| Just like salsa, Bachata Dance is becoming | | | | be the result of cultural eccentricities or any number of |
| progressively popular not only in the United States, but | | | | other factors, including geography, culture and |
| in the world. But there are some dancers out there | | | | topography. For example, salsa historians attribute the |
| that instead of rejoicing over bachata's popularity, they | | | | development of mambo timing steps to the clave beat |
| have become prejudiced to whomever is dancing | | | | or tumbao. In the same manner, the rapid salsa shines |
| bachata dissimilar to the way they dance. Perhaps I | | | | are attributed to the bongos. |
| can partly elucidate in this article on why bachata is | | | | Given the important role of the thesis for innovation, it |
| where it is supposed to be going. | | | | is disturbing that far too many so-called "innovators" |
| It's called innovation. Innovation in Latin Dance is really | | | | set out to create and promote new dance styles |
| not a modern phenomenon. In fact, dance innovation | | | | without the background, study, and analysis necessary |
| did not begin and end with Eddie Torres or Francisco | | | | to formulate a valid reason for modifications. I know |
| Vasquez. Although Eddie was one of our foremost | | | | for a fact that some of these self-proclaimed experts |
| contemporary dance innovators, innovation is as old as | | | | are motivated for all the wrong reasons. For example, |
| the Cuban Son or traditional Bachata themselves. In | | | | the "so called innovator" would discard the origin of the |
| fact, all of the Latin Dance is a product of innovation. | | | | dance because his knowledge of history, tradition and |
| The annals are full of examples: Cuban Son, Rumba, | | | | culture is minimal. He develops a modified dance style |
| Cha Cha Cha, Cumbia, Bolero, Merengue and Mambo | | | | according to his limited knowledge. |
| are just but a few. | | | | In my case, I have devoted more than 8 years to |
| To define innovation, a device or process created by | | | | practicing, studying, researching, and analyzing bachata |
| study and experimentation, the creation of something in | | | | dance styles. I extensively studied the music, history |
| the mind. | | | | and culture. My 15 years of experience in the Latin |
| Since constant innovations of street dance such as | | | | Dance (salsa on1, on2, timba, son, casino, merengue, |
| bachata is not new, there is a very troublesome trend | | | | paso doble, rumba, chachacha, samba, tango) helped a |
| developing among many of today's bachata dancers. It | | | | great deal since I came to know bachata dancing at a |
| is the tendency to launch cavalierly off to proclaim true | | | | Dominican Restaurant in New York city. I have |
| style of bachata dancing, supposedly each better than | | | | watched countless bachata dancers in the clubs and |
| the last. In fact, far too many of these so-called | | | | social parties. I have also carefully observed numerous |
| teachers and dancers are motivated for all the wrong | | | | Dominican dancers and even befriended some of |
| reasons. Some seek ego gratification, money, or fame. | | | | them. These experiences led me to the awareness |
| Others simply lack the discipline to persevere in a | | | | that many essential concepts, methods, and potential |
| particular dance style while some are just close | | | | styles were NOT being taught or established in the |
| minded, not to mention territorial, that they refuse to | | | | so-called bachata dance classes and workshops. |
| recognize (in a thinking term) other "colors' except | | | | More and more it became alarmingly obvious to me |
| black or white. | | | | that accurate information was being neglected. My |
| Many dance teachers are unaware of the inherent | | | | primary concerns centered on the concept of hip |
| complexity, responsibility and sacrifice of valid dance | | | | movements, partner- ability and basic steps. Side steps |
| innovation. They fail to realize that innovation is an | | | | became electric slides. Hip movements turned into |
| evolutionary process of methodical modification and | | | | grinding or humping. And dance partner-ability became |
| refinement, rather than a revolutionary product | | | | stiffly robotic with no sensuality and passion. |
| rendered out of whole cloth. It takes serious passion | | | | Originally, the concept of the bachata dance was |
| and countless experimentation. Motivation must come | | | | formulated based on simplicity, sensuality, sexuality, |
| from deep within the soul, heart, and mind. | | | | romance, heartaches and was danced at house |
| I hope to give my readers an unbiased look into my | | | | parties, backyard celebration, whorehouses and bars. |
| own search for and acquisition at dance innovation. I | | | | Of course, eventually, bachata music evolved to a |
| will try to provide a logical overview of a Dance | | | | more acceptable romantic and passionate music. |
| Infrastructure, Dance Thesis, and Dance Research | | | | Thanks to innovators such as Anthony Santos, Juan |
| necessary for a logical dance style innovation. I will also | | | | Luis Guerra, Aventura, Frank Reyes and others. They |
| share a brief history of how I came to dance the style | | | | helped innovate bachata music to what it is today. |
| I dance with bachata. | | | | THE DANCE RESEARCH |
| THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF A DANCE | | | | Research is a continuous and painstaking process of |
| It is ridiculous to think of developing a new style of | | | | observing, analyzing, testing, and documenting |
| dancing without an extensive infrastructure or | | | | information relevant to the innovator's thesis. There are |
| background in body movements. By infrastructure, I am | | | | two broad categories of research that, in reality, |
| not referring to superficial excursions into various | | | | overlap in very significant ways: academic and |
| dance styles. I am speaking about the foundation, core | | | | practical research. |
| knowledge, and a cornerstone. A knowledgeable | | | | Academic research is a process requiring dedication, |
| foundation can be built only on consistent training, | | | | patience, and an insatiable desire to learn. The |
| theory and practice. All great innovators were | | | | innovator truly must want to know all there is! Once |
