learn dancing just for the fun and social aspect why should they be bothered if something is authentic or not? The same goes with food. How often do you care if the Sushi you eat is made in an authentic way or do you rather look at which restaurant is the trendiest and the cheapest ? It’s very understandable that most people would go for the best thing available (also for the best price obviously ) - something which is trendy and exposed to the majority of people. Undeniably the dance style which gets the most exposure is Bachata Sensual, as it’s the commercially the strongest style among the main three Bachata styles ( there is also BachaTango, Bachataerobics etc. the list goes on… ). Hence it is only natural that the venues, the DJ’s and music producers go along with the trend, unless they are specialized and passionate in minor styles, which in our case would be Bachata Dominicana. So is it the DJ’s responsibility?
Well, partly yes. DJ’s can be sometimes very restricted due to their client’s and customers’ expectation
( the social dancers ), plus it is rare that a DJ is equally well informed and educated about all the dance styles. In my personal opinion, some of them could care a bit more…. but this is just me talking lol.

So then it must be instructor’s responsibility! Yes and no. You see, some instructors believe in going with the trend, pleasing their customers because that’s their main income source. Also some instructors can’t care less about educating and informing themselves about the origin of the dances they’re teaching. Sometimes they just teach it, because they are good at dancing and explaining and it’s their job, so in some cases it’s not even their first choice of dance sadly.
I myself am a dance instructor, teaching Merengue and Bachata (do I really have to specify which style after all this???) and I know it’s not easy to go against the mainstream. In fact I’ve been asked few times why I teach the way I teach, because yes I teach very differently than from what they’re mostly used to. My focus are body movement, body isolation exercise, musicality, feeling, connection, grounding and most importantly the understanding of culture.

As a Japanese German person, I see it as my duty to teach a culture which is foreign to me in the most accurate way possible. Especially growing up with two completely different cultures and mentalities, I’ve always felt injustice when a culture has been criticized or misunderstood because of ignorance. I grew up learning how important it is to respect different cultures. It’s not always easy and everyone has the right to have an opinion. But as long as I am working with a foreign culture to me and I appreciate the culture the least I can do is being a culture advocate and give credit to the creators/natives. I know how upsetting and hurtful it can be when people talk about your own culture or even consume something from there but have no idea where it’s from. Again, it’s a question of awareness. For that I must keep learning, studying, traveling, exchanging ideas with the locals, and keep evolving.
Dance is seen often as some kind of sports, which also is, but it’s more than that. It’s a culture and identity. That’s why I call myself the Messenger of Dominican dance and music, because that’s what I am doing. I will teach you techniques and I’m good at analyzing your movements and challenges, but most importantly I want you to understand their culture. They taught me how to enjoy life, how to enjoy myself, how to be in the moment, how to connect with myself and others, how to live !!! Bachata has changed my life.
As an instructor I am given that space and I can choose how to transmit the information I have for you. And as long as I have students who follow me, I will keep doing what I’m doing because I believe in it.

Conclusion, I believe that education needs to happen in all areas, meaning : the dance instructors, the DJ’s , also the students, and the Dominicans can all contribute to this.
The dance instructors are taste makers, trend setters, communicators, mentors, messengers, etc. Regardless of wanting to please the majority, we still have a choice to customize our lessons according to our believes. Being an instructor does not mean we are done, actually our journey has just begun. I myself have learned SO much since I started teaching, and there’s a long way to go for me, which I am extremely excited about ! As an instructor I believe it’s crucial to stay humble, curious and open. Just because we are teaching does not make us superior at all. Instead we need to keep updating and educating us ourselves. Also create a comfortable space for your students to have an open conversation whenever they are in doubt or have questions. Share your passion with them and they will listen to you.
The same goes with the DJ’s. I have talked to many DJ’s about this, and I understand that it’s not easy when they also need to adapt to the majority. However I have also met some DJ’s who just assume that people like only a certain style of music so they would just stick with it. On the other hand I have also met DJ’s who believe in exposing the dancers to new type of songs in small quantities - again as a DJ you have the possibility to customize it according to your needs and believe. You are equally trend setters like the instructors. Also increasing their knowledge and even discovering new genres and styles can be extremely helpful not only for their customers but for their own development.
When it comes to Dominicans all I’m asking for is - please don’t adapt to the “others“ when they dance Bachata (or also other dances). Please be proud of your roots, your heritage and your culture. It’s beautiful. You don’t have to become a teacher or preacher or educator, but please show them with PRIDE how YOU dance it, and not the other way round, just because it’s easier. I understand that not all Dominicans know how to dance but at least you can share your view and opinion on your culture.
And last but not least, to the students: stay humble and be open. It’s a wonderful thing you want to learn , because dancing is the best thing you can do for yourself. I truly believe in the positive power of dancing. It’s healing, it’s liberating, it’s grounding… But do yourself a favor and be open, stay CURIOUS, and ask questions. Try not to ignore your doubts, talk with your friends about it, ask questions to your instructors or DJ’s or even the natives if you really want to learn more.
Have open conversations about it if you want to really understand it. And when you are ready, please be open to what the native people have to say about it about their own culture. This may sound like a lot of work and I know not everyone is passionate about learning about culture. Maybe you just want to have fun, which is absolutely fine. Though if you keep your mind open, I’ll guarantee you that your dance experience will be enhanced way more than you’ve imagined!
I have started a student and still continue to and I forever will be one.
Honestly this does not happen over night, it’s an endless progress. Learn from different instructors, learn different styles and find your own passion. If you really love dancing, you will realize that there’s soooooo much more to learn than you thought when you started.
Ideally speaking dance scenes should be a platform where everyone is open to each other, collaborating, and supporting each other without excluding, separating, and competing. And if I may be totally honest with you, I’m hoping that in the near future there will be way more dancers dancing Dominican Bachata in the whole world !!! LOL. Until then my journey goes on.

Mi gente, thank you for baring with me for this extremely long post, but I hope it became clear why I care so much about Bachata and why I am doing what I am doing.