Rodchata, LLC and Alberto Papi Archilla will be hosting the very 1st Hawaii Bachata Vacation in Honolulu, Hawaii: promoting Latin dance. Performers and teachers from all over the world will unite and join forces to celebrate bachata on the weekend of Halloween October 28th until November 1st, 2010.

Following the success of Reno Bachata Festival and San Francisco Bachata Festival, Rodchata, in partnership with Alberto Papi Archilla and in collaboration with Hawaii Bachata Meetup Group and local promoters, Hawaii is going to have its first Hawaii Bachata Festival on a Halloween weekend in Waikiki.

Bachata is a musical style and dance developed in the mountains of the Dominican Republic. Some common themes in its songs are those of lost love, lost hope and betrayal — all delivered through sexual innuendos which originally gave bachata a bad reputation that kept it hidden in the lower class barrios of its own nation for decades. It wasn’t until the 1990’s that bachata became a socially acceptable music on radio stations and in the clubs in the Dominican Republic.

As Rodchata was the first to host such dance festival in Reno, USA, he went further by hosting the biggest and longest bachata festival in the world, San Francisco Bachata Festival. “Everyone was inspired and fired up after the festival. They started forming their own bachata dance teams, enrolled in a dance studio, and some of them even took the risk of organizing a bachata festival in their own city,” said Rodney Aquino, owner of multiple festivals around the world.

“The dance community in Hawaii is small, but dance studios, websites and venues such as HawaiiSalsa.com, Hawaii Bachata Meetup Group, SalsaNoKaOi.com, Alma Latina Productions, Son ‘d Hawaii, Hawaii Salsa Fest, just to name a few, are the very core of what makes the Latin dance community unique, strong and growing. In fact, in a successful collaboration, they recently hosted bachata artist, Domenic Marte in Honolulu. Such collaboration is a good sign of a growing and healthy dance community,” said Rodney Aquino, world renown bachata promoter.

The Hawaii Bachata Vacation will be featuring top DJs such as DJ El Guapo from San Francisco, DJ Smooth from San Jose plus other top DJs locally and nationally (we will keep adding the line-up). Bachata Singer, FREDDIE MUNOZ and Bachata Dance greats such as Jorjet Alcocer from Houston, Ataca y La Alemana from Tampa, Omar Tirador from Puerto Rico, Zeke El Fabulosa from Chicago, Camille Yanantuono from San Diego, Ben and Julianne from New Mexico Nino Acosta from the Dominican Republic, Jorge and Leslie from Los Angeles, Christian Sola from Orlando, plus other excellent teachers and performers locally and all over the world are coming to participate in this exciting event.

The event will be held in the fabulous Prince Kuhio Hilton Resort just a few steps away to Waikiki beach. Dancers of all levels are invited to participate in this exciting event. There will be dance workshops all day (salsa, bachata, merengue, chachacha, bolero, tango) as well as performances and social dancing at night!

“This is going to be the best bachata vacation, ever, ” boasts Aquino

Tickets are now sale at http:// www.bachatahawaii.com.

Join our growing FB Group here: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=320047731787

For more information, please visit www. BachataHawaii.com, or email JOJO, Festival Manager - jonna.ocampo@yahoo.com

Rodney Rodchata Aquino is excited to host the widely popular SFBIF once again on July 12-19, 2010. It will be 8 days celebration of Latin dancing in downtown San Francisco’s Parc 55 Wyndham.

As Rodchata was the first to organized such festival in Reno, USA, The 1st San Francisco Bachata Festival was truly the event that popularized it. “Everyone was inspired and fired up after the festival. They started forming their own bachata dance teams, enrolled in a dance studio, and some of them even took the risk of organizing a bachata festival in their own city,” said Rodney Aquino, owner of multiple festivals around the world.

Bachata dance is now this infectious dance that has dancers addicted, they keep coming back. Three steps to the left and a foot tap takes you in the opposite direction again. Repeat in the other direction. It’s a simple yet addicting dance. “They like to “wedge” and “swerve,” said Aquino, the inventor of such moves that likens a snake swerving and wiggling.

“It’s going to be a one week festival. Dancers not only will get to enjoy bachata, but will get the opportunity to enjoy learning other dance as well. We are going to have at least 70 pro workshops for beginners and even advance dancers. We invited, at least, 40 top dance artists in the world! You name me a big name in the bachata (Teachers) industry and they’re part of the line-up! We have Troy and Jorjet, Ataca y La Alemana, Frank and Alina, Zeke El Fabulosa and more!” explains Aquino.

The festival is created for the absolute beginners to get inspired and to learn to dance, but it is also for the advance dancers that love to perform and compete. Bachata, salsa, merengue, bolero, tango, zouk and kizomba will be taught by top teachers in the world during the festival.

The festival also features the bachata sensation, award winning, DOMENIC MARTE AND HIS FULL BAND in concert, as well as soulful bachata singer, Freddie Munoz (full band), Avance, Mazacote, Son De Cana, Vassili, and the popular, Montuno Swing - 7 Latin Bands performing LIVE!

On July 19th, the festival is organizing a Bachata Bus Tour from San Francisco all the way to the wine country and back.  ”It wouldn’t be fair if we don’t host a tour of the city. I mean, this is one of the greatest city in the world,” said Aquino.

Recently announced, SalsaCrazy has joined the 2nd Annual SF Bachata Festival to include his popular salsa summer series, 2nd Annual SalsaCrazy Summer Salsa Festival.  Salsa Bands and Salsa Dance artists such as Magna Gopal, Ismael Otero, Ava Apple and others, are now slated to teach and celebrate along with bachateros in one place, one hotel and one location - IT IS NOW A MEGA FESTIVAL!

So If you’re looking for a memorable vacation and can’t wait to have fun with inspiration in mind, you simply cannot miss the 2nd Annual San Francisco Bachata International Festival (http://www.sfbif.com/). This spectacular one-week happens on July 12-18, 2010 at the luxurious Hotel Parc 55 located in downtown San Francisco.

2nd San Francisco BACHATA International Festival

July 12-19, 2010

Hotel Parc 55 Wyndham

Buy Tickets here: http://www.sfbif.com

 

BOOK YOUR FLIGHTS TO RENO AIRPORT - http://www.hotwire.com

http://www.renoairport.com/

Free Shuttle Service

Event Presented and Produced by Rodchata, LLC and BB of Salsa Reno

I haven’t written to you in years, and I miss talken to ya.

So what’s new with me? Let me tell ya…

It’s been a while that I had the most fun dancing and partying in a dance congress, but last weekend at the Reno Bachata Convention, I was reborn. It was not a congress, mind you, it was just a bachata convention…I mean whodathought, right? Let me tell you how I created an event called Reno Bachata Convention….

Oh trust me, dear diary, there were some doubters there floating around. Come to think of it, they have been doubting Thomases since I started promoting bachata dance 8 years ago anyways. It is such a simple dance with lots of twings and twangs of the guitar, yeah, I know, it’s not that alluring to hardcore salseros that love xylophones and all, but it has evolved and fast evolving.

But past is PAST and moving forward is always the wise choice…burning bