¡Salud! Here’s to your health! | Bachata Classes

New Year’s Resolutions often involve fitness goals. But at BloomBars, we believe it’s important to work out your mind as well.

We offer a variety of dance classes that open windows to other cultures and languages, connecting the participants to the historical movement that shaped the art form. All without the intimidation of those pesky mirrors lining the wall!

Last Saturday I visited Margaret Beardsworth’s bachata class. Hopping back and forth between Spanish and English, she reminded the class that the upbeat songs were actually potent narratives of romance, rural poverty, and even tragedy.

“I like how it conveys so much,” she said of the dance form and music, which originated in the Dominican Republic countryside. “It’s so simple but it conveys the struggles of the people.”

She started out with some basic footwork to set the foundation for a more complicated sequence of moves later in the hour. By the end of the session, I was dancing the cha-cha-cha with a rotating cast of partners.

Beardsworth explained that proponents of bachata have struggled to gain acceptance for the dance, largely due to the deceptively low-brow impression it leaves on uninformed observers.

“It’s really simple music, and a lot of people look down upon it,” she said. Throughout the class, she would alter the style of music, sprinkling in lessons about how genre has evolved, blossoming during the 1960s and absorbing influences from outside of its nation of origin.

Luis Enriquez, who helped Beardsworth by leading the men and adding more Spanish to the curriculum, says he learned bachata in a social setting.

“I’ve been dancing for more or less a year and a half,” he said. “And I learned it in the dance clubs.”

“There’s this new branch of Bachata, urban Bachata, that’s sort of a blend of R&B from the islands,” Beardsworth said, explaining that she generally focuses on traditional steps in her class.

A big part of her teaching methodology is encouraging the class to improvise – matching Afro-Cuban shoulder moves to the footwork as well as mixing up the steps. She taught us the basics, but told us to take the initiative to build on top of that.

“If the guitar tells you to cross over [your feet] then cross over,” she told the group. “It’s really your interpretation of the music. It’s about being sensual and close, but you can also pull away and do some fancy footwork.”

The class got my heart rate up and made me break a sweat, but it also exercised my memory, gave me an opportunity to practice Spanish, introduced me to new friends, and taught me a history lesson.

Enriquez agreed that bachata is multifaceted, explaining that he likes it for “the history, the art, the dance, the rhythm, the training and improving.”

Beardsworth is looking forward to warmer months, when passersby can join in by dancing on the sidewalk. She likes the idea of improving the fitness of the community as well our physical selves, creating a comforting, laid-back space to do a truly comprehensive workout.

“It’s sort of what bachata is all about, like an informal gathering in your backyard,” she said.

Bachata classes take place every Wednesday at 8:45 – 10:00 pm!

Suggested donation: $10. No experience necessary. Come alone or bring a friend!

View more photos of BloomBars’ Bachata Class.