| obsessed with experimenting and constant practice, | | | | again, his thesis enters the picture in the all-important |
| and each had an extensive foundation in the art | | | | role of a beacon, directing him to information that has |
| before even considering innovation. | | | | some relevance and bearing on his ultimate goal. |
| International Latin Ballroom dancing has played a large | | | | Without this direction he is likely to waste time sorting |
| part in my early dance history. During those years I | | | | and separating valuable data from a tremendous |
| have been perfecting the skills and techniques | | | | amount of junk and misinformation. |
| necessary for excellent dancing, and they have helped | | | | Research involves rapacious reading and observing all |
| me understand the complexities of dancing in general. | | | | kinds of dancers. An important thing to note is that the |
| Prior to Ballroom, I've trained extensively in the Martial | | | | body of printed materials on Latin dance, particularly; |
| Arts, studied and familiarized myself with body | | | | salsa dance has evolved geographically over the last |
| dynamics and kinetics earning myself a 4th degree | | | | 20 years. Instructional DVDs and the Internet have |
| Black Belt and a certificate in Fitness Training. For | | | | added a whole new and interesting database, and |
| many years, I have been teaching others these same | | | | workshops are offered around the world. Bachata |
| techniques and principles, helping them reach their | | | | information on the Internet is catching up. But let me |
| social or competitive goals. While I embarked myself to | | | | offer a word of caution: the innovator can't just |
| spread the bachata dance, I also specialize in other | | | | expose himself passively to these sources. Literature |
| dances like salsa dance, I don't practice ballroom no | | | | must be dissected and noted. Videos must be viewed |
| longer, since I prefer to dance free rather than in a | | | | over and over again. Music must be listened to and |
| structured manner. | | | | understood. Strategically sound and weak points |
| A strong foundation establishes the physical, mental, | | | | should be recorded and analyzed in personal journals. |
| and creativity of a great dance style. Extensive dance | | | | And finally, workshops and training programs should be |
| training develops and refines the attributes of the | | | | attended with an open mind, balanced with healthy |
| dance (i.e., speed, power, timing, balance, accuracy, | | | | skepticism. |
| fluidity, grace, partner- ability, etc.). A broad intellectual | | | | Realistic research thus begins. The innovator's |
| grasp of various dance techniques are critical to any | | | | information has been analyzed, cross-referenced, and |
| effort to modify and refine. Theoretical and conceptual | | | | refined to theoretical applications. It's time to break |
| analyses are touchstones of innovation. | | | | away from the black board and head for the lab. |
| Finally, a strong foundation will begin to open the | | | | Obviously there are some difficulties in approaching |
| dancer's inner self to the creative component of | | | | simple and sound practical or experimental research. |
| dancing. The innovator must become his art. Simply | | | | Somehow, somewhere, the innovator has to get it |
| put, there are no shortcuts! Every dance innovator | | | | right. The dance club is the answer. The innovator will |
| starts at the bottom and works his way up. The | | | | need innumerable social dancing, with all kinds of |
| greatest were beginners. If you are unprepared to | | | | dancers to test the result of his new dance concept. |
| embrace the principles, forget rushing ahead to modify | | | | This is the only way to test the innovator's hypotheses. |
| and create. A dance innovator can only succeed with | | | | The bottom line is - the innovator must have the |
| a deep conception of the various movements, | | | | on-hands experience of dancing in the clubs with all |
| techniques, and related elements of dancing. Innovation | | | | kinds of dancers, if he is going to preach it! He must |
| requires that you learn to walk before you can run. | | | | walk the talk! |
| THE THESIS OF A DANCE | | | | Finally, once the innovator's academic and practical |
| Innovation in every major field is based on a thesis. | | | | research have been compatibly merged and his |
| The thesis may be an aphorism, a concept, a rule, or | | | | hypothesis adequately tested and proven, he will be in |
| any other valid reason to modify and go beyond that, | | | | a position to crystallize and articulate a dance truth, in |
| which has already been established. Generally | | | | this case, his own style of dancing bachata. Over time |
| speaking, a valid thesis is the culmination of an | | | | this process and the resulting truths will build and |
| analytical process. It is not something "thought up" or | | | | evolve. Eventually, if successful, the innovator's |
| created on whim or fancy. Every foundational thesis | | | | research and experiments will lead to the structuring of |
| for innovation has origination in what has gone before. | | | | a complex array of truths. This will be the innovator's |
| For example, in science Einstein's theory of relativity | | | | dance style and teachings. This may sound easy to |
| would not have come about without Newtonian | | | | some, but I can tell you that it isn't. It didn't come easy |
| physics and the significant prior discoveries in | | | | for the Mambo King, Eddie Torres to develop Modern |
| electromagnetic physics. In art, the cubists and abstract | | | | Mambo. It wasn't an overnight revelation for Frankie |
| expressionists owed much to the discoveries of | | | | Martinez to develop Abakua style. And certainly, it |
| traditional realists. Bruce Lee wouldn't have had | | | | didn't come easy for Francisco Vasquez with his |
| developed his style, Jeet Kune Do, if he hadn't | | | | electrifying LA style of dancing on 1. Of course, last |
| extensively trained in the art of Wing Chun first. | | | | important factors with your innovation; did people like |
| The same is true for dancing! Modifications and | | | | it? Did you like it? Did it make sense? Or to be more |
| innovations in the sciences are based upon scientifically | | | | specific, did your partner like it? |
| established thesis. Theses for dance innovation may | | | | |