This past Wednesday, 21st of June, Sydney crowned its BEST BACHATA SOCIAL DANCERS!

The Bachata Series (part of the Sydney’s Best Social Dancer competition), similar to the Zouk series, was full of energy, surprises and above all, good times! Coolabar –the venue, was packed on the night, from professional to amateur dancers! Everybody was ready to witness what the Sydney Bachateros can do.

Heat 1 and Heat 2 of the Bachata Series brought together a total of 10 couples! Our judges Sky Blue, Lidia McMahon, Fernando Providel, Alexis Meza and El Moro had a tough job selecting the winners of each heat, as each couple displayed amazing Bachata skills. At the end, there were 4 couples competing for the title.

Nestor and Katrina, together with Juan

The night started, all 4 couples were called to the dance floor and they had a short warm up in front of an energetic audience. Then, each couple randomly selected the order of their appearance. And it so it began! We were graced by beautiful Dominican style and Traditional style Bachata, lots of body movement, sexy and cheeky combinations plus awesome dips!

Even though it was a very close competition, one couple stood out from the rest. Famous couple Nestor Manuelian and Katrina Quintal was crowned Sydney’s BEST SOCIAL BACHATA Dancers. Congratulations Nestor and Katrina, well deserved!

Huge congratulations to Felino & Marianne and Santino & Denisse, both couples placed 2nd, and congratulations to Amit and Rebecca as well.

Zouk Series is over, Bachata Series is over, but the Social dance competition is not closed to be over yet. Starting next Wednesday (28th of June), Sydney is in the lookout for its BEST SALSERO! If you think the Zouk and Bachata series were hot… the SALSA series will be… spectacular!!

1. Are the bachata workshops open for everybody?
Yes, they are, they will be OPEN level. In the morning we have 2 workshops, and in the afternoon we have the performance bootcamp

2. Can I take only the performance bootcamp?
Yes you can. But why pay $50 for the performance training only. We do recommend to experience the whole day (workshops + performance training + party entry) for only $70. Make the most of the day!
3. Do I have to perform at the Bachata Barrio party when I take the performance training?
No, it’s up to you. But I promise you, you will want to perform it for sure!

4. I have never performed before, can I join the performance training?
Then, this is the best opportunity for you to experience what it feels to perform (without having to enrol in a 10+ weeks course). See what it feels to train and work together as a team. Experience the adrenaline of performing in front of a crowd!
Make sure you tell your friends and family to come and support you

5. Do I need a partner to join the performance workshop?
No, we will make sure that we have equal numbers. But if you have a partner in mind, please let us know.

6. What’s the difference between Dominican and Moderna Style Bachata?
Dominican Style Bachata consists of footwork and syncopated steps. It is very cheeky. Dominican is best suited for traditional Bachata music.
Moderna Style Bachata is based on close connection and the turn patterns are more complex. Moderna is best suited for the new urban latin bachata.

7. Will the party consist only of Bachata music?
No, Bachata will be played for about 50% of the time. We will make sure that we play Salsa, Zouk, Cha Cha and other Latin Rhythms. Everyone is welcome!

For more info contact Juan on 0421 448 780 or Santino on 0420 697 571
Buy your tickets at the Buena Vista Dance or Bachateros classes
OR book online here

Saturday, 31st of July.
Paddo RSL, 123 Oxford St, Paddington

3 couples participated in Heat 1, and 5 couples in Heat 2. From each heat, the top 2 couples were selected for the ZOUK Series final! A total of 4 couples were ready to show off their Zouk skills!

Since it is a social dancing competition, where no choreography or expensive costume is required, everybody was ready to have a good time! As soon as the night started, you could sense the good energy amongst the audience and the competitors. The venue Coolabar was full of dancers and supporters!

As the competition started, the judges (Liz Racitti, Fabio Loretti, Allan Dantas and Monica Gomez – all expert Zoukeros) were introduced, and the couples were called to the dance floor. Bad struck of luck, one of the competitors got very sick a few hours before the competition, and even though she tried to recover before her turn came, she had to forfeit. We had 3 couples in the finals: Duncan & Yvonne, Adam & Hera and Amit & Jane

Jane Gamarnik, Amit Arora and Juan Ruiz

The audience was ready, the video cameras were out, and the music started playing. It was amazing to watch these couples display their non-choreographed Zouk skills. The turn patterns, the dips, the connection with their partner and their musicality made it so enjoyable to watch them dance.

