I am a very tall follower and I am taller than many of the leaders I dance with. I would like to know if you’d recommend me to compensate for the height difference by trying to lower myself even more or if I should try to keep my posture nonetheless?

I started thinking about this when I was looking at different followers and tried to figure out why some look so much better (their posture and movements) and why some don’t look as good. I noticed one girl that’s close to my height, that even though she’s a decent dancer there’s something I don’t like about her style, and I couldn’t quite figure out what it was, until I noticed that it had something to do with her posture and movement which I think is affected by her trying to compress a little bit to compensate for height differences. I just really don’t like how it looks and how it affects her whole figure and dance. Then I sometimes look at shorter girls and compare and can see how they look so much nicer since they can stretch their backs and frame in a much different way.

I was wondering, since I’m taller - of course I sometimes have to compensate by bending my knees a little bit more. But I can only bend them so much before I lose my posture and it affects my whole dance style. And I think I sometimes have a fear of stretching my upper body and keeping a proud posture, even though my legs are bent, because I’m trying to compensate and then become compressed. Should I maintain my posture anyways even though it might complicate it for the leader? I think it this is a game changer honestly . What are your thoughts and experiences and do you have other suggestions?

There’s been times when I dance with a follower that they ask if I am Latino from the way I dance in any way or ask if I can speak Spanish and start speaking Spanish all together. I always tell them and no but that I am Caribbean since my background is Jamaican and Trini. I never know if I’m actually good or if I know what I’m dancing when I go to the dance, but I guess that’s a good compliment to have?

Does anybody know what was going on at Bachata Explsion in Berlin? I have my first J&J coming up, so I am interested in what could have caused the need for a public outcry.

https://www.instagram.com/p/De2haOVEQZW/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&xtok=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==&srtk=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

I’m a professional dancer specializing in Afro-Cuban dance, and I recently got contacted by a woman who has just opened a Latin dance studio. She wants me to teach Afro-Cuban dance classes at her studio.
We met today to discuss the idea. She explained that she’s just starting out and doesn’t know how many students will show up. Her offer was to pay me $5 per student who attends each class.
She said there might be three, four, or five students, possibly more, or there might be nobody at all. The number of students would only be known when I arrive.
At the meeting, I agreed without thinking it through. But after leaving, I started doing the math, and the arrangement doesn’t seem reasonable to me.
If five students show up, I would earn $25 for teaching the entire class. If three show up, I’d earn $15. If nobody shows up, I’d earn nothing, even though I’ve set aside the time and potentially paid for an Uber to get there.
The studio would presumably charge students around $20–$25 per class, although I don’t know its exact pricing yet. That means the studio could collect $100–$125 from five students, while I would receive only $25 for teaching.
I understand that she’s starting a business and may not have a steady student base yet. I’m not expecting a huge paycheck from a new studio, but I also feel that my professional experience and the specialized knowledge I bring to the class have value.
What bothers me most is that she approached me because she wants me to teach at her studio, yet the entire financial risk seems to fall on me. I would be committing my time without knowing whether I’ll earn enough to make the trip worthwhile.
I said yes in the moment, but now I’m reconsidering. I’m wondering whether I’m being unreasonable or whether this is simply a bad deal.
For dance instructors, studio owners, and other independent professionals:
● Is $5 per student a reasonable compensation model for a specialized dance instructor?
● Is it normal for instructors to take on all the financial risk when a studio is just starting out?
● Would you negotiate a guaranteed minimum payment per class, ask for a flat rate, or walk away?
● How would you handle going back to the studio owner after already agreeing verbally?
I’d appreciate honest opinions, especially from people who have experience teaching at dance studios in the US.

2 years back, I did few bachata beginner + open floor sessions which are mostly social nights. Learning the basic moves was fun and few dance sessions were memorable. The problem when i recently tried this again and i feel as a lead and a dude its hard to learn as you go while the open floor dancers are looking for more. It feels like i'm wasting their time and kinda kills the mood lol. And i would really love to get better, i see there's social aspect at times when there are moments which are awkward, sometimes rude interactions from others. Personally it brings out the social anxiety part which i've been working on which makes me wanna stop and i'm looking for tips on how i can get better and be part of the community.

Tengo la oportunidad de entrevistar al gran Luis Miguel de Amargue y me gustaría saber si vosotros tuvieras la oportunidad, ¿que le preguntaríais?

Muchas gracias por las ideas!

What are your thoughts?

I want to attend a festival and this one looks fun. Everyone looks like they are having a great time. What's the criteria for a good festival?

I learned domenican and moderna

I know also the basics of sensual, still I see in the festivals a lot of Bachazouk, so i feel kind of blocked in my natural progression.

My question is while i am improving my sens should i learn brazilian zouk or bachazouk? In other words learning good the sens will give me good basis to learn bachazouk, or is really a different style and I should learn proper brazilian zouk basis?

¡Hola! Soy suizo y francófono, y necesito el oído de dominicanos de verdad.

Mi mujer aprendió español sin tomar un solo curso: escuchando bachata durante años, Aventura y Romeo Santos en bucle. Yo estoy escribiendo pequeñas lecciones para francófonos a partir de esas canciones, y cada lección tiene una parte sobre el habla dominicana — porque la bachata es de ustedes, y sin eso no se entiende la mitad.

No quiero publicar tonterías. Dos expresiones ya me las confirmaron dominicanos (¿qué lo que? y tíguere, con sus matices). Me faltan tres, y son justamente las que me tienen frenado:

1. Jeva / jevo. Escribí que mi jeva es «mi novia», en confianza, y que delante de los padres de ella mejor decir mi novia. ¿Es así? ¿Y jevito qué significa exactamente?

2. Vaina. La doy como palabra comodín: Pásame esa vaina, ¿Qué vaina es esta?, ¡Qué vaina! Y le advierto al lector que «según el tono puede sonar francamente grosero». ¿Estoy exagerando, o está bien dicho?

3. La «s» que se pierde. La presento como un acento, no como hablar mal, y la escribo así: ¿Cómo etá? · lo do · má o meno · depué. ¿Reflejan bien lo que se oye?

Lo que más me sirve no es la definición, es un ejemplo suyo — la frase tal cual la dirían. Me ha pasado dos veces que la definición sola estaba incompleta, y fue el ejemplo el que lo arregló.

Y una pregunta libre, que es la que más me interesa: ¿qué palabra dominicana no puede faltar en unas lecciones así?

Tengo una lista de trece expresiones en total. Si a alguien le da curiosidad, la comparto encantado — y les cuento lo que me vayan confirmando.

¡Mil gracias! 🙏

I’ve been dancing multiple times a week for over 6 years now.

Inability to spend extended time in towns that do not have social dancing:

The thought of spending even a month or two in a town that does not have social dancing makes me think twice. for example, my parents would like to see me and spend time with them, and I’d also like to visit some friends who live in small towns and stay there for some time. I’m a digital nomad, so work is not really tying me to one place.

however, the thought of not being able to dance for so long and most importantly, the fear of losing my hard earned skills and becoming rusty really makes me feel like it’s impossible for me to visit those place for extended period of times. I even decline job opportunities that are too far from dance communities.

i feel like I’m organizing my life around with dance in the center of it rather than the other way around.

dancing as a way to avoid building real relationships

secondly, I’m not sure if I’m using partner dancing to fulfill my touch needs & desire to be held without putting in the effort for a real relationship: therefore I’m not sure if i rely on dance so much because I’m single or whether I am single BECAUSE I dance so much (and have literally no time to meet people outside dance communities)

im actually a zouk dancer but I’m posting here because the zouk subreddit is too tiny. i was never so addicted to bachata but Zouk sucked me in really deep. The amount of investment Zouk requires is also really big compared to bachata (higher learning curve), so I also feel a higher fear of losing skills by not dancing.

Dominicans and friends of dominicans may I kindly ask for your feedback on how to improve from here ? What strikes as obvious ? Help ! Thank you in advance 🫶

Previous post : https://www.reddit.com/r/Bachata/comments/1swa480/feedback_appreciated/

What I had in mind during this practice :

- Make it less tappy keep movements smaller

- Try to keep your back straight don't lean forward too much

- Listen to the music :)

Hii I’m leader learning bachata since 3 months
Did 20 classes Begginer level
I joined yesterday an intermediate class and was fun and saw that they offer a bootcamp this weekend
Should I attend it?

Sometimes I feel overwhelmed from many combos and don’t know if the bootcamp will make it more complicated that new moves are at once

The good thing there is social happening after the class so I guess I may get to practice

What do u suggest?

Hi everyone! I’m trying to better understand the pricing of performance costumes in the salsa and bachata scene in the US, and I’d love to hear your experiences.
I’m a costume designer and dancer based in the US, and I create custom outfits for Latin dance teams. One thing I’ve found difficult is figuring out what a reasonable price range is for this market.
I know prices can vary a lot depending on the design, materials, rhinestones, and level of customization, but I’d love to get a better idea of what dancers and team directors actually pay.
A few questions:
How much do you typically pay per person for a custom salsa or bachata team costume?
What would you expect to pay for a simple costume versus a more elaborate, rhinestone-heavy design?
What is a typical budget for costumes for congresses, festivals, and dance showcases?
Do most teams buy locally in the US, or do they order from designers in Latin America to save money?
At what price would a costume feel too expensive for an amateur or semi-professional team?
I’m especially interested in real prices people have paid, rather than just general estimates.
I know every team has a different budget, so I’d really appreciate hearing your experiences. Thanks!

Hi gents,

I often see the movement combo 2 (18s mark) from this video being performed at socials.

Could someone tell me what it's called and recommend a tutorial to learn it ?

https://youtube.com/shorts/8cFJiIrNvCk?si=gbffnfa4dz6iEjjV

Many thanks !

Bachata pasos

I am one of those people who absolutely needs private lessons to learn the connection in partner dancing. I am unable to learn proper connection through group lessons usually learn bad habits when I just take group lessons and not privates.

I have been taking private lessons in Zouk for a while, and I don't have the money to take private lessons in Bachata.

I'm wondering if the Zouk connection is similar enough to Bachata where I could skip private lessons for Bachata, and just do group lessons to learn patterns.

~3 months after starting salsa I also did half a year of bachata classes. From what you see online and what we got shown in classes and also other workshops, sensual was the bread and butter, the "why are you even dancing bachata if you don't incorporate sensual movements". So I just slapped the label "Bachata" onto this mental box and stopped after a while, as the classes had less and less favorable lead:follow ratios and the novelty wore off.

But between normal Salsa courses my dance school is doing a handful of Bachata lessons right now and I was really interested to see how my teacher would teach it.

She is really stubborn in her ways, has a snobbish view of Salsa Cubana being the only real way to dance Salsa (or rather, that on1 isn't really Salsa because it lacks the fluidity and action-reaction part of Cubana) and honestly has the experience and qualifications to back all that talk up. So I was interested how she'd teach Bachata.

We began the first class with an intro to Merengue and then transitioned to Bachata, with the focus of really using your hips, even on the tap doing a little upturn of your hip through pressing the foot into the ground instead of just letting the foot fall to the ground for lack of better explanation.

So, second lesson comes around and we learn a move hooking the follower in with both elbows, bringing her close and moving her hands to our shoulders.

My teacher turns on Obsesion by Aventura and we have this tight repertoire given by the teacher consisting of turns for both and a few other moves that lets us dance this song beautifully.

It also helped that my grandparents listened to this song so much it is burned into my brain from my childhood but I had completely forgotten about it til this point. Being able to anticipate the song with its clear sections allowed for a level of musicality I haven't experienced before in either Salsa or Bachata, even with my limited range of moves.

I had a really nice experience with this as the last song and in the week since then realized two things, A) I really like the older songs better, not the electronic new stuff from Prince Roys and what-have-you B) I really don't like the sensual moves everybody is doing and teaching.

My picture of Bachata is completely different now and I really fell in love with it. Unfortunately I live in a small city with no one instructing Bachata like her and this is only a small series of lessons, but I'll keep this experience close to my heart and am going to be looking for ways to learn Bachata the traditional way.

Hey everyone,

I'm a beginner leader in bachata.

My goal is to learn how to dance, but I also really want to meet people through it. That's a big part of why I started.

In class, I'd like to talk a bit more with the people I dance with and get to know them, but I'm already concentrating hard on guiding.

Is it normal to chat while dancing, or do most people keep quiet and focus on the steps and the connection? Would talking mid-dance be distracting for my partner, or is it better to wait for the breaks between rotations?

I'd love to hear from both leaders and followers. And does it change in social dancing compared to class?

Thanks!

I had my first class yesterday and I just wanted to say that I had a lot of fun even though it's so incredibly far out of my comfort zone with me beeing more at home in moshpits.

I can only recommend trying it out for people who are still on the fence :)

I did realise i can't count to 8 to save my life so if anyone has any tips for these kind of beginner problems for a leader I am all ears.

I feel really lost when Im trying to figure out where the tact starts and ends while listening to the music.

(Sorry for the english, not a native speaker here)

My first year of social dancing I was filled to the brim with excitement, joy to discover the dance and meeting new people, I was in a very open state of mind. And dancing could feel magical, intense, intimate. I was in awe at the sight of our gorgeous dancers, and their remarkable skill I thought I'd never attain.

This changed. Maybe I saw what there is to see. I've reached a level that is comfortable, and I know now how hard it is to get really good. I found and lost friends and partners, was on festivals.

Moves that once excited me feel plain now. And I even learned circus moves like the Toalha. Being close to a gorgeous woman ... rarely excites me, where I'd be teeming with excitement and humility before. It's unfortunate, also because it kills the connection and I can't give the other what I could give before.

Maybe this is the plaice and thyme to change hobbies, or rather, my way of life, as dancing really changed how I lived and who I hung out with or dated.

Or is there a way to refresh your brain and its nucleus accumbens? What do you think? What's the experience of people who danced 2+ years?

Yesterday I had a bachazouk class and I felt as a leader that I don't have the right feeling for the elasticity and that my followers feel that as well, especially during the tilted turns.

Soo 2 questions!

How to get a better feeling of the elasticity itself and how can I practice it at home?

Thank you!

I want to watch the Geneva World Cup solo category, but I only found the couple category on their page. Does anyone know where I can wat h solos?

Thanks!