I'm new to Latin dancing in Pittsburgh - now what?
First of all, let me say WELCOME!! We are so glad to have you here.
Being new is one of the hardest places to be, because you’re using up a lot of your bravery just sucking at something new, and then you have to integrate socially into a new community that may have some social norms you’re not used to. I remember what it was like. But at the same time, my new phase was one of the most exciting times because every class, every social dance, every new connection was full of possibilities.
Try out as many social dance classes as you can in all the styles — Salsa, Bachata, Modern/Sensual Bachata, Kizomba, and Zouk. Find which teachers you vibe with best and which styles you like most. Our studios/companies include: For the Love of Bachata, Steel City Kizomba, Salsa Pittsburgh, Los Sabrosos, Cross Body Dance & Movement, Salsa412, and Zouk412.
Go to all the socials. Figure out what DJs inspire you and which environments make you feel at home. (Check out www.salsapittsburgh.com if you want the full lineup)
Meet people in classes - it will be easier to find friends at the socials! Check out some social tips here.
Ask people to dance. Regardless of whether you prefer to lead or follow, you can ask people for a dance yourself. It is very common, and it’s the only way to guarantee that you ever make it out there. If you want to spread the love, notice who also is on the sidelines and ask them.
Be patient. Growing your skills as a dancer takes time — plan for it to take a few years of consistent effort. Also, building friendships takes time too! Take it slowly and allow your relationships with others to build naturally. In time, you can have all the things you want.
Always remember you’re doing this for fun! Don’t take yourself so seriously that you forget you’re here to enjoy yourself. As long as you’re having a good time with those you dance with, you’re doing it right. :)
Prioritize dancing well before dancing fancy. Trying out fancy moves before we have solid foundations can be dangerous, and we don’t need anyone to get hurt! Likewise, if the dance floor is full, dance smaller and more simply to keep your partner as safe as possible.
If you have a problem with someone being inappropriate (touching, comments, etc), report it to the organizer. It is our job to protect you, and yes, unfortunately sometimes people with poor intentions find their way into our communities. But with your help, we can keep our communities safe by having conversations and holding boundaries.
Social Tips for Social Dancers
1. “Would you like to dance?” + eye contact + an extended hand is a clear and kind way to ask someone to dance
There are many ways to ask someone to dance, but making eye contact, extending an open hand, and using words to ask politely are one of the clearest and kindest ways to ask for a dance. Never take away a potential partner’s ability to consent to the dance.
2. Laugh when you make a mistake. Everyone messes up sometimes, even the pros.
Missed that hand connection? Spun once instead of twice? Almost tripped yourself? Laugh it off! It happens to everyone, and your ability to recover from little moments like this will determine your happiness in this hobby.
3. Don’t give advice on the dance floor.
People want to feel welcome at the social regardless of how good they may be at dancing. Advice says “you’re not good enough for me yet.” Leave the corrections to the dance teachers.
4. Eye contact, smiling, and dancing close are both cultural and personal
Yes, acknowledgement that someone is enjoying the dance feels good, but does it always have to be lots of eye contact, smiling, and closeness? Nope! Be gracious with your partners.
5. Meet your partner in the middle or at their level when your experience levels and style preferences don’t match
You want to be able to have fun together, and that can’t happen without some compromise. Trust me, you’ll have a better overall time dancing when you learn to dance with people of all experience levels.
6. Never force a move, and don’t do any sort of trick or dip without training.
Rushing into what you think is really fancy and cool is often a quick way to hurt your partner and/or the people around you. Get some training, PLEASE.
7. When the floor is crowded, take smaller steps, watch the space around you, and leave out the tricks & dips
This is also how people get hurt. And if you don’t dance smaller, the poor couple next to you will probably have to dance tiny to avoid you. Don’t be that person. Share the space.
8. If someone declines a dance with you, just say “okay” and ask someone else.
There’s a million reasons they might have said no, so don’t take it personally. Resilience is important.
9. Don’t lose your joy trying to impress others.
You don’t need to know a lot of moves, have fancy decorations, or be perfect to be worthy of a dance.
What would you add to this list? Tell me in the comments below.
The Origin of the Word "Bachata"
In 2014, Adam Taub was the first instructor who I heard share the meaning of the word “Bachata” - not the dance style we have come to know and love, but what it meant before that. He said “Bachata” referred to a fiesta del patio, a patio party among friends & neighbors in the countryside. For people who enjoyed playing guitar, dancing, sharing drinks and food with their family and friends, these were great times.
Later, upper class Dominicans would use this name to refer to a specific style of music and dance that had emerged from those bachatas in the countryside, but their meaning wasn’t a polite one. It was meant to signify that the genre was low-class. Eventually, by the 1990s (30 years into the genre’s existence), this term would be reclaimed with pride.
But it wouldn’t be until 2022, in a workshop by Edwin Ferreras (1/2 of the power duo that is Areíto Arts), that I would learn that the word bachata had come out of a West African word - cumbancha, or sometimes cumbachata, which also means a gathering or party.
If we follow the word lineage further back, we find the word cumbé that etymologists speculate may have come from the Kongo language word, kúmba, which means “to make noise.”
Many of our favorite dance styles have similar word lineages, often with their names referring to gatherings in various origin languages. Ricardo Lemvo, renowned world music artist, shared in a discussion at Steel City Kizomba’s Reecontro Weekender this past October that the word mambo comes from the Kikongo language and also means “a gathering.” I’ve heard the same of the word kizomba in Angola as well as other Latin music & dance genre names including rumba. Cool, right? While this word lineage may not affect your Bachata (or other) dancing at all, I personally find it grounding and impactful to reflect on the deep roots of Africa that spread through our favorite dances.
It’s also important to recognize and honor the humble origins of our dance styles - often cultivated by those that their oppressors deemed “low class.” The people who poured their love into the genre were looked down upon for decades before Bachata finally got recognition worldwide. (Did you know it’s been protected by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since 2019?) Considering the trials Bachata has been through in its 60+ year lifespan just to continue existing, we need to give average Dominicans their flowers.
If you’re an instructor, consider the impact including this mini-history into your lessons could have on your students understanding of, appreciation for, and development in the dance styles you teach.
Resources:
Adam Taub, Bachata Culture & History Workshops 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018
Areíto Arts, Bolero Workshop 2022
“La Bachata: Blues y Bolero entre isla y continente” - Jochy Herrera
“Cumbancha” - Wiktionary
Ricardo Lemvo, discussion at Steel City Kizomba Reencontro Weekender, October 2023
Bachata!: A Social History of Dominican Popular Music - Deborah Pacini Hernandez
Does dancing with other people give you anxiety?
“I have trouble letting others lead me.”
“It’s hard to trust/let go of control.”
“As soon as I start dancing with someone, I forget everything.”
Do these sound familiar?
I hear these statements pretty frequently in dance classes as well as from people who get close to dancing, but never take the leap. If you didn’t catch it yet, all of these comments reveal some anxiety hiding beneath the surface. And I get it — dancing with others can be scary!
The first thing I want to acknowledge is, if you say this in a dance class, you’ve already done the hardest thing, which is just to show up! Yay you!
you can Rewire your brain
But I want to give you a little more encouragement. For whatever reason your nervous system is getting anxious when dancing with other people (generalized anxiety, trauma, social anxiety, feeling “not good enough,” etc.), you can rewire your brain to feel more comfortable and confident while dancing.
Yes, you really can! But how?
Your brain will build new neural pathways (literally rewiring itself) when you have new, positive experiences with the thing that scares you. Yep, more than saying affirmations, more than picking through your brain to dissect the problem, getting out there and having new experiences is your best medicine. Just by showing up to class and having fun dancing with others, you are doing the work of slowly re-training your brain and your emotional regulation system. SO COOL, right?! These moments can be as short as one song to contribute to positive change.
The brain learns from experience, and it will re-learn with experience, too. Out with the old, in with the new.