At the end of the night, Amit Arora and Jane Gamarick were crowned Sydney’s BEST Zouk Social Dancers! Congratulations Amit and Jane!

A huge congratulations as well to Adam & Hera and Duncan & Yvonne for wowing the audience with their smooth dancing.

Zouk series is now over. Next… BACHATA! Personally, I can’t wait for the Bachata series of Sydney’s Best Social Dance competition. I know there are many Bachateros out there, and they are ready to show-off their skills on the dance floor!

Amit and Jane – Winners of ZOUK

Left to Right: Leslie Contreras, Juan Ruiz, Josie Cote, Eymar and Tessa, Zeke Ruvalcaba, Camile Yanantuono, Jo Figueroa. Sitting: Ataca and La Alemana

Not so long ago, there was an article published about the most influential Bachateros on the BachataBabe blog. It listed the top 5 Bachateros according to the author’s opinion. It caused a lot of controversy in the Bachata community, as many people around the world commented about who was their favorite Bachateros, and why some of them were not on the list.

It would be very difficult to determine a list of the most influential Bachateros in the world, and it’s probably a list that shouldn’t be created at all. Such a list would cause disagreements within the Bachata community, as instructors/promoters would want to be recognized and have their name mentioned (it is human nature to look for recognition). However, it would be good to make the world aware of ALL the Bachateros that are working for the growth of Bachata, either as an instructor, promoter, performer, etc. There are so many Bachateros in the world that we haven’t heard about, and I’m sure they are contributing greatly in their own community.

So, I want to open this article for you to comment on your favorite Bachateros. There is no right or wrong comment. The purpose of this article is to create awareness of the Bachateros working hard for Bachata! Put their name, their website (if they have one) and even a youtube video as it will be good to show their work to the world.

Looking forward to discover new Bachateros from all over the world!

PS. Let’s try to keep this discussion positive and respect each other’s opinion J

In particular, the film will unravel the inner workings of leadership by looking at Rodney Aquino’s crusade to bring Bachata Dance to an international recognition with his creation of the San Francisco Bachata Congress, Reno Bachata Congress, Puerto Vallarta Fiesta and more. This documentary follows the creators of this Dominican dance, Singers and those that ushered Bachata to another era.

Bachata Chronicles will inspire you and take you to the beautiful island of Dominican Republic where this dance was born, allowing you to explore the people that lived through this odyssey in the 50s.

Audience
It will be an uplifting and entertaining dance biography that will appeal to younger and older audiences alike. It is our intention that the film will resonate beyond the borders of Canada as the focus on the global success that Bachata dance is creating.

Chapter 1: The Dictator and the Dance
Chapter2: The Return of the forbidden dance
Chapter 3: New Era New Talents
Chapter 4: Creating the Bachata Congress
Chapter 5: Love and Dance

The SIBF 2010 was definitely a SUCCESS!

Of course, this success wouldn’t be possible if it wasn’t for the people that were part of the Festival:

• International Acts: Jimmy Bauer and Prophex
• International Artist: Ataca y La Alemana, Jorge and Leslie, Serena Cueva and Gary Foo
• Australian and New Zealand Instructors: Sharon Pakir, Kadu and Larissa, Moro and Alegria, Nirico and Emily, Oliver and Yvonne, Ben and Kathryn, Josie Cote, Kevin and Chelsea, Johan and Kari, Jaime Jesus and Lil’ Liz, Fernando and Becky, Juan and Liz, Amy Mills, Armand de St Salvy, Samantha Cilia, Katrina Quintal and Andres.
• Performance Teams: we had close to 200 performers at the festival
• Salsa & Bachata Band: Mi Tierra
• DJs: Mambo G, Clement Djaja, Amit Arora, WillieSabor, Chica Rica, Mani, Coco, Allan Dantas, Debilicious, Brujo and Av El Cubano
• Sponsors and Advertisers: Picture U, Latin Dance Australia, WikiDance and Latin Lover
• All the schools that believed in us and helped us promote the Festival to their students.
• The Volunteers who worked all weekend to help make the event run smoothly
• And most importantly, a BIG THANK YOU to YOU, the Bachata Fan that attended the Sydney Bachata Festival. Without your love and passion for Bachata, Bachata would not be as popular as it is today.

Now, we look forward for 2011. Sydney Bachata Festival 2011 will be bigger and better than 2010. Will this be possible, since 2010 was such a success? FOR SURE! We know we have raised our own and everybody’s expectations, and we are ready for the challenge! We are already in contact with International Acts (we are preparing a massive Bachata Concert), we are also in contact with Top Bachata Instructors as we want the best talent to come to the Bachata Festival and we are preparing more surprises as well.

The organizers, Nestor Manuelian, Sky Blue and Juan Ruiz would like to thank you, once again, for been part of the Sydney Bachata Festival 2010.

THANK YOU and SEE YOU AT THE SIBF 2011!

BACHATEROS (B): This is Juan Ruiz from Bachateros, and I have in front of me Jimmy Bauer, who is currently in Australia as part of the Sydney International Bachata Festival.

Jimmy, WELCOME TO AUSTRALIA! It is a pleasure to have you here, and to have you perform a LIVE Concert at the Sydney Bachata Festival.

JIMMY BAUER (JB): Thank you guys for having me here, it is a pleasure for me to be here and represent Bachata and the Dominican Republic, and to be part of such an important event. I’ve been enjoying my stay here in Australia from the first day I arrived, and now I’m getting ready to perform live in front of the Australian audience.

(B): How long have you been in the music industry, and how long have you been singing Bachata?

(JB): I started since I was a teenager; I’ve been in the music industry more than 20 years. I’ve been singing Bachata for almost 5 years now. The experience has been wonderful so far, and I feel bless to be part of it.

(B): WOW, so 20 years in the music industry, and 5 years singing Bachata as a solo singer. What made you decide to focus on Bachata and how is your Bachata music different to other Bachata styles?

(JB): It’s an interesting story, I was a “Merenguero” all my life (a person that signs Merengue), as I used to love Merengue back in the day. Bachata came to my life thanks to my producer, as he introduced me to Bachata and his new concept (meaning the different sounds, harmonies and concepts that we could create with Bachata music). We started working in 2003 and our first production was out in 2004. The Bachata music that is played today started with that movement, with people like Aventura, my producer and I wanting to make Bachata music evolve, exploring it a lot more and giving it a unique touch, which enabled people to identify it from the others. This is what we call Bachata-fusion, or more commonly known as Bachata-Pop. We pushed the limits of the Bachata genre and now, many singers are following our influence. I wouldn’t say I was the one that started it, but I can say I was part of that movement. Jimmy Bauer’s music can be easily identified from other Bachata singers from today. For me, I feel that I was chosen to represent this new genre in Bachata that has swept the world.

(B). So you are one of the key people that have initiated this new movement for Bachata by mixing Bachata and pop together. Let me ask you, how do you see Bachata now? In 5 years? In 10 years?

(JB).  I believe that Bachata will reach places that no-one thought before. Actually, it has already happened, like here in Australia! Nowadays, Bachata music is also for people of all nationalities who like to dance, as they don’t have to speak Spanish to understand and feel the music. In 5 years, it is going to be even bigger than now. For example, in Australia, the Asian, German and other communities are already listening to Bachata, which is an indication that other cultures are listening as well. I think this is phenomenal as for us, the artists, it is so important that our music (Dominican music) reach countries and people that we never thought we could reach.

(B). Now that you are here in Australia, and have you seen us dance… do you think Australians love Bachata?

(JB). WOW… I got to tell you…. I’ve seen it with my own eyes, Australians love Bachata!! They have given it so much passion, lots of hearts, which is missing from other places. I think Australians have adopted and embraced Bachata, as if it was their music! J This is something that is admirable to witness.

(B). Thanks for this, I’m sure Australia is different that your home country, tell me, do you have any funny anecdotes whilst here in Sydney?

(JB). Ha ha ha, the first thing is the traffic and the driving directions, as I always look to the “wrong” side of the road before crossing streets. Finally yesterday, I got used to go to the “right” side of the car to get into the passenger seat. I have never experience this before, and being in the car, watching the cars drive in the opposite line as we are used to, well… sometimes you think they are going to crash!!

(B). When you get back to New York and see all your Bachateros friends, how would you be able to describe the Sydney International Bachata Festival?

(JB). MAGICAL, EXTRAORDINARY with lots of passion to the music and to the dancing!

(B). Any final words to all the Australian people?

(JB). It was been wonderful to be here, the people are wonderful. The hospitality is so incredible that it makes me want to come and live here.

I hope to see you guys soon, and I hope that you guys keep growing at the rate that you guys are going, as I would like to see even more people coming to this event and to the Bachata classes, as I beleive that you guys are really “beautifying” the dance.

Jimmy Bauer’s MySpace

http://www.myspace.com/elbabyfacedelabachatajimmybauer

http://www.myspace.com/jimmybauertheofficialpage

Jimmy Bauer’s YouTube channel

http://www.youtube.com/user/jimmybauer1

Written by -  Juan Ruiz. Juan is the director of Bachateros Online Magazine and also a bachata instructor, pioneer of the Bachata Moderna style. He’s also one of the organizers of the Sydney International Bachata Festival.

The Anzac Day long weekend saw 800+ dancers, 34 instructors (including 6 International instructors), 200+ performers, numerous DJs and of course 2 International Latin singer sensations descend on the University of Sydney’s Manning Bar for what was an inspiring (and exhausting) 4 nights and 3 days of workshops, concerts and parties. The venue featured 2 levels and 3 rooms, an outdoor food court and necessarily long bar (not to mention some very funky installation art) and was located only 10 minutes from the official accommodation, before-party venue Illuminati and Glebe Point Road’s myriad worldly eateries and markets. Eager bachateros filled it to the bream, travelling from all over Australia, as well as from international destinations including New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Japan and the USA to be a part of the fun. SIBF 2010: a recipe for success if ever there was one!

Daylight hours saw dancers from beginner to professional levels taking non-stop workshops in bachata, kizomba, zouk, latin hip-hop, reggaeton and samba d’gafieira. The number of bachata styles offered was a testament to the diversity and popularity of the dance, and bachateros were exposed to new flavours and emerging styles. Australia’s hottest instructors, including (but of course not limited to) Nestor and Katrina, Juan and Samantha, Josie Cote, Allan and Amy, Oliver and Yvonne brought their flair to packed out workshops. International Youtube bachata stars Ataca (Jorge) and La Alemana (Tanja) shared their signature moves, with many dancers who couldn’t fit in their workshops simply sitting back and watching in awe. Jorge and Leslie returned for a second year and again wowed us with their hottest turn patterns and Bachata Caliente sexy styling, and the truly stunning Serena Cuevas got bachateros’ bodies (and eyes) moving in ways they hadn’t before with her body-movement sessions.

The evenings brought together record numbers of dancers and performers who filled the venue and, as if their feet weren’t sore, danced to the best latin DJ’s and new tunes by Mi Tierra band. Each and every show we saw by the internationals, local professionals and students added to what was a vibrant mix of styles and stories. Highlights included a heart-wrenching solo by Larissa Thayane and her wonderful zouk with Kadu, Nestor and Katrina’s hot new funky bachata number, a gorgeous duet by Moro and Fernando and of course not forgetting the stand-out numbers by our internationals Jorge, Leslie and Serena, and the performance of Ataca y La Alamanas 9million-times-viewed-on-Youtube bachata routine Te Extrano. It was clear that bachata is no longer considered the slow dance played only at the end of the night, but has developed into one of the hottest, most diverse and playful dances in Australia’s latin scene.

On the final night we had the pleasure of welcoming two of THE biggest names in bachata music to the Sydney stage.  Prophex and his crew hotted-up the dancefloor with both their most well-known and some new bachata and reggaeton numbers. A host of gorgeous backup dancers (and two water bottles) helped make the Prophex show one to remember! Next up was international bachata superstar Jimmy Bauer. Serenading us with some of our favourite bachata tunes live in concert, Jimmy ended with the ever romantic Por Ti, getting everyone’s hearts a’racing. For one final hoorah, a whopping 800 bachateros broke out (in unison) with the event’s signature routine “freaky, sexy, nasty“.

How to fit all the magic of this year’s Bachata Festival into one short review? Impossible!. When asked of their stand-out moments most attendees replied “everything between Thursday and Monday”. Nestor, Juan and Sky have done a wonderful job in promoting bachata throghout Australia with this action-packed, fun-filled and inspirational weekend. Now to go home, promote the buggery out of bachata and come up with something even hotter to share with Australia at next year’s festival. I can’t wait to see what they have in store for us in 2011!

Peace, love, bachata x

Written by Kari Bowling. Kari is a die hard Bachatera from Adelaide. She teaches salsa, bachata and zumba at Latin Dance Nation in Adelaide. If you see her, make sure you grab a dance with her.

