Latin dancing is sexy! On Monday I got the chance to experience some Latin flavour when I visited Rey Del Ritmo's Dance School, at 33 Long Circular Road, St James. The bachata was my favourite out of the two genres I learnt from instructors Gina Pinheiro and Nari Rambharat. This style of dance originated in the Dominican Republic and includes sensual and syncopated steps. Pinheiro says bachata is becoming increasingly popular in T&T-I could easily see why.
With bachata, one has to really feel the music to enjoy it. Essentially an eight-beat dance, bachata is similar to salsa dancing. The counts begin by stepping to the left for four counts, and moving to the right for the remaining four counts. The romantic dance requires both partners to be very intimate, as they shadow each other's footsteps while moving to the pulsating beats of Latin music. Pinheiro told students they were allowed to dance "a little further apart" to feel more comfortable with the steps. "I know some of you are strangers, so you can keep some distance between you," she said.
My dance partner, Cowyn Bruce, whom I met at the class, may not have heard that part, for he was very friendly and helped guide me through the various routines. I admit I was surprised to see the class had several male students, as most men tend to shy away from such activities. Pinheiro, who's been dancing for the past eight years, said men comprise about 40 per cent of their classes. "What we're trying to get now are some younger men," she said, laughing. "One, two, three, four, step, step," Pinheiro sang as she took charge, instructing the class on how to achieve the different dance moves. This dance works both the lower and upper body and although it's not as intense as some of the other exercises I have tried lately, the sensual routine is a complete body workout. "As you progress, you'll see how much it exercises your body, especially the arms, neck and legs," explained Rambharat, a dancer for almost two decades. After dancing for a while with the same person, Pinheiro asked the class to switch partners and soon the entire room came alive, as bodies of all ages and sizes moved, turned, swirled and danced to the Latin beat.
A good time
Pinheiro and Rambharat also taught students the foundation moves of ballroom dancing, which is very elegant, albeit much more formal than Latin dancing. To ensure I grasped the concept, both instructors, who teach 32 dance enthusiasts between the ages of 12 and 64, took turns showing me the steps. After only a few tries, I was able to show off my newfound skills. With Frank Sinatra's New York, New York playing in the background, Rambharat then showed the class how to do the foxtrot, which Pinheiro described as a smooth dance. The dance is characterised by long, continuous flowing movements across the dance floor. It involves a subtle rise-and-fall action and its movements are similar to the waltz, another form of ballroom dance. It was so much fun, I didn't even realise I had been moving for an hour and a half. For me, the best thing about dancing is that you don't feel like you're working out. "People lose weight coming to our classes," said Rambharat. "It also helps to tone the muscles and keep your fitness level up. It's a great way to get fit and it improves your overall wellbeing. It adds value to your life."
The second best thing was that I got to keep on my platform shoes. (I'm not a sneakers kind of girl.) But besides getting fit, Pinheiro says, some students also come to the classes simply to de-stress and socialise. "Not everybody wants to go to a bar or a club to have fun. People love to come and have a good time," she said. Bachata and ballroom dancing are fun and infectious. And with some rhythm, one can master the art of the various steps quite easily. After the class ended at about 7.45pm, many students were still dancing and enjoying the music. Pinheiro explained that was nothing new. "People stay back after every class just to chat, socialise and of course, dance," she explained. Although I was invited to join in the fun, I politely opted out, as I had to get home to write about the class.
Breakdown
• Fun: Nine out of ten.
• Expense: $400 for ten classes.
• Skills needed: rhythm, endurance, co-ordination, patience, flexibility.
• Convenience: Classes at Rey Del Ritmo's Dance School 5.30-7.30pm, Wednesday 5pm-7pm, Friday 6pm-8pm, Saturday 4pm-7pm.