Recently, I was learning about ADHD and the authors of the book ADHD 2.0 said something that I had never thought of, but made so much sense. Your brain regenerates neurons & neural connections with movement. That means dancing is one of the absolute best ways to rewire your brain!
Just like any other learning, repeating your exposure to these experiences will be a necessary part of making the change. Be consistent, be committed, and eventually you’ll look back one day and go, “Holy crap! I’m doing it. I’m doing the thing that once terrified me.”
Throw Unhelpful Thoughts Away
Before I say anything else, let me affirm that you are worthy of dancing. Just by existing, you are worthy. You belong here, exactly as you are, with whatever skills and abilities you have or don’t have.
If you’re someone having specific troubles around worthiness and judgment, something I have practiced is checking unhelpful thoughts like they were a ping pong ball coming at you. Just ping! and send them away, every time. It may take awhile to notice, but eventually you’ll find the judgmental thoughts grow fewer.
It’s important to remember that we are NOT our thoughts. Thousands of thoughts will cross our minds every day, but they are just the random production of a brain often working at hyper speed, using too little information, and being quite impulsive. Do not take your thoughts too seriously. Even when a really effed up thought crosses your mind, just ping it away and go “that one was weird, right?”
One of the dancers in my class last year said, “the dance seems to go better when I don’t let myself think the bad thoughts.” Others have said similar things since, because it’s true! Allowing the bad thoughts in just makes the worry worse, and distracts us from the dance. Blocking out those thoughts will lead to much better dancing. You’ll get out of your way and start having more fun, which is the entire point of dancing, right?
That’s just the first step, but replacing those thoughts with positive reframes can be helpful. After you throw away a trashy thought, replace it with a better one, such as “I am getting braver every day.”
Here are a few helpful thoughts you can substitute in when you’re having an unhelpful one:
I am doing my best right now.
This is where I need to be.
It doesn’t matter what anyone else is doing; this is my journey.
I am getting better all the time.
What other people think is a reflection of them, not of me.
I can do hard things.
I am proud of myself for being here.
Finally, I want you to start looking for moments where you DO feel worthy and capable. Notice them. Collect those moments like a kid collects cool rocks. Plaster the walls of your brain with them. Put them on actual sticky notes if it helps. Grow your collection of moments where you feel worthy and you’ll start to feel that way all the time.
Choose a teacher that will help
Now, as a teacher, it’s also partly my responsibility to make sure you have positive experiences in class. The teacher helps sets the tone and environment, so let me explain some things I do to help:
Everyone who attends classes, socials, and weekenders with FTLOB must sign that they will abide by our Code of Conduct. This makes people aware of how they interact with others and generally chases away the most unsafe people.
No unsolicited feedback in class. Unsolicited feedback feels like the absolute worst thing when you’re working through vulnerability in a learning setting. That’s why in my class, no one is allowed to give unsolicited feedback except for the teacher, and even then I think carefully about what is most important in the moment before sharing. I never want to overwhelm you or make you feel like you’re not doing well. I do, however, want to build your confidence through small, actionable tips.
I demonstrate the kindness, compassion, and patience I want to see in others in all my actions to the best of my ability, and I remind students to give themselves grace when I observe they’re having a hard moment.
you are not alone
If you are struggling with anxiety in dance, please know you are not alone. So many dancers come to my classes with these thoughts, and I, too, have dealt with similar feelings in other contexts. Anxiety, unworthiness, and other destructive feelings are products of the fast-paced, perfectionistic, competition-driven culture we live in and you are perfectly normal for struggling with your brain’s reaction to this environment. With some re-training, you can make your brain a more beautiful place, even when the world is putting on the pressure.
If you’ve struggled with anxiety in dancing, tell me in the comments what has helped you move through it. Maybe your story will inspire another dancer.
7 Joe Veras Songs You Need to Add to Your Playlist Now
Joe Veras first debuted in 1995 and quickly rose in popularly in DR and abroad. He’s a certified OG of Bachata and we’re so lucky that he’s still creating hits, performing, and spreading the love of Bachata.
Here are 7 songs of his you need to add to your playlist now — and none of them come from his top songs list on Spotify.
Corazón Callado
2. en el amor
3. Hombe
4. Dime qué pasó
5. Tequila, ron, y cerveza
6. Provócame (Me gusta eso)
7. Todo Cansa
I saved his most recent song publication (as of posting this blog, of course) for last. It’s a really good one.
3 Types of Lessons Every Dancer Needs
In a sea of dancing and an impending sense of FOMO, how do you decide where to focus your attention?
1. Progressive Lessons
Ah yes, the good old weekly lesson, the staple of the dance industry. No, this is not just a marketing ploy to get your money out of your pocket every week but actually a method of learning that every dedicated dancer should take seriously. The purpose of these lessons is to teach you the next sequence of foundational skills for your specific level and give you the small-group focus you need to master them. Another benefit is actually that week in between lessons. Something important happens in that time and it’s called integration — the new learning settles in the off time and makes room for more learning the following class. When designed properly, weekly classes should provide you with exactly what you need to improve your dancing right now. Theoretically, in a leveled class, you should not be able to pass to the next level until you have acquired the skills in each previous level, just like a math or foreign language course. If you can’t add and subtract, you’re not ready to multiply either and the same goes for dancing. This is where many instructors get held up because honesty feels mean, but inevitably, failing to uphold standards in class leveling leads to chaos and frustration for learners. Sometimes, it leads to teaching moves and patterns and ignoring skills altogether. However, when instructors do it right, it can be seen as an act of compassion and faith that you will be able to reach your goals. I remember when taking an intensive Salsa series years ago, I was making excuses for my struggle with a certain exercise and my instructor stopped and asked me in a kind voice, “Do you want me to be nice to you or do you want to get better?” I sunk my head and murmured, “I want to get better.” He cared, and this was how he showed it - by holding me accountable. I have never learned so much in a few months as I did then and everyone noticed. Do all progressive classes need to be leveled? Not necessarily. My own weekly Bachata classes focus on foundations welcome learners of all levels because I know how to differentiate for beginner, familiar, and experienced learners, letting each student know what they need to be focusing on — the rudimentary movement, building confidence with the movement, or even the finer details the learner wasn’t ready to pay attention to before.
Pros:
Sequential skill learning
Personal attention & feedback
Personal, long-term relationships with instructors
Learn to lead or follow many people
Cons:
Limited by the scope, perspectives, and level of one instructor
Infidelity to leveling when not designed correctly
2. Special Workshops
Special workshops can be a gift in your life. They can ignite a new passion, let you try out a new style or instructor, provide you unique perspectives, and introduce you to new dancers when done at a festival or weekender. They are often not progressive, as the instructor has no idea who will show up (and again, dancers usually don’t actually know their own dance level. We over-estimate, sometimes by a lot! 😂). Many of my favorite learning experiences were in special workshops. Something the teacher said maybe turned on a lightbulb inside my head and got me excited for this new understanding. Sometimes it was that I was introduced to something I didn’t have any access to in my hometown and I realized I freaking loved it. (Fun fact: This is how I fell in love with “traditional/Dominican” Bachata.) I left these workshops feeling like I possessed something golden. You couldn’t see it, but I could feel it. On the other hand, I’ve also taken special workshops so far above my own level I either had to struggle pathetically for the rest of the workshop or just drop out. I’ve also been utterly bored and even disappointed that a famous dancer was not, after all, a good instructor or even a nice person. You never know what you’ll get but with time you’ll learn to follow the instructors that inspire you and you’ll also know how to use your network to figure out who would be a good fit for your interests. Sometimes discovering what or who is NOT right for can also be a very good thing, too.
