Welcome to San Jose Bachata Nights
We offer Bachata Classes, Bachata Dance Events, and Bachata Dance Teams.

Bachata, a popular genre of music and dance from the Dominican Republic, has been gaining in popularity across the United States and the world. Here is a quick history of how bachata all began.

Bachata began and was shaped in the bars and brothels of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic in the first half of the 20th century. Bachata is a unique and deeply passionate style of music that originated in the Dominican Republic. Bachata music is a fusion of southwestern European influences, mainly Spanish guitar music (borrowed from Bolero and Tango) with indigenous Taino and Sub-Saharan African musical elements, representative of the cultural diversity of the Dominican population. The bachata dance is an integral part of this music, and is typically performed very close to one's partner, with exaggerated hip movements and sensual body language. Bachata classes are offered at many dance studios around the world, and provide a fun and invigorating way to learn this popular style of dance.

This popular guitar music sounds much different today than it did in the early days of the genre. 

The guitar and guitar music like bolero and son were popular in the brothels and in the countryside of the Dominican Republic. The music industry, at the time, was monopolized by the country’s dictator Rafael Trujillo and his family. Because of this, the local guitar music wasn’t allowed to be played on the radio or in clubs. So, this leaves us with two possibilities for how bachata came to be. 

One story says that a young guitar player, Jose Manuel Calderon, who worked in one of these bars, created bachata as an antidote to homesickness. He was from Spain and missed Spanish guitar music. As he tried to imitate this sound on his acoustic guitar, bachata was born. 

Another story suggests that bachata developed out of a need for people to have something to dance to in these bars since bolero wasn’t allowed to be played publicly. This explanation makes sense when you look at how bachata is danced today with close partners holding each other close as they move their hips side to side/back and forth. Whatever the story is, we do know that bachata was created in these bars as working-class entertainment for locals looking for a good time away from home.                                                                                                                                                                            

Throughout its history, bachata has continuously evolved. In the 1970s-1980s, Juan Luis Guerra popularized Bachata with a modern twist by adding Merengue elements and electric instruments like synthesizers which increased its appeal to a wider audience. In the 1990s Romeo Santos infuses R&B sounds into Bachata giving it an international feel. And most recently in Bachata Urbana (or urban bachata), artists are adding sub-genres such as hip hop, Reggaeton & Pop sounds. This new style is very popular among young people around Latin America & The USA. Today there are many different styles of Bachata being danced all over Latin America & the world. And it's only continuing to grow!  

Bachata has come a long way since it was first created in the bars and brothels of Santo Domingo in the early 20th century. What started as working-class entertainment has evolved into a hugely popular genre of music and dance enjoyed by people all over Latin America and the world. If you're looking to try something new, why not give bachata a try? You might just find yourself addicted!

Interested in learning more? Check out our "History of Bachata" page!