New York City’s nightlife does not disappoint! Read on for your daily bachata fix here in NYC
New York City has a thriving social Latin dance scene, with a historic foothold in the dance community, countless venues throughout the city, and thousands of great dancers. However, when I first arrived in New York, I had an incredibly difficult time finding places for bachata dancing in NYC. Salsa was everywhere, with plenty of socials every night of the week. But where were all of the bachata dancers? With a over half a million Dominicans living in New York City, as well as a super active salsa scene, I knew that there had to be plenty of bachata in NYC. After a little bit of digging, I found it. The bachata scene in NYC is incredibly active and diverse, encompassing a variety of styles and experience levels, with plenty of dance schools, teams, and socials for your daily bachata fix. So, bachaterxs, look no further. Here I break down where and when to dance bachata all week long in NYC.
General info on bachata dancing in NYC
NYC’s Latin dance scene is very polarized. Most salsa socials consist of pure salsa and cha-cha-cha, and most bachata socials consist of almost entirely bachata, sometimes with some small amounts of salsa and merengue. This is a great distinction between social Latin dancing in NYC and in many other parts of the country and world (such as in Baltimore, where I learned how to dance), where the socials tend to play a more even mix of both salsa and bachata music. I found this aspect of dancing in NYC to be pretty jarring at first. While there are some socials in NYC that play equal parts salsa and bachata, the majority are not structured this way.
Furthermore, the bachata scene itself is polarized, as most socials are marketed as for either sensual bachata or traditional bachata. Of course, sensual socials sometimes play a traditional bachata song or two, and traditional socials usually have a few sensual bachata dancers, but for the most part I find the bachata scene in NYC to be fairly divided by bachata style. Luckily, both sensual and traditional bachaterxs in NYC can get their respective fixes. Being New York City, the level of the dancers is quite high, so the fancy footwork and controlled body isolations that you encounter on the dance floor will not disappoint. There are bachata socials every night of the week, meaning plenty of bachata for the local or traveling dancer.
A quick note: I prefer bachata socials that heavily play Dominican bachata music and that attract traditional bachata dancers. I am not adverse to sensual bachata dancing (though music-wise I’m not a fan of English bachata remixes!), so my reviews and opinions of the following socials also reflect my personal preferences. That being said, read on for your weekly NYC bachata calendar, and as always, happy dancing!
Bachata dancers in Central Park, at an event organized by Brunchata and BachaDura Social Club
Tuesday
BachaTuesdays at Kaña
Every second and forth Tuesday of the month, there is a bachata social at Kaña Tapas Bar – and it’s free! (A rarity in NYC). Kaña is a small bar/restaurant in SoHo. The music tends to lean more towards traditional and urban bachata, with small amounts of salsa, merengue, and bolero. The dance floor is tiled and can feel a little sticky at times. It’s not the most spacious venue, though this doesn’t bother me much when dancing bachata (it can get tricky for the occassional salsa, though!). There is a free bachata class offered at the beginning of the social (class starts at 7:00 p.m.), and then social dancing until midnight. I like dancing at Kaña – recommended.
Wednesday
Roofchata
Sensual Movement, a sensual bachata group in NYC, hosts a Wedneday night social at High Bar in Hell’s Kitchen. High Bar is a rooftop bar (with uncovered and covered sections of rooftop, so you can dance even on a rainy day). It’s a beautiful venue with sweeping views of NYC. The dance floor is spacious but sticky, as the floor is stone and not easy to spin on, and last I was there the floor got a bit crowded with non-dancers. The social takes place from 9:00 p.m. until 2:00 a.m., and it costs $15 (and occasionally more if there are performances). The music is entirely sensual, consisting of mostly English bachata remixes and occasionally urban bachata in Spanish. I attend this social about once a year, but between the cost of the event and the music and I don’t particularly like it; however, many sensual dancers do seem to enjoy it.
Sensual bachata at High Bar on a Wednesday night
Thursday
Coming soon!
Check back soon, because word on the street is there is an awesome new Thursday bachata social coming to NYC!
Friday
Bachateame Mama! at Club Cache
I really enjoy dancing at Club Cache, though it has a bit of a nightclub-meets-social-dancing feel. Cache is a small Latin club located in Union Square. The floor is medium sized, and it tends to get very full… personally, this doesn’t bother me when dancing bachata, but it’s tricky for the occasional salsa. Music at Cache is mostly bachata (traditional and urban, with the occasional English bachata remix), merengue, salsa, and reggaeton. DJs do rotate at Cache so some nights are heavier with traditional bachata, and others have more sensual music. Regular admission is $13, though you can get in for free before 10 p.m. if you have a Latin Party admission pass.