Pros:
Diverse content
Try something new without the commitment
Access to famous instructors
Meet new people outside of your town
Get inspired
Good instructors can design open level workshops where there’s something for everyone
Cons:
You never know what you’re going to get
You often rely on your own judgment of your skills which can be faulty
No progressive sequencing
Can be so large you do not get personal feedback
3. Private Lessons
Private lessons can be a great complement to any learning series. You get 1-on-1 learning with the instructor of your choice with nothing but personal feedback. I repeat, NOTHING BUT PERSONAL FEEDBACK. Unless you come prepared with what you want to learn, be careful, because these lessons can expose some things you weren’t ready to hear about yourself. I remember one of the times I took a private lesson with Darlin García, I asked him to help me work on whatever weakness he perceived in my Salsa dancing. To get an idea of what that might be, he asked me to start dancing my basic step. I got through 1-2-3 5- and bam! He stopped me. He had found something THAT quickly. Yeah, you think you know how to do the basics until you ask a pro-level dancer and they’ll let you know you right quick that you’ve been faking them. (Admit it, we’ve all been caught faking them in our attempt to convince ourselves we’re advanced dancers!) Be humble and be teachable. Private lessons are worth their value when you’re ready to hear this level of feedback.
Private lessons can also be used for progressive learning when you want to learn at a faster pace than the weekly lessons or when you just don’t have access to them. After about a year of trying various weekly lesson series, my latest instructor had moved away and I started taking weekly private lessons with another one of the local instructors who did not offer group classes. I continued taking them for almost 6 months and I grew tremendously then because the instructor was not only an accomplished dancer himself, but he was also a natural teacher and had a magical way of complimenting my growth while simultaneously setting my sight on the next goal. It was exactly what I needed at that time.
Pros:
Perfect the fine details of your dancing
Get 100% personal feedback
Learn more and faster
Access instruction you can’t get elsewhere
Cons:
Larger financial investment
Can be overly influenced by 1 perspective if you don’t take lessons with any other instructors
Lose the social benefit of learning with other people
Overall, I recommend taking all kinds of lessons because they all have value and can help you get where you want to go. Don’t be afraid to try new instructors, styles, and learning methods, because you might be surprised by what actually works for you. And most importantly — stay open and teachable.
The Evolution of Bachata Music
Have you ever wondered why the Bachata music played at parties can sound so different? That’s because the genre has been around for 60 years and it has evolved quite a bit from its early days. It also has spawned some offshoots that continue to be enjoyed and called Bachata, but are not representative of the main evolution of the genre.
To help confused dancers understand, I’ve compiled research I’ve done from reading books such as “Bachata” by Deborah Pacini Hernandez, “Bachata and Dominican Identity” by Julie Sellers, “El Primer Bachatero del Mundo” by José Manuel Calderón, interviews with pioneers and witnesses to the evolution of the genre such as Mártires de León and the many others through Adam Taub’s work, as well as information received directly from mentors such as Edwin Ferreras.
The following graphic likely is an imperfect representation, as different sources quote different dates. That’s what happens when people are questioned decades later about what was happening. It’s okay. This isn’t meant to be a hard-edged timeline but rather a soft tool to help curious learners understand the development of this genre. I am open to editing it as I get more information from qualified resources.
Distribution: You may share this graphic via this blog link for context to explain to viewers what the pieces mean. No permission is granted to print, reproduce, or publish as your own. Love of Bachata, LLC reserves all rights.
About this graphic:
I tried to mention 2-3 big names for each genre in each decade as a rough guide to anchor ideas, though artists like Luis Segura have been active across nearly 60 years, thus their music is not always indicative of one time period. Likewise, Luis Vargas debuted in 1982 but is usually thought of most for his music in the 90s - and he continues to release music today.
Typical names of the time also appear at the bottom with the color sections helping show the change. It’s important to note there was no one name for Bachata for a long time. In an interview, Mártires de León said even in the 70s the album covers said “Bolero.”
The term “R&B influenced Bachata” is not an actual name for a sub-genre but rather my description to help viewers understand that this style of Bachata was developing alongside the original strain of the music. We call both Bachata without any hesitation or argument. However, I wanted to show this break from the mainstream because many dancers say that the work of Romeo Santos, Toby Love, etc. is the most evolved form of the music and that’s misleading. Music without a heavy R&B/pop influence continues to be successful in Dominican Republic and in the larger Latin music industry.
Tecno Bachata is a name, however, created by Luís Días to separate the Bachata music he was making from the mainstream Bachata, which he referred to as “Bachata Madre” (Mother Bachata, that has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?). However, you won’t find Juan Luís Guerra using this term to refer to his music. Again, calling it Bachata as well is fine (and the norm for the majority of listeners) but recognizing the break from the original is important.
Final Thoughts… for now
It’s important that dancers in the worldwide Latin dance scene recognize that they are not the majority consumer group of Bachata music. This music belongs to Dominicans and the entire worldwide Latin music market, which is much, much larger than the dance scene. The people who listen to this music as part of their culture (and not just as part of their hobby) are the real owners of the music and will continue to drive the evolution over the coming decades.
P.S. Don’t come for me for including remixes on here. Whether or not you recognize them as a valid form of Bachata music, it was important to me to show that they do not come from the original evolutionary strand of Bachata.
Sources:
”Bachata” by Deborah Pacini Hernandez
”La Evolución de la Guitarra en la Bachata” interview with Mártires de León
”El Primer Bachatero del Mundo” by José Manuel Calderón
Interview with Rafael Montilla by Adam Taub
Listen to the Evolution of Bachata for yourself
I made this mix to honor Bachata Day 2022, the 60th anniversary of the recording of the 1st song later deemed Bachata.
Disclaimer: Finding song release dates is extremely hard to do when iTunes didn’t even come out until 2001. Some artists have added correct release dates on their albums, but some songs/albums are marked as the day they were uploaded, even if they were released decades earlier. This mix is likely imperfect, but still useful.
This 2nd Mix is the follow-up to the 1st mix. This mix shows how diverse Bachata has become (and that Bachata from the 90s Golden Era did not die out when R&B-influenced Bachata began to rise in popularity). If I had used songs from the past 5 years, I could have shown an even greater variety than this, but using just 2 years’ worth of music was too tempting to pass up this time.
Learn more on your own using the MANY resources in our Bachata Library now. Click the button below to enter.
9 Versions of "Burbujas de Amor" that aren't by Juan Luis Guerra....
The music by Juan Luis Guerra in early 90s was a pivotal moment for Bachata. While his music deviated from what was then seen as Bachata (his style is attributed to the TecnoBachata style that originated with Victor Victor, Sonia Silvestre, and others who wanted to make Bachata more likeable by the masses), his music was undeniably good — very good, in fact. His lyrics were sweet, and while not completely devoid of sexual double-entendre like other Bachateros, the lack of vulgarity had a way with those upper class listeners that had previously shunned Bachata and labeled it as low class music. His contributions to the genre helped propel Bachata into the spotlight and began to diminish stigmas the upper class had against it.
Burbujas de amor is one of the Bachatas on Juan Luis Guerra’s album, “Bachata Rosa,” released in 1990.
The Original, Tecno Bachata
Bolero Version, taking it back to the roots
It’s really cool to see what the same song could have sounded like if it had been produced as a Bolero/early Bachata song.
90’s Mainstream Bachata Version
Luis Vargas gives us a look at what the song could sound like if produced like mainstream Bachata songs in the 90s.
2010’s Bachata Version, more r&b/pop influenced style
Grupo Extra later re-imagined it as a Bachata song from their era with extra sweet singing and more of a pop feel.
Merengue Versions
Merengueros couldn’t help but turn it into their favorite genre, either.
Salsa Romántica Version
And, if you still needed more Burbujas de Amor in your life, there’s a Salsa version for you.
Bossa Nova Version
For chill days…
Norteño Version
Mexican artists did many versions of the song, both Norteños and Bandas. This was my favorite of them, but feel free to search the song on Spotify and explore all the many versions I didn’t include here.
