Teaching Traditional Bachata
Teaching Traditional Bachata: a 10-hour online training for dance teachers, with a 50-page original dossier, individual feedback and a certificate of completion.
Traditional Bachata 1
| Starts | Thursday 7 January 2027 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 7, 14, 21 and 29 January, and 4 February 2027 |
| Length | 10 hours · 5 weeks, two hours a week |
| Time | Thursdays, 12:00–14:00 (Spanish time) |
| Second slot | 15:00–17:00 (Spanish time), subject to demand |
| Included | Certificate of completion and a 50-page original dossier |
Who it is for
The aim is not to turn amateurs into teachers, but to prepare professional dancers and dance teachers from other disciplines to acquire the knowledge they need, intellectually and in their dancing, for the art of teaching traditional bachata.
One point that matters in this training: bachata is one thing and it is Dominican. Outside the island it is called «Dominican bachata» — redundancy and all — and that is how UNESCO inscribed it too. What changes is not the genre but the way it is interpreted when dancing: hence traditional bachata.
Who teaches it
Evelyn Viana Lovera, «La Negra», has been teaching bachata for almost three decades. A journalist, DJ and researcher, she teaches classes and trainings in Barcelona, Ibiza and on her international tour. Her background.
Structure
| Classes | 10 hours online, live |
|---|---|
| Platform | Zoom (the free version is enough) |
| Material | 50-page original dossier (Level 1) |
| Feedback | Individual corrections (homework), offline over WhatsApp |
| Assessment | Theory and practice, online and offline |
| Certificate | Awarded if the assessments are passed |
Contents
| Class | Topic | Format | Contents |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | History | 2h · theory | Meanings of the word bachata Its precursors (the rhythms that gave rise to it) The origin of bachata as a genre and as a dance The role of radio, the media and the record industry From the margins to Intangible Cultural Heritage |
| II | Musicality | 2h · theory | Basic musical language (pulse, rhythm, bar, tempo) Why rhythmic patterns matter The instruments of bachata (origin and evolution) The musical structure of bachata Its leading figures worldwide (musicians) From the guitar bolerito to the remixes Musicians, dancers and djs in the transformation of a genre |
| III | Taking the basic step apart | 2h · practice | Differences between authentic, modern and sensual bachata What it takes to build a style: Footwork and counting (the feet) Body movement in authentic bachata (the body) Basic movements (the hips) |
| IV | Combinations and variations | 2h · practice | How many basics do you know? Movement systems Basic steps and their musicality The patín as ornamentation Step sequences |
| V | Rules for partner dancing | 2h+1 · theory and practice | Partner dancing Why the arms and the lead matter The «dominicana» in competition and social dancing Its leading figures (dancers) Final exam |
What sets this training apart
The individual feedback. After each live class — 10 hours, two a week — there are three pieces of homework for the student to hand in. They are not generic: each one is corrected individually, against the material given on the course.
And the dossier, included at no extra cost: 50 pages with all the theory and practice — history, musicality, a manual of the steps to teach. It is written by an investigative journalist with 30 years in the field, and that matters: it is not material pulled out of an AI, but sources checked and gathered across three decades devoted to teaching traditional bachata.
Price
| Price | 600€ — reduced from the in-person price because it runs online |
|---|---|
| Discount | Couples sharing a household: −100€ each |
| Payment | Paypal, Revolut, Bizum or bank transfer |
| Places | Limited |
The price includes:
- 10 hours of real live online classes.
- The personalised offline assessments.
- Written material of her own making.
- A Certificate of Completion, if the assessments are passed.
- Bibliographic and audiovisual references.
Exams take place once the course has finished: no class hours are spent on assessment.
How to book your place
Places are very limited and only firm bookings are taken: a deposit is needed to hold one.
| Deposit | 100€ — non-refundable |
|---|---|
| Balance | In 2 or 3 instalments |
| Last instalment | Before 1 January 2027 |
| Starts | Thursday 7 January 2027 |
One important note
This is not a qualification that turns you into a teacher. If you join the course it is because you already are one.
The diploma is a specific Certificate of Completion, awarded for passing, with a high mark, a theoretical and practical programme for dance professionals.
What people say
It does not matter which style you dance — this course will help you, no question. It is not about already knowing traditional bachata: you also know how to breathe, and you keep coming back to it because you need it.
José Luis Chavesof Chaves y SilviaHow lucky we are to keep discovering the roots, and that you make it all so easy. Listening to you is captivating — I could stay for hours.
Judith Cordero PereiroAfter this experience I can say there are few people in this world who love what they do as much as you do. Thank you for the opportunity and for the energy you pass on.
Gigi BellomoFull ProjectCharisma, a search for perfection, grit, humour, intelligence, the scepticism it takes to find the truth, love and passion for what she does — no words are enough.
Sylvia PiresI did the first training with this great teacher, Evelyn Viana Lovera. The result: I am now doing the second one. It is without doubt the most complete training I have ever taken.
Yaimelys Sonylus