On September 25-27, 2020 in Katowice, under the media patronage of WhyStory, the international dance festival “Bachata Lovers Festival” with accompanying events took place. Event organizers; Salsopolis-Jacek Perduta, Cuba Libre Dance School and Latino PinaColada Club, took care of an excellent atmosphere and perfect integration of all participants.
Due to its international character, the event attracted not only dancers and experts on the subject from Poland, but also many instructors, DJs and guests from abroad, among others, from Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and Ecuador.
Among instructors who served their knowledge and skills where: Jacek Perduta, the founder of Salsopolis and the main organizer of the event (DOMINICANA), Francisco Santana (DOMINICANA), Krzysztof Juraszek and Natalia Plewa (URBANA), Dorota Jastrzębska and Mateusz Warzecha (URBANA), Dominik Klimasara and Joanna Bernatowicz (SENSUAL), Dominik Sambor with Julia Pawlik (URBANA, SENSUAL) and Karina Koda (DOMINIKANA) and Witold Pągowski (DOMINIKANA), as well as Piotr Kruk-Polish masters instructor and Karolina Kunst (SENSUAL), as well as Ricardo and Klaudia (Sensual) and Rocardo and Lisa Sandrauch (Sensual).
As a reminder, let’s add that there are 3 basic styles of bachata: dominicana, urbana and sensual.
Dominicana style: This is an original style that originated in the Dominican Republic. It has similarities with other Latin dances, especially cha-cha. Songs made in this style are relatively fastest. Choreographies are characterized by complex footwork, with lots of half-steps. The character of the dance is achieved by appropriate movements of the hips and the rest of the body. Bachata can be danced very close, with the torsos almost joined together and with the right leg tucked thigh between the partner’s legs.
Urbana style: This is a style that was created from a simplification of the dominicana style. Songs like that are much slower. There are also guitar inserts reminiscent of the Dominican style. Due to its simplicity, it is the most popular style and is the most taught style, and due to the slower pace it is also possible to make more turns
Sensual style: Contrary to popular belief, the open position dominates in sensual Bachata, only a small number of techniques require a closed position and contact with the hips, contact with the chests is unnecessary. The guidance is carried out by body movement the hands play a minor role. Hip movement is less exposed than in Bachata (Dominicana). A characteristic feature of this style is the presence of body “wavelets”. The pace is varied depending on the music. This is the most sensual style that can give the impression of eroticism, which, however, has nothing to do with reality.
During the three-day event, trainings with instructors were held, and in the evening, dances were held, during which you could test and develop your skills. The event provided a lot of positive energy and joy, not only due to the level of the event itself, but also due to the opportunities for meetings, talks and fun together.
The Bachata dance also has other “merits”. As it turns out, it connects people so effectively, that they stay in the same pairs not only on the dance floor, but also in private life. So .., this is the perfect way to find your other half.
During the fun and joint integration, we had the opportunity to talk with some of the instructors and masters present at the festival. Among other things, they watched over the whole game; on Friday-DJ Sensualmente (Warsaw), on Saturday-DJ Daro (Krakow), and on Sunday-DJ Jack (World).
One of the people we were able to talk to was Karolina Kunst, just a 21-year-old dancer who dances at the International Dance Center “Great Island” in Łódź, and now also acts as an assistant to Piotr Kruk, an outstanding Polish Latino dance instructor, who has already trained many Polish masters in this form of dance. As Karolina herself admits:
– With the right commitment, a year was enough to achieve the current form. I attended both regular trainings conducted by Piotr, as well as private classes.
We also had the opportunity to talk to Dominik Klimasara, the instructor of the “Salsopolis” dance school in Katowice. We asked Dominik, who has been dancing Bachate for two years now, how much effort it takes to become an instructor in such a short time:
– It all depends on how much you work, dance and exercise-says Dominik. I used to dance ballroom dancing before, but then had ten years off. Then it was time for Bachata. Daily training for four hours allowed me to conduct training myself after a year and a half.
However, our next interlocutors; Angelika Klimczak and Jurek Ronkiewicz, whose dancing skills can be admired every day at the Mohito Dance School in Tychy, as well as Natalia Plewa and Krzysztof Juraszek, perfectly confirm the theories that dance, Bachata brings people together in a very social way and in a very personal life. We asked discreetly how it happened that these wonderful people not only dance together, but also they share their lives
– Jurek and I we met much earlier. Only later was dancing-Angelika said. Only then did I go to the course that Jurek persuaded me to take, who today is an instructor himself-adds Angelika
– Actually, Natalia and I we met at the party-said Krzysztof, who is an international instructor. As he himself says: – I teach everywhere– laughs, most often in Wrocław and Berlin.
When asked if there were any contraindications for learning and training Bachata, we were greeted with loud laughter and the information that the only contraindication was “lack of humor” of the dancing person.
As Jurek noted:
– Also, seniors, if they want, can dance. There is no problem here.
– Its a form of therapy. Dancing gives you confidence. We notice how ladies change their outfits with time and become more feminine. People open up to others. They overcome phobias and complexes. It is a kind of separation between business and romantic communication. – Natalia explains, and Krzysztof adds: – It teaches social contacts.
Our interlocutors are very experienced dancers and good observers. As they admitted, during the year they usually take part in several dozen dance competitions and festivals. Only this year is a bit more modest due to the pandemic.
Among the noble group of dancers and instructors, we also noticed perfectionists in their field.
For another Salsa and Bachata instructor, it took eight years, to perfect and master the instructor, along with taking ballet lessons and countless hours of training and practice.
The same is the case with Jacek Perduta, the main organizer of the festival and the founder of the Salsopolis Dance School in Katowice and the author of the publication “Secrets of Salsa”. Dancing is life for him. As he says himself, he has been dancing for 30 years, although he does not do much more.
You can therefore quote the Salsopolis Dance School: “If you like to have fun, you love to dance. If you love to dance, you love life, if you love life … then dance with us !! ”
Edithed by. Iwona Wolańska – Stachurska, Beata Sekuła