Portuguese Language Version
Lyrics
I’ve got a heart
Mutilated by hope and reason
I hae a heart
That wakes up wherever
Ay ay ay ay
And this heart
Strips in patience before your voice
Poor heart
It can’t catch its sanity
I wish I were a fish
To touch my nose in your fishbowl
And make bubbles of love
Everywhere
Oh oh oh, pass the night awake
Wet in you
A fish
To sew corals on your waist
And make silhouettes of love
Underneath the moon
Oh oh oh, quench this madness
Wet in you
Sing, heart
With a necessary chain of illusion
Dream, heart
Don’t cloud your heart with bitterness
Ay ay ay ay
And this heart
Strips with impatience before your voice
Poor heart
Can’t catch its sanity
I wish I were a fish
To touch my nose
In your fishbowl
And make bubbles of love
Everywhere
Oh oh oh, pass the night awake
Wet in you
A fish
To sew corals on your waist
And make silhouettes of love
Underneath the moon
Oh oh oh, quench this madness
Wet in you
One night
To sink deep until the end
Face to face, kiss to kiss
An live forever
Wet in you
I wish I were a fish
To touch my nose
In your fishbowl
And make bubbles of love
Everywhere
Oh oh oh, pass the night awake
Wet in you
A fish
To sew corals on your waist
And make silhouettes of love
Underneath the moon
Oh oh oh, quench this madness
Wet in you
To touch my nose
In your fishbowl
And make bubbles of love
Everywhere
Oh oh oh, pass the night awake
Wet in you
A fish
To sew corals on your waist
And make silhouettes of love
Underneath the moon
Oh oh oh, quench this madness
Wet in you
Tengo un corazón
Mutilado de esperanza y de razón
Tengo un corazón
Que madruga adonde quiera
Ay ay ay ay
Y ese corazón
Se desnuda de impaciencia ante tu voz
Pobre corazón
Que no atrapa su cordura
Quisiera ser un pez
Para tocar mi nariz en tu pecera
Y hacer burbujas de amor
Por donde quiera
Oh-oh-oh pasar la noche en vela
Mojado en ti
Un pez
Para bordar de corales tu cintura
Y hacer siluetas de amor
Bajo la luna
Oh-oh-oh saciar esta locura
Mojado en ti
Canta corazón
Con un ancla imprescindible de ilusión
Sueña corazón
No te nubles de amargura
Ay ay ay ay
Y este corazón
Se desnuda de impaciencia ante tu voz
Pobre corazón
Que no atrapa su cordura
Quisiera ser un pez
Para tocar mi nariz
En tu pecera
Y hacer burbujas de amor
Por donde quiera
Oh-oh-oh pasar la noche en vela
Mojado en ti
Un pez
Para bordar de corales tu cintura
Y hacer siluetas de amor
Bajo la luna
Oh-oh-oh saciar esta locura
Mojado en ti
Una noche
Para hundirnos hasta el fin
Cara a cara, beso a beso
Y vivir por siempre
Mojado en ti
Quisiera ser un pez
Para tocar mi nariz
En tu pecera
Y hacer burbujas de amor
Por donde quiera
Oh-oh-oh pasar la noche en vela
Mojado en ti
Un pez
Para bordar de cayenas tu cintura
Y hacer siluetas de amor
Bajo la luna
Oh-oh-oh saciar esta locura
Mojado en ti
Para tocar mi nariz
En tu pecera
Y hacer burbujas de amor
Por donde quiera
Oh-oh-oh pasar la noche en vela
Mojado en ti
Un pez
Para bordar de cayenas tu cintura
Y hacer siluetas de amor
Bajo la luna
Oh-oh-oh vaciar esta locura
Mojado en ti
Bachata Styles Breakdown
This blog comes from a FB post I made on my personal timeline. I am copying it here for wider sharing and so it can be a resource for the future.
Lately I've been getting a lot of questions from dancers in my scene that express confusion over the many names of Bachata. What's Dominican Bachata vs. Traditional Bachata vs. Modern Bachata vs. Sensual Bachata?
Let me explain.
Bachata is the dance from Dominican Republic. It is actually currently evolving with each new generation and is as modern and evolved as other styles claim to be when you compare it to where it has come from. (Bachata began evolving from Bolero Campesino, a rural guitar music in DR, around the early 60s.) Dominicans continue to call this dance Bachata, and thus, I call my dance classes and events by this name, too, as I try to always honor the culture it comes from.
Hallmarks of Bachata on the island are a focus on using a variety of basic steps to create intrigue and to use grounded body movement to create the feeling of the dance. Decorations include deeper body movement of the hips and footplay. It’s important to add that different regions of the island can dance differently, but I think I spoke generally enough to still be accurate, at least for the most part.
The names Traditional/Dominican/Authentic Bachata are attempts by congress organizers to distinguish this style of dance from the westernized counterparts (that I'll get to in a moment). However, in the congress world, workshops with these names rarely resemble what's happening on the island. Many (thankfully not all) workshops with these names have become fusions of Modern Bachata and Dominican flavor, often taking all the possible decorations from the island and producing a style almost exclusively relying on these decorations. Sometimes it's almost completely Salsa footwork to Bachata music. I will not name names, but I'll let you do more research on your own, maybe visit the island if you're able, or just follow Dominicans living on the island on social media to learn to see the difference.
Okay, okay, so what's Modern Bachata? Modern Bachata is the dance that was created when social dancers in westernized countries/areas like the US, Australia, and Europe began to have greater access to Bachata music (thanks to the booming success of Aventura in the early 2000s) but did not have much access to the dance or to Dominicans. These dancers admit to have used the little they learned from Dominicans (step step step break) and what they already knew of Salsa and other dances to create basically something brand new. They continued to call this dance Bachata, even though it did not resemble the dancing in DR very much. Hallmarks of this style are using 1 or 2 basic steps (side to side and maybe forward-and-back) and adding a lot of turns, spins, hammerlocks, redirections, and dips to create the intrigue. The hip movement also starts to change with a focus on taking wider steps. Most dance classes unfortunately labeled as "Bachata" are actually Modern Bachata or a mixture of this style and the next one I will describe. (This is what I first learned when I started dancing Bachata. It was fun!)
Sensual Bachata is a style of dance that was created by a single couple in Spain, Korke and Judith. This dance is based entirely off of Modern Bachata, but with the addition of "sensualized" torso isolations in the form of body rolls, body waves, and other upper body isolations, as well as tricks to form this style. The focus of this dance is on the hips-up. While it has a lot of similarities to Brazilian Zouk (another fusion dance), Judith and Korke deny having known about Brazilian Zouk at the time they created Sensual Bachata. B-zoukers openly doubt and criticize this.
When it comes to music, yes, some people do try to label music as "Traditional" vs. "Modern" but rarely are these labels used with any consistency. Sometimes they mean it by decade (i.e. the music from the 90s = traditional and 2000s and up = modern), sometimes they mean it for music composed in the original evolutionary strand vs. the music influenced by R&B that started with Aventura, but most of the time I hear people use these terms really to denote the difference between Bachata music that uses live musicians and instruments vs. DJ-produced music.
Musicians and Dominicans will tell you there's only 3 categories: (1) Bachata, music originally composed to be Bachata, (2) covers, music originally composed as another genre that a Bachata musician re-composed and produced as Bachata, and (3) remixes, music originally composed as another genre that had some basic Bachata rhythms added later.
Remember, it's appropriation to let an outside culture take a cultural art form and be the one to carry the torch of "modernization." The dance and the music are still evolving just fine within their native culture.
Resources: I have a lot of sources that provide this information in the Bachata Library on my website: www.fortheloveofbachata.com/library
*PLEASE DO NOT DISPARAGE ANY STYLE IN THE COMMENTS* This is an educational post for new dancers trying to understand what they're seeing and not meant to be an outlet for anyone's drama. I will delete any comments that disparage a style.
Bachata Lyrics for Gringos, part 1
You may have heard some people are unhappy with the lyrics of Romeo Santos’ song, “Suegra,” which was just released on his Formula Vol. 3 album. Here is a general translation to help you make your own opinion.