Bachata Rosa
Bachata Rosa is a bachata social is located in Stepping Out Studios in Chelsea. The dance floor is huge and wooden, so there is plenty of room for dancing, even during a crowded social. Also, the studio has a water fountain, which is a major perk. There is a bachata class offered at 10 p.m., which is divided into multiple levels (beginner, intermediate, and advanced). Admission is $10 before 10 p.m. and $15 afterwards. This is a sensual bachata social, so the music is mostly remixed English music and urban bachata. However, the DJ did throw in the occasional Dominican song, which I appreciated. I likely wouldn’t return to this social, as overall I didn’t love the music and the constant sensual dancing. However, I did feel that sensual dancers would enjoy the community and the social.
Candela Fridays
Candela Fridays occurs on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Friday of every month at You Should Be Dancing…! Dance Center near Penn Station. Candela Fridays is a salsa and bachata social with two separate rooms. The social costs $20, which includes classes, and dancing goes from 10 p.m. until 3 a.m. (though the bachata room closes at 2 a.m.). Both dance floors are spacious and slick, and the studio itself is very pleasant to dance in. Bachata music is a mix of Dominican, urban, and sensual music, though DJs rotate so there is some variety to the bachata music each social. I really enjoy this social for both the salsa and bachata dancing, though it is very expensive compared to other bachata socials in New York City.
Saturday
BachaDura Social Club
BachaDura is my favorite bachata social in NYC, though it only occurs occasionally, typically once a month for special events (such as live bachata music!). The social takes place in a spacious dance studio, just off of Times Square. Music is mostly traditional and urban bachata, with some salsa, merengue, and bolero mixed in. Admission is typically $15-20 and includes a bachata class. I definitely recommend checking out Bachadura for your bachata fix in NYC.
Sunday
Las Chicas Locas
Las Chicas Locas (LCL) is a monthly Sunday evening/night bachata social in NYC, and it occurs at Copacabana in Hell’s Kitchen. It starts at 7:00 p.m. and ends at 2:00 a.m. Regular entry is $15, though there is discounted ($7) admission if you arrive before 7:30 p.m. There are salsa, bachata, and zouk classes offered at 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., followed by social dancing. LCL has two main rooms, one for salsa and one for bachata, both of which are spacious. The floors are wooden yet I find them to be fairly sticky. Bachata music is a mix of sensual, urban, and Dominician music. Personally, I’m not the biggest fan of Copacabana as a dance venue, so this social isn’t my favorite. Still though, it attracts a large crowd of bachata dancers and is a good way to get your bachata fix in on a Sunday night.
Bachaterxs at Las Chicas Locas on a Sunday evening, previously held at Dancesport Studios (now at Copacabana)
Brunchata
Brunchata is a bachata brunch social which occurs sporadically, and it is hosted at different locations throughout NYC. It’s a free social, and it generally follows the format of DJ set, then bachata class, and then another DJ set until the end of the event. Events typically run from noon or 1:00 p.m. until around 6:00 p.m. The music is mostly sensual, with a mix of some English bachata remixes and urban bachata music, with the occasional Dominican bachata or salsa song. Brunchata attracts a really nice community with plenty of welcoming dancers. Although I could go for slightly more traditional music at their events, I am happy to attend and have a really good time dancing at these socials – recommended.
Monday
Up for grabs
There isn’t currently a Monday night bachata social in New York City, unfortunately. Dancers can get their salsa on at Taj (where you’ll hear maybe a few bachatas per hour), otherwise take it as a rest night for the rest of your week of bachata dancing before starting up again on Tuesday…
There you have it! If you like this guide, be sure to check out my Dance Travel archives, where I give all the must-know information about where to dance and what social dance scenes are like around the world, including Mexico, Colombia, and more. What has been your experience with bachata dancing in NYC? Do you have any recommendations for places that I missed? Do you prefer dancing sensual bachata or traditional bachata? What’s the best bachata social that you have attended around the world? Let me know in the comments below!
3 comments
This is certainly something different to do in the city! Both unique and fun! Love that it’s not a typical NYC post and that you’ve offered a side of the city that no one really gets to see!
Thanks, Jin! Glad you found it useful 🙂
Amazing and in depth review of the bachata scene in NYC. Thank you!