Learn Bachata for Beginners: Simple Steps to Start Dancing
We hear from a lot of students that they’re getting into Bachata to learn how to dance with their husband/wife, boyfriend/girlfriend, partner, or even a friend. So we wanted to give you a simple path to make things easier and help you get started. 🙂
1. Practice your basic steps & turns
This is the best place to start and you don’t even need a partner for it. That means you can secretly get ahead of the game if you’re shy or feel a little intimidated dancing in front of someone 😂.
By building reps with your basics, you’ll build confidence, and these steps will never go away. Plus, when it’s time to learn partnerwork moves, you won’t be stuck trying to figure out both the steps and the move at the same time.
If you need a place to start, we have a YouTube video with over 5 million views that tons of beginners have loved. You can check it out here: [YouTube - Bachata Basic Steps & Turns (Bachata Dance Academy)]
2. Ease into beginner moves
Once you feel more confident with your basics, it’s time to put them into action. Don’t worry, this part scared me too when I first started 😅. The hardest part is knowing where to start, because if you just search online, you’ll probably get hit with overwhelming tutorials or flashy combos that aren’t designed for beginners.
What you really need are small wins: step-by-step progress that’s simple, fun, and stress-free. If you’d like some guidance, we put together a free mini course called “Learn How to Dance Bachata in 7 Days” which you can grab here: [Learn How To Dance Bachata in 7 Days - Free Mini Course]
You can also practice this at home with your partner, or even on your own “invisible partner” style. Then, when you try it again with your actual partner in front of you, it feels good because you’re just relearning it with someone instead of starting from scratch.
3. Try your first lesson.
Now you’ve got a solid foundation. When you show up to your first class, you’ll be surprised at how much more comfortable you feel, you’ll already know some of the basics, so you can focus on learning a few new things while having fun with your partner.
We also have a free resource here for you: a [Full Beginner class-style video on YouTube] that you can follow along with before trying an in-person lesson. It’s a great way to practice in a no-pressure environment and get a feel for what class will be like.
The most important thing? Baby steps. Don’t rush the process. Don’t compare yourself to others who might pick things up faster. It’s totally normal to feel scared, frustrated, or even want to give up at times. But trust me, if you keep going, that first breakthrough moment is worth it.
Imagine being able to dance confidently with your partner, enjoy nights out without sitting on the sidelines, meet new friends at socials, and just feel good on the dance floor.
Bonus Tip #4: If you don’t already have one of our paid programs, check out our Beginner Bachata Course or Bachata Mastery Course. That’s where we guide you A–Z, step by step. But don’t worry, we’ve shared free resources above so you can dip your toes in before diving deeper. We totally get it. 🙂
Let us know if this helped!
-Demetrio and Nicole