On a music level though, this song is amazing. It samples so many popular songs from decades past and is a true work of art. Know a song sampled? Post it down below with a link for listeners to enjoy and explore!
Lyrics
Compadre, Romeo
Dígame que usted va a hacer con esa suegra suya
Bueno, esto no se sabe dónde vayas a parar
¡Mami!
Romeo Santos contigo
Descubrí nuestro problema
No fue efecto de cuarentena, era tu maldita madre de metiche y bochinchera
De metiche y bochinchera
Yo que fui tan bondadoso, le abrí las puertas de mi hogar
Pero si yo me descuido, te hace ponerme el divorcio
Tú me pones el divorcio
Y no me digas Mamá te quiere
Porque tiene un doctorado en joderme
Es evidente, tu corazón me gané
Y la bendita bruja no quiere vernos feliz
En su cumpleaños, le voy a hace' un regalo
Un buen cafecito, pero envenenado
Cuando se desmaye, la monto en mi carro
Y de una barranca pa'bajo, se la lleva el diablo
Y no me digas Mamá te quiere
Porque tiene un doctorado en joderme
Es evidente, tu corazón yo gané
Y la bendita bruja no quiere vernos feliz
En su cumpleaños, le voy a hace' un regalo
Un buen cafecito, pero envenenado
Cuando se desmaye, la monto en mi carro
Y de una barranca pa'bajo, se la lleva el diablo
Ahí está sonando una guitarra de bajos recursos, pero muchas ambiciones
¡Suena, Martire'!
Tú
En medio de este revolú
Mi amor, yo a ti te compadezco
Pero tengo fundamento pa' enfrentar a tu mamá
Y su maleficio terminar
Y como la vieja no se va, mi plan lo tengo que tramar
Viene En su cumpleaños, le voy a hace' un regalo
Un buen cafecito, pero envenenado
Cuando se desmaye, la monto en mi carro
Y de una barranca pa'bajo, se la lleva el diablo
*grito*
Romeo, brother
Tell me what you’re going to do with your mother-in-law
Well, there’s no way to tell where you’re gonna stop
Mami!
Romeo Santos with you
I figured out our problem
It wasn’t from quarantine, it was your fucking nosy, rowdy mother
nosy and rowdy
I kindly opened the doors to my house for her
But if I mess up, you’ll ask me for divorce
You’ll ask me for divorce
And don’t tell me Mom loves you
Because she has a doctorate in fucking me over
It’s evident, I won your heart
And the blessed witch doesn’t want to see us happy
On her birthday, I’ll give her a gift
A good coffee, but poisoned
When she passes out, I’ll take her in my car
And down a ravine, the devil will take her
Don’t tell me Mom loves you
Because she has a doctorate in fucking me over
It’s evident, I won your heart
And the blessed witch doesn’t want to see us happy
On her birthday, I’ll give her a gift
A good coffee, but poisoned
When she passes out, I’ll take her in my car
And down a ravine, the devil will take her
There’s the guitar playing under low resources, but with lots of ambition
Play it, Martires!
You
In the middle of this mess
My love, I feel for you
But I have a reason to confront your mom
And end her curse
And since the old woman won’t go, I have to make my plan
She’s coming
On her birthday, I’ll give her a gift
A good coffee, but poisoned
When she faints, I’ll take her in my car
And down a ravine, the devil will take her
*screaming*
The 1st Bachata Song & its evolution across the decades
On May 30th, 1962 José Manuel Calderón recorded, printed, and began selling his first album which included what is now considered the first Bachata song ever recorded. While at the time, this music did not have a clear name, and the name Bachata would not be used for a couple decades, “Qué Será de Mi (Condena)” was retrospectively pinpointed as the catalyst for change. In his autobiography that he co-wrote with Marivell Contreras, Calderón said he and his bandmates were simply trying to make Bolero sound less gloomy. (Though when I share the first version with my Bachata dance students, they often joke “that was less gloomy?” — Oh, how Bachata has changed in 60 years!)
Thanks to YouTube (and people’s ability to convert their original vinyl disks to mp3), I’ve been able to find the earliest version of the first Bachata song ever recorded. However, it’s still hard to know when these songs were originally recorded and released. Even without a clear timeline, though, I believe this series of re-released tracks allows us to hear the evolution of Bachata itself, as each version reflects the recording and playing trends of the era.
May 30th, 1962 - “Qué Será de Mi (Condena)” by José Manuel Calderón
Version 2 - Recording date unknown
You can hear the production & recording quality has improved in this version, yet it still distinctly has that old school Bachata feel.
(Please ignore the weird carrot pics interspersed throughout this video.. 😬)
Version 3 (I think) - Recording date also unknown
Newest Version - March 28th, 2020
And a Bolero version for funsies
Stories from the Recording Booth, an Interview by Adam Taub with Rafael Montilla
When I play the first and other early Bachata songs for the dancers in my classes, they are often surprised by the original sound of Bachata because, over the last 60 years, the genre has really defined itself well. Though part of this development can be credited to time passing, new technology, younger generations, and individual artists, it is also fascinating to hear from the sound engineers and recording studios that worked with so many artists.
In this interview, Adam Taub sits down with Rafael Montilla, a sound engineer that worked with many great Bachateros such as Blas Duran, Juan Bautista, Marino Perez, Luis Vargas, Anthony Santos, Raulin Rodriguez, Frank Reyes, and more.
The interview is in Spanish but has English subtitles.
After watching, click through to subscribe to Adam Taub’s YouTube channel.
Check out more from Adam Taub on his website: bachataclass.com
3 Versions of "Voy Pa'lla" Worth Listening To
1. Anthony Santos’ Version - The Classic
2. Tony Berroa’s Version - The Cover That is Also Amazing
3. Tony Santos - The Original Inspiration
Which one is your favorite? Tell us in the comments below!
Carlos Cinta Changed My Life
I feel like the Prince of Bel Air theme song would make a great intro for this story: Now this is a story all about how my life got flipped, turned upside down….
When I began promoting and organizing events, I was in LOVE with Bachata. Head - over - heels. I talked about it to everyone, all the time, and tried to get them to join me in loving Bachata. At the time, I was most familiar with 00s Bachata artists and Modern style dancing, but I also had some knowledge of Bachata artists of the 90s and I liked them too. Talking about Bachata all the time is actually how I had success in getting my community to like Bachata in the first place. I didn’t really know what I was doing in starting a business and hosting events; I was just trying to share my love and hoped others would join me.
At the end of 2013 I had just finished my first special event with an out of town instructor who taught Dips & Tricks and sexy Bachata moves. I had also started some monthly socials and hired local instructors to teach what they knew (mostly Salsa-inspired Bachata partnerwork), but I was waiting for guidance on where to take this growing business next. Then one day I got a message from a fellow community leader who had just attended a special event in Cincinnati where he met this guy from Chicago, Carlos Cinta. Ryan said, “I didn’t think anyone could love Bachata as much as you but then I met this guy. You have to talk to him.” I was curious and enthusiastic about meeting someone as passionate as I was so I agreed to let Ryan connect us on Facebook. After chatting for a bit I realized Carlos knew waaaaay more than I did and I had to hire him to teach a workshop weekend.
I was able to bring Carlos to Pittsburgh in April of 2014, just a few short months after connecting, and I hosted my first 2-day workshop series which I called a “mini-festival.” Carlos taught 8 hours of workshops that weekend systematically designed to break down the musical components of Bachata and help us use them in dancing. He also taught some of the foundations of Bachata movement, partnerwork, and connection.
The musical breakdown he presented was a game changer. I have never been able to hear Bachata the same way since, and my understanding has only grown with each consecutive workshop I’ve taken. I think I’ve taken each of his musicality series 4-5 times by now and will continue to take them every chance I get. Sure, I get a lot of the answers to his questions right nowadays (and he forbids me to answer anything in class now, hehe), but there are still so many little details and musical cues I am still working on. (Side note - this is why you should never hesitate to retake a class. You absolutely did not get everything out of it the first time.)
