Dance Styles we Teach at Flow

Salsa
Bachata
Brazilian Zouk

Salsa

Salsa class schedule

Salsa is a kind of casual and enthusiastic dance. It does not require fixed dance partners, and there are no strict rules. Even the clothes can be easily worn. The most important thing is that it has no age and class barriers, from the elderly to children, from clubs to family gatherings, even on the street. Where there is salsa music, you can dance. You can dance solo or with a partner or even in a group (Rueda, Salsa group circle dance).
The natural anever-evolving style has made it popular in Europe and the United States for many decades. Today, Japan, South Korea, Thailand in Asia, and even Beijing and Shanghai in China, the local Salsa clubs are full of salsa lovers. There is no set dance partner in Salsa, and you can exchange partners many times in a party. Dancing with and experiencing the styles of many different dance partners is a big part of what makes dancing so much fun!

 

Bachata

Bachata class schedule

Bachata emerged in the 1960s in the rural areas of the northern Dominican Republic. The songs are slower paced and derived from the Cuban music Bolero, mainly accompanied by traditional guitars.

The bachata dance styles of today can be broadly divided into three groups:

Dominican (Traditional) Bachata: Mainly influenced by bolero, Cuban Son and Merengue, the music is usually fast, and the dance steps change to interpret different rhythms. The original basic step is derived from Bolero, which is a box step on 8 beats, but later it was also influenced by Salsa and Merengue and evolved the basic step of moving left and right, and slowly began to add some circular movements. Alex y Desiree are representative of this style.

Bachata Moderna: During this period, Bachata featured elements of other Western music, such as hip hop, R&B, pop, etc. With the evolution of music, the Bachata dance style at this time gradually developed into different fusion styles. The dancers Ataca y la Alemana are representative of this style.

Sensual Bachata: The rhythm is lyrical and slow. The founders are Spanish dancers Korke & Judith. Based on the original Bachata, it incorporates some elements of Zouk, Ballroom, and modern dance. It features more body movement and isolation with a romantic music style. There is more space for girls to show sexy and charming body lines, and the swing of the hips is like an arc-shaped figure of 8. This dance style is very popular in Europe. Although many events and parties feature Salsa and Bachata together, Bachata dancers have their own international events and competitions. Bachata in recent years has become hugely popular across the world, including in Asia.

 

Brazilian Zouk

Brazilian Zouk class schedule

Brazilian Zouk is a relatively young partner dance from the late 90’s/early 2000’s. Although the dance is often referred to just as “Zouk”, it should be called Brazilian Zouk to differentiate it from Zouk, which is the name of the music and dance from Guadeloupe and Martinique. Brazilian Zouk is a very dynamic dance. There is a huge range in speed, energy, type of movement, and closeness, depending on the dancers, the music, and the style being danced. It can be fast, energetic, and sharp sometimes and slow, calm, and fluid at others. Brazilian Zouk emphasizes body movement and connection between partners. Unlike salsa, bachata, and kizomba, Brazilian Zouk does not have its own music, but songs from a wide variety of music are considered “zoukable” (meaning able to dance Zouk with) including RnB, kizomba, Caribbean zouk, pop, and many more.