Are you looking to add a bit of excitement to your weeknight, a way to get in cardio without going to the gym or hitting the pavement? Every Tuesday night, Legacy Night Club and Lounge in Newport Beach offers an evening of Bachata, Salsa & Zouk dancing for adults 21 and over. There are two dance floors with five DJ’s and tacos and a full bar for when you work up an appetite and need to hydrate. If you do not know these dance styles, they offer classes in Salsa and Bachata every Tuesday and Zouk every 1st and 3rd Tuesdays. There are three levels, so if you are a beginner, you do not need to feel embarrassed that you may be the only one in the class just starting out.
Bachata originated in the Dominican Republic in the 1960's and is full rhythm and love stories. It was banned during that time, taking a back seat to Merengue, but grew underground nonetheless.. Most of the dancing is in the lower body up to the hips with knees bent making the swaying of hips more easily. The swaying of the hips is the heart and soul of the dance. There are three main branches of Bachata: the original Dominican the truest form which has a lot of footwork but is free and bouncy, Bachata Moderna which is heavily influenced by Tango and Bolero, and Traditional Bachata which has a lot of turns and dips. Be sure to listen to Juan Luis Guerra’s 1992 Grammy winner, “Bachata Rosa” to get in the Bachata spirit.
Salsa developed its own particular style in the 1940’s heavily influenced by Afro-Cuban dance styles such as Mambo and Guaguanco. It is a very fluid and passionate dance, some prefer to be freestyle and others prefer more set choreography. Generally dancers take 3 steps during a 4 beat measure and either kick or turn or tap on the 4th beat, with many, many variations. There are many, many different styles of salsa, from Latin America, to Los Angeles, to New York and many international salsa competitions.
Zouk is the most recent dance style originating in the 1990’s in Brazil, evolving from the very popular Lambada dance. Zouk is partner dancing and has a lot of upper body movement. It is very versatile and has even moved from Zouk music to R&B, pop, and Hip Hop. Two of the most popular Zouk styles are Traditional or Rio style, which is both linear and circular based on basic patterns, and Lamba Zouk, which is very close to the Lambada with constant motion. It is very popular and always evolving.
To take advantage of this wonderful Tuesday night dance opportunity in Newport Beach, it is recommended to buy tickets in advance and are $12 per person. It starts at 8pm and you can eat, drink, and dance the night away until 1am.