But Carlos’ influence didn’t stop there. For my next weekender, I hired a badass female instructor I had met at another event I attended who had insane musicality and was a bomb teacher. Her name is Caryl Cuizon & is co-owner of iFreeStyle in Toronto. I set up the next FTLOB mini-festival with her for the following September. Turns out, she and Carlos were already cooking up their own master plan to host the ultimate Bachata weekend experience in Toronto called Toronto B.E.A.T.S (Bachata Education About Traditional Style). This weekend featured music workshops by Carlos, culture workshops & discussions by Adam Taub, and dance workshops by LFX (Edwin Ferreras & Daniela Grosso).
A month after the weekender went well with Caryl, I headed up to Toronto for the first time for this event, knowing Carlos was super excited for it and that I had much to learn.
Ya’ll. This weekender changed everything. Neither I, nor FTLOB, have been the same since.
Learning about Bachata in its full context was a powerful and euphoric experience. You just can’t help but fall in love deeper with the genre when you learn about the history & culture it comes from (including how much it means to Dominicans) together with the music’s instruments & rhythms, regional steps danced on the island, AND how to dance Bolero, the mama of Bachata.
If you ever get a chance to learn from the Fab 4 together (Carlos, Adam, Edwin, & now Dakhóta Romero, who, together with Edwin makes Areito Arts), DO NOT MISS IT! Do not pass go. Do not collect $200. Go straight to Bachata heaven. Trust me, you will thank me and yourself for it.
While this weekend event was the biggest catalyst for my current journey, my friendship & mentorship with Carlos doesn’t end there. Over the years, Carlos has helped me with Bachata any time I asked a question, has recommended good instructors who could teach Bachata in an educational way (thanks to him, I brought Maria & Alex BailaMar from Russia to FTLOB – twice), gives feedback on my DJing & events, and randomly shares music he likes too.
He does forget to shout out FTLOB when talking about how few events exist in the U.S. that focus on island Bachata, but I forgive him, I swear.
He also created an incredible teacher training weekend in 2018 that felt like Toronto BEATS 2.0, but with a teaching focus. (And the professional teacher in me was all the way geeked out!)
3 years after going through teacher training, I finally started teaching Bachata. Carlos has been a big supporter, offering to let me pick his brain anytime I have a problem or question, allowing me to ask more in-depth questions about music, and giving me feedback on music-based content I create.
FTLOB and I are soooo lucky to have a friend and mentor in Carlos Cinta. Thanks for everything, Carlos.
Do you want to learn from Carlos too? He is focused on coaching football right now, but you can still access his video lessons at www.sellfy.com/ccbachata
The Artist Responsible for Modern Bachata (No, not THAT Modern Bachata)
Nowadays when you hear the term “Modern Bachata,” you think of musicians like Jr, Aventura, Romeo Santos, and Prince Royce.
But that’s really Modern Bachata 2.0. Bachata has been modernized before and you probably didn’t even realize it because many people call it “Traditional Bachata.” (Aside - this is precisely why many refuse to add this modifier to the name of Bachata.)
Let’s get some perspective first before I dive all the way in. The first song later considered to be Bachata was released 60 years ago by José Manuel Calderón (1962). However, its style was essentially still Bolero Campesino. When I play the original version of “Condena” to my Bachata students, they can hardly believe it’s Bachata. Over the next 15-20 years, Bachata would slowly distinguish itself from its mother genre by refining rhythms, changing up rhythms between the rhythmic sections, and exploring faster tempos.
In the late 80s, the electric lead guitar came to Bachata via Blas Duran, a brilliant singer, composer, and producer - and it changed Bachata forever.
Blas Duran began playing Bachata and Merengue in 1969 and sang with several Merengue ensembles over the years. While one of his earlier releases, “Clavelito,” seemed to fit typical Bachata-Bolero standards of the time, both musically and lyrically, much of his music collection is known for its heavy double-entendre, which was a common theme in the 80s with other musicians too, such as the legendary Tony Santos.
In 1986 Blas Duran released a Bachata song with an electric lead guitar, “El Motorcito.” The next year, his Merengue song utilizing electric guitar, “Consejo a las Mujeres” (Advice to the Women) was also a big hit.
Duran also began using the metal güira from Merengue instead of the maracas previously used in Bachata and other production tricks he learned from his work in Merengue.
When Bachata scholar and author, Deborah Pacini Hernandez, finished her dissertation on Bachata in 1989, she hypothesized that Duran’s work would make a big mark on the genre, and geeze, was she ever right. Looking back, we can see just how great of an impact he had.
While the prevalence of double-entendre in Bachata has decreased, Blas Duran’s musical innovations made way for the legends of the 90s - artists like Luis Vargas, Anthony Santos, and Raulín Rodriguez, all of whom use electric guitars and güiras in their music and who have collectively lead Bachata to new heights of popularity.
Blas Duran: Bachata Icon.
Sources:
Bachata: A Social History of Dominican Popular Music. Deborah Pacini Hernandez
Bachata and Dominican Identity. Julie A. Sellers
5 Bachatas by Blas Duran you need to check out:
El Motorcito (where it all began)
2. Que Bien Lo Hiciste (do you recognize this original by its cover?)
3. Donde Están Esos Amores
4. Si Tú Te Vas
5. Estoy Enamorado
Listen to his whole collection on Spotify
Want to learn more about Blas Duran?
I recommend this article by iASO records, which provides additional insights not included in the sources I used to write this article.
https://www.iasorecords.com/artists/blas-dur-n-the-father-of-modern-bachata
Women in Bachata: 30 Artists You Should Have in Your Playlist Right Now
It is often thought that women are less dedicated to the genre of Bachata, but that is just NOT true! Women have been playing and creating alongside the men since the inception of the genre. However, they have not gotten much recognition for their contributions over the years. More recently, there’s been a boom of young, female artists who are thriving and reclaiming their space in Bachata.
Here are 30 artists, some old, some new, and some you probably already love dearly:
1. Melida Rodriguez
2. Aridia Ventura
3. Carmen Francisco
4. Casilda Rodriguez
5. Vickiana
6. Mariita
7. Alexandra
8. Andre Veloz
9. Maricelys
10. Mayra Bello
11. Sonia Silvestre
12. Yised
13. Idenis
14. Dakhóta Romero
15. Ambar La Nieta
16. Lady Laura La Morena del Swing
17. Leslie Grace
18. Alejandra Feliz
19. Chantel
20. Eli Jas
21. Vicky Corbacho
22. Dama
23. Giselle Tavera
24. Judy Santos
25. (J Fab &) Paola
(We’ll let J Fab slide so Paola can shine!)
26. Vanessa Ayala
27. Bella Dose
28. Yasmina
29. Santaye
30. Desiree Estrada
How many artists on this list did you already have in your collection? Tell us below in the comments!
The 6 Greatest Bachata Songs by Anthony Santos Ever (and you can fight me over it)
I know I’m starting trouble with this one because every Bachata lover has their list of Anthony Santos songs that pull on their heart strings and they won’t let anyone tell them those aren’t his greatest songs of all time. I know….but here I am.
*Note: all videos below are from Anthony Santos’ own YouTube channel and watching them supports his monetization. The Spotify link below also supports the artist.
Voy Pa’lla
Corazón Bonito
Creíste
Vete y Aléjate de mí
¿Dónde estará?
Corazón Culpable
Yeah, I had to cut the list off here because picking any more was getting wayyyyyy too hard. Anthony Santos has multiple albums worth of bangers.
Listen to Anthony Santos’ full collection on Spotify
Did you agree with my list? Tell me in the comments which songs would make YOUR top 6!
Are There Any Female DJs?