JIMMY BAUER and PROPHEX will be performing live on Sunday, 25th of April, 2010, making it the BIGGEST BACHATA CONCERT in Australia!

Make sure you attend this concert, as this has never happen ever in Australia! 2 BIG artist in one night!

THE ARTISTS

JIMMY BAUER

Without doubt, the “Baby Face” of the Bachata, Jimmy Bauer, made history in the Bachata Industry when he released popular songs such as “Por ti”, “Te Recuerdo” and “Todas tus cosas” (“All your stuff”).

Jimmy Bauer’s bachata have been played all over the world, they have been the cover songs for popular latino soap operas, and have been nominated for international awards.

Australia has been waiting for an artist of Jimmy’s caliber to come to its shores. Jimmy Bauer is excited to come to Australia for the first time and be part of the Sydney Bachata Festival. He will be singing his most famous Bachatas live! This is an opportunity not to be missed!

Read more on Jimmy Bauer

PROPHEX – EL PROFETA

PROPHEX is a multitalented composers/singer/producer based in New York. Propheta, part of EL sistema powerhouse, has produced tracks for artists and labels from both the Urban and Latin markets, and has streamlined into Pop as well. PROPHEX’s production creds include remixes for Tego Calderon and Daddy Yankee among others

He sings Merengues, Bachatas, Reaggeton, Socalo and a new style called “Crunkeo”

For the Sydney Bachata Festival, PROPHEX will be releasing his brand new Bachata, called “We love Bachata” (download the song).

Read more on Prophex

THE BIGGEST BACHATA CONCERT IN AUSTRALIA!

With Jimmy Bauer and Prophex performing live for the Sydney Bachata Festival, the concert will sell out for sure! Get your tickets now!

Concert Tickets $45 (doors open at 7pm, dance performances plus Prophex and Jimmy Bauer live!)

BUY TICKETS NOW!

The evolution of Bachata begun with a change in the music itself, let’s look the past few decades… In the early 90’s, Luis Vargas and Antony Santos, both from the Dominican Republic, started to popularize Bachata to the Caribbean market. These guys decided to include the use of electric guitars, something that was not done before. In 1992, Dominican born singer Juan Luis Guerra won a Grammy for his album “Bachata Rosa”, his Bachatas blended the traditional romantic Bachata sounds with Bolero. The popularity of his music helped raise the profile of Bachata music throughout the world. When Aventura was formed in New York in 1994, they started blending rnb, hip hop and reggaeton tunes to the Bachata rhythm. This new rnb/hip hop infused Bachata was, and still is, a major factor in what makes Bachata music what it is today.

Notice here how the music evolved!

Similar to the music, the dance itself has evolved from its origins As the music is from the Dominican Republic, of course this is where Bachata dancing was born. As the music spread across the globe, so did the dance. Different cultures around the world have embraced Bachata and they have created their own interpretation of the dance, creating a beautiful fusion of different styles into the Bachata steps. There is no written evidence of this ‘evolution’ to date however, we can all witness the evidence ourselves when we attend dance events and even the vast amount of material on community sites such as YouTube (Keyword “Bachata dance”).

Without this evolution and the various creative interpretations from the various talented dancers and performers, Bachata would not be experiencing the growth and popularity it is today. Nowdays, there are 3 major styles of Bachata danced around the world: Dominican Style, Standard/Traditional Style (being the most popular) and the Moderna Style. I’m sure this is only the beginning, as we will see more instructors and dancers create new dance forms and new dance steps based on the basics of the Bachata steps (lately, Bachatango being a famous style in Europe).

If it is changing, it is because it’s growing and it is because it’s alive! If it’s not growing, then it’s dying. Bachata is changing, Bachata is growing, and therefore Bachata is alive!

Let’s embrace this evolution! Let’s collaborate and support all performers, dancers, instructors and promoters that want to share their love of Bachata to the world regardless of which style they teach or dance. I encourage you to try and learn all different styles of Bachata, and then, make it your own.

Bachateros from all over the world respect and are thankful to the Dominicans for creating such a beautiful dance and rhythm. I don’t think Dominicans imagined how popular Bachata was going to become. So, THANK YOU for giving Bachata to the world!

PS. If you know of more variations of Bachata, I invite you to share it with the community! The more we work together on this, the bigger Bachata will become!

Written by – Juan Ruiz. Juan is the director of Bachateros Online Magazine and a bachata instructor, pioneer of the Bachata Moderna style