The basics to the dance are three-steps with a Cuban hip motion followed by a tap which can include a hip movement also during the tap. The knees should in general be slightly bent so the performer can sway their hips more easily. Generally, most of the dancer's movement is in the lower body up to the hips, and the upper body can be moved more or less depending of dance experience and personal style.
In partnering, the lead can decide whether to perform in open or closed position. Dance moves, or step variety, during performance strongly depends on the music (such as the rhythms played by the different instruments), setting, mood, and interpretation. Unlike Salsa, Bachata dance does not usually include many complex turn patterns, but they have come to be used more and more as the dance evolves. The leading is done just like in most other social dances, with a “pushing and pulling” hand and arm communication.
The original dance style from the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean is a basic dance sequence in a full 8 count moving within a square. Dancers in the Western World much later began developing a more simple pattern and added dance elements from other dances as well, the basic is also in a full 8 count, but with a side-to-side motion. Both Styles consist of 3 steps normal and then a tap step. The tap is often accompanied by a “pop” of the hips, and is sometimes substituted with syncopations (steps in between the beats). Bachata music has an accent in rhythm at every first count (one) in the measure of four beat, most people dance starting on the first beat and this is called dancing bachata to the basic rhythm of the music. But bachata can be danced to different timings as well e.g. tapping on the first beat and then take the first step on the second beat (dancing on two), one also seen Dominicans dancing on three and four. The tap is done on the opposite foot of the last step, while the next step is taken on the same foot as the tap. The dance direction changes after the tap or fourth step.
In partnering, the lead can decide whether to perform in open or closed position. Dance moves, or step variety, during performance strongly depends on the music (such as the rhythms played by the different instruments), setting, mood, and interpretation. Unlike Salsa, Bachata dance does not usually include many complex turn patterns, but they have come to be used more and more as the dance evolves. The leading is done just like in most other social dances, with a “pushing and pulling” hand and arm communication.
The original dance style from the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean is a basic dance sequence in a full 8 count moving within a square. Dancers in the Western World much later began developing a more simple pattern and added dance elements from other dances as well, the basic is also in a full 8 count, but with a side-to-side motion. Both Styles consist of 3 steps normal and then a tap step. The tap is often accompanied by a “pop” of the hips, and is sometimes substituted with syncopations (steps in between the beats). Bachata music has an accent in rhythm at every first count (one) in the measure of four beat, most people dance starting on the first beat and this is called dancing bachata to the basic rhythm of the music. But bachata can be danced to different timings as well e.g. tapping on the first beat and then take the first step on the second beat (dancing on two), one also seen Dominicans dancing on three and four. The tap is done on the opposite foot of the last step, while the next step is taken on the same foot as the tap. The dance direction changes after the tap or fourth step.