When you do a search for questions asked about the keyword “female DJ,” this is one of the top questions asked on answerthepublic.com. As you may or may not realize already, female DJs are given very little thought or recognition in this world.
When you do a search for questions asked about the keyword “female DJ,” this is one of the top questions asked on answerthepublic.com. As you may or may not realize already, female DJs are given very little thought or recognition in this world.
I did not aspire to be a token female in a herd of males. I did not set out with any intention of changing the game, proving myself, or challenging social norms. No, I was actually ignorantly content with the demographics. I never gave any thought to why men took the lead more. I mean, come on…. all of society reinforces the thought that men are our natural leaders. Women are the strong figures holding her man down behind the scenes, remember?
If I had had a boyfriend when I started hosting events, I probably would have followed the same old pattern so many of us fall into - get him to be the face of it and do the rest of the work myself. Nice, simple, safe. As a non-entertainer personality, that would have totally been my vibe. Since that was not the case for me, I began playing music at my own events out of necessity. My events themselves were forged in an environment of very little support and tons of social turmoil over the fact that I dare ask people to play, dance, and enjoy Bachata. I had, after all, tried to get the current DJs to play more Bachata and they all turned me down, so I was my only hope.
Over the years, I worked on my philosophy of music by first planning for energy builds and releases in iTunes playlists, thinking how music would motivate me to move as a dancer. I have never just thrown on some songs I liked. Later, in 2015, I learned to manipulate the energy live from song-to-song with real DJ equipment. I was so fortunate that when I made this leap and finally accepted that I would, in fact, be a real DJ, a few great mentors appeared that helped me build my confidence and keep my fire burning. I’m not sure I would have made it without them in that time when my dance community environment was still largely passive-aggressive and my work was half-heartedly supported. I had two choices: believe in myself or quit. Not only am I no quitter, but I knew I couldn’t give up because some people were telling me how greatly inspired they were by my music. A few great promoters also appeared in the near future and gave me my first notable gigs, including some festivals and congresses that would give me greater visibility, such as the Afro-Fusion Dance Fest in Cleveland and Baltimore Salsa Bachata Congress. In some ways, these promoters treated me really well and did their best to lift me up, though their efforts were not always received with warm enthusiasm by the rest of the world. Most people ignored the female on the lineup. Being new, I didn’t think the lack of attention on my DJing was because of my gender at all. I just figured the lack of visibility was part of being a newcomer, and in many ways, it was. But over the past 5 years, that visibility has changed only a little despite being hired at numerous festivals and events around the country and being invited back again and again to a few big-name gigs. I mean, my friends know me and think I’m cool, but I’m not known like that. Now, I’m not saying it’s all because of my gender. DJs alone get ignored a ton in promo because people would rather watch a 3-minute video of fancy dancing than listen to our mix or read testimonials on our work. I also feel I held myself back in many ways by attempting to be so humble that I didn’t promote myself enough. This was an overcompensation for the people who called me arrogant when I started promoting and DJing - because, you know, women who step out of their prescribed lane are seen as arrogant (often followed by the word bitches), not leaders, not normal people trying out new interests, but arrogant B-words.
Even though I did not view my struggles as connected to sexism at all, over these years I have collected some memories that made me question whether it was my gender after all, moments such as:
when attendees repeatedly approached the male DJ near me to ask him what song was playing when his equipment wasn’t even hooked up yet and his laptop was closed.
when people ask if you are really playing the music right now. (I guess it was too good for a woman to play it?)
when a male DJ (who wasn’t even hired at the event) came over to me and started telling me what to play, physically yanking me under his arm, and saying, “awww, I’ll help you” even though the dance floor was packed and vibing to my music.
when the male DJs in an event’s DJ chat started spewing sexist garbage, obviously forgetting there was a woman in the chat to witness it.
when even your own friends blow up their FB and get animated in public over the male DJ, but not you.
when barely anyone listens to or shares the mixes that you put out. (For me, this is slowly changing weirdly thanks to the pandemic and my friends being an awesome hype squad.)
when you get only the absolute worst DJ hours event after event after event (i.e. hours when the room is guaranteed to be empty, like during the concert).
when they don’t want to compensate you equally to the other male DJs they hired
when the male DJ rips apart your set, even though the whole crowd raved how much they loved it.
when a male DJ who normally ignores you reads this list and says “some of those have happened to me too, it’s obviously NOT because you’re a woman!”
The thing about sexism (or racism, or other -isms) is that, purely because it exists on a deep, subconscious level for people, you’re never sure whether it’s because of your gender, or something else. You just know it’s happening. Is it that I’m still kinda new? Is it just the way it worked out? Is this person just a jerk? The more I connect with other badass women who DJ and I hear that their stories echo mine, I realize it’s a real problem.
But what can we do to make female DJs seen in a way that normalizes their existence?
While mass social change is usually a long and messy process, there are some subtle things we can all do right now. Here’s a short list:
Challenge your own thoughts when you come across a female DJ’s mix or set. Give it an honest listen. Ask yourself what you would think of this if it were a man’s work. (It’s sometimes scary what we learn about ourselves when we practice this exercise.)
Actively hire more female DJs and solo female artists (including my dark-skinned sisters who often get overlooked the most) to change the demographics of visibility. Do not promote us as an exotic feature on your lineup to be objectified and used as a promotional quirk. (“Looky, looky! We hired GIRLS!”) We want to be regular members of the lineup. Include us, but don’t sexualize or fetishize us. (Interestingly enough, one of the other 8 questions asked about female DJs online is “What do female DJs wear?” Yuck.)
Share our work. Congratulate us when we get hired for a new event. Let us know when we’re doing a good job. Make us feel seen as much as you would for a man.
Encourage women to step up to the plate. There is room for everyone here and I guarantee the world is missing out on some amazing music right now because of the lack of representation.
When women do step up to the plate, don’t accuse them of doing it “just because guys do it and [they] want to do it too.” (Actual quote from a male DJ about aspiring female DJs.) If we don’t question a man’s motives for wanting to do something, don’t do it for ladies or our non-binary friends either.
Mentor an up-and-coming female DJ without taking any credit for her work. Be the honorable guide who gives her security and helps build her confidence while leaving the freedom for her to blossom in her own way. Be comfortable stepping back when she has outgrown your help. Be the role model you wished you had had.
Normalize DJs of all genders so much that saying “DJ” no longer automatically conjures up a mental image of a male DJ.
Follow my DJ sisters:
DJ L’onyx (Kizomba) + SoundCloud
DJ Afrodeshiak (Kizomba/Latin) + SoundCloud
DJ Young Seoul (Latin)
DJ Mel-t (Latin/Kizomba)
DJ Kalcidony (Kizomba) + SoundCloud
DJ Layla J (Kizomba) + SoundCloud
DJ Prachi (Latin)
DJ Farenji (Kizomba) + SoundCloud
Anita Lin (Kizomba/Latin)
DJ Energia (Kizomba/Latin/Brazilian Zouk) + SoundCloud
Share this blog and recruit others to the mission.
Post written by: Jessica Taylor, AKA DJ Tay
Want to End Sexual Harassment & Assault? Here's How to Start.
“I think it’s really important that people understand that if you’re genuinely engaged and recovering from human rights abuses, you have to commit to truth-telling first….”
“I think it’s really important that people understand that if you’re genuinely engaged and recovering from human rights abuses, you have to commit to truth-telling first. You can’t jump to reconciliation. You can’t jump to reparation or restoration until you tell the truth. Until you know the nature of the injuries, you can’t actually speak to the kind of remedies that are going to be necessary.”
When I read this quote, I see it as a call for all people to examine the problems we collectively face against human rights injustices, whether we personally experience them or not. This means we examine the ways racism, sexism, homophobia, and other injustices are perpetuated within our culture and in what ways we each embody and even empower them.
Survivors of injustices, however, might interpret this quote differently, being on the other side of the injustice. They might see it as an invitation to examine their traumatic experience and then speak about it, which can create space for healing. As my friend Melissa Brewer puts it, “we cannot heal and create resolution until we are honest about our experiences.”
Regardless, we have a lot of work to do before we jump to solutions. Before we attempt to fix these cultural problems that affect the world and thus, the dance communities in which we participate, it is important that we start listening to understand instead of listening to respond.
Yet, instead of sitting with the discomfort of what we’ve read and trying to understand it, we rush to social media the instant we hear something to voice our concern about what we think should happen and then we pat our hands dry of the problem. I’ve denounced this behavior and thus, I’m a good person. Men, particularly, do this and claim to be allies, not truly understanding what victims go through. Since men are less often the victims of sexual harassment or assault, they are often less aware, too. Some of these unaware individuals claim sexual harassment and assault are not even real problems. “The women I know aren’t afraid to speak up for themselves,” they say. “These things aren’t happening. I’ve never seen it!” Maybe it’s because their definitions of assault and harassment are different than ours (some behaviors like catcalling, for example, have been normalized and thus, observers can feel numb to their effects), or maybe, just maybe, they choose not to see. Others excuse the assault by finding reasons to engage in Victim Blaming and Victim Shaming. “She was asking for it, looking like that.” “She should have known better than to…” (Pro tip: stop reinforcing rape culture by justifying it!)
To any of us who have experienced the crippling reality of sexual harassment or assault, these opinions are infuriating because they’ve shown us very quickly that the person that should be listening is totally unwilling to do so. Their mind is made up. They were judge and jury without even asking for evidence. It is reminiscent of the 15th-century adage “a maid should be seen and not heard.” Seeing this response reinforced constantly throughout our lives often leads us to stay quiet altogether when it happens. If you’re not going to listen, and you might even run me through the mud for speaking up, WHY should I expose my most vulnerable and horrifying memories at all?
Too often silence is not the elephant in the room - it is the invisibility cloak that leads us to believe there is no problem at all. In a culture where victims of sexual harassment and assault are often harassed further for speaking their truth, silence is safer than justice.
Fact: While the rate varies depending on the source, anywhere between 1 in 10 and 1 in 5 women will have been raped (completed or attempted) in their lifetime. 3% of men will be raped, too. And 21% of trans, genderqueer, and non-conforming people will be sexually assaulted. (https://www.rainn.org/statistics/victims-sexual-violence)
The clear implication of this statistic is that you know people who have been assaulted. They just haven’t told you about it. It’s a painful statistic, but it’s one we’re all going to need you to digest.
This is precisely why we need to start listening to survivors. Hold back your judgments. Hold back your doubts. Create a safe space for the truth to be spoken and then just LISTEN.
As much as we might like to think that sexual harassment and assault result from an individual’s lack of moral goodness, male-dominated gender roles are actually culturally reinforced throughout the world. While nature might make men often larger and stronger than women, allowing them to physically dominate with ease, it is culture that nurtures this ideal through psychological means. Not only does this include the most harmless customs, such as women taking on their husband’s last name, but it can also be seen in small, yet uncomfortable gestures such as when a man leans over a woman to talk to her, invading her space (and sense of safety) or making public comments on a woman’s attractive body. For example, a friend of mine was recently told, “turn around for me, you have a nice a**” while mowing a customer’s lawn. The cultural normality of this problem means we’re all going to have to face this to improve our culture over time. This is a group project, ya’ll.
It’s important to understand the driving forces of abusers are dominance and self-gratification. It’s about the power and humiliation that can come with their behaviors. Though not every act of this search for dominance is violent, it can be very subliminal, yet have long-lasting effects on the victims. Gaslighting and emotional abuse, for example, can be very damaging to survivors, as they may be taught to distrust their own eyes and ears. This is why I refer to both sexual harassment and sexual assault together throughout this article.
The power dynamic is so strong that some men will create opportunities to harass women who threaten their sense of power and achievement. Perhaps this harassment is their way to remind women that their place is to please men and nothing more. In one study, men were sexually inappropriate with women who outperformed them in mock interviews. (qtd. in Psychology Today) This is worse than just being a sore loser.
I wonder if they even realize what they’re doing or why they’re doing it. How much self-awareness do these individuals have? My gut says none of these men would consider themselves abusers. They probably think they’re just putting those b*tches in their place. This, obviously, is a dangerous mindset. If we, as a society, can’t recognize the problem within ourselves, we’ll definitely never be able to solve the problem at all.
Can we all take a moment to reflect on our own behaviors to see how we may have reinforced oppressive gender roles, rape culture, or a culture of silence?
I, personally, have experienced this power-seeking on many occasions. I did not understand the desire for power at the time; I only understood how profoundly uncomfortable, and sometimes scared, I was made to feel. But I never did anything about them. I didn’t even really tell people about most of them. Instead, I closed up to people and I even sometimes blocked out the memories entirely to feel more safe. I’ve learned this is called dissociation and it’s a survival instinct. But after reaching a tipping point this winter, I wrote a series of 12 blogs sharing a selection of my experiences with the world. I entitled them Profiles of Abusers and outlined the lessons that can be learned from each experience. Reflecting back on those lessons, power over me was the clear motivator.
It took a decade before I could share some of these stories with more than a few people. Writing out the first story, in fact, made me feel shaky and scared all over again, even though almost 10 years had passed since and I was a continent away from where it happened. Telling our scariest stories often means reliving them. As my friend Melissa told me, “trauma isn’t the event, it’s the damage done by the event, including the retelling.”
What I learned from sharing my stories is nearly every woman I know has a similar one. Some women publicly shared their stories as comments on my original social media posts, but most women reached out privately to express their support for my writing, saying they weren’t yet strong enough to reveal their own publicly. If you needed further proof that 1 in 5 women have been sexually assaulted, here it is.
Polite reminder: We can’t make someone speak about their trauma if they are not ready to do so. What we can do is create a safe space for them to share if and when they’re ready. If you’re asking “How can I be a listener when so many survivors are still unwilling to share their experiences?,” you can start by listening to the stories that have already been told. I will link to various stories and other resources below that you can use.
Listening is a fundamental piece of understanding and is a prerequisite to creating solutions. Until we understand the underlying problems, our solutions will be ineffective. There will be a time to create committees and teams dedicated to safety, to implement policies and agreements, and more. But first, just listen.
Special thanks go out to Melissa Brewer who is a passionate advocate and has supported me in learning more about sexual assault and harassment this year, crafted the code of conduct and agreement documents for For the Love of Bachata, and graciously agreed to look over this piece, adding perspective and wisdom to the understanding of trauma. (If you would like Melissa to create a Code of Conduct for your event or classes, you can email her at: melissa.r.brewer@gmail.com.)
Resources
CDC Resources
https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/sexualviolence/resources.html
RAINN.org
Rape Culture
https://www.marshall.edu/wcenter/sexual-assault/rape-culture/
Black Women & Sexual Violence
https://now.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Black-Women-and-Sexual-Violence-6.pdf
Domestic and Sexual Violence and Communities of Color
Addressing Epidemic of Sexual Violence Against Native Women in the US
https://www.amnestyusa.org/addressing-epidemic-of-sexual-violence-against-native-women-in-us/
Sexual Violence Tips for Parents & Caregivers
Public Health Sexual Abuse Resources
https://www.publichealth.org/resources/sexual-abuse/
National Sexual Violence Resource Center
St. Mary’s University Sexual Assault Resources
https://www.stmarytx.edu/campuslife/student-services/sexual-assault-resources/
Gas Lighting
Dissociation
https://brickelandassociates.com/dissociation-from-trauma/
Resources to Guide Discussions About Consent, Sexual Harassment, and Misconduct
7 Anti-Racist Resources for White Dancers
Avoiding tough conversations is a barrier to courage, and in my opinion, progress too. Talking about race, while uncomfortable, can help us all find a better way forward. These 7 resources are a great start for your own learning journey. More resources available in our Community Resources page (link at bottom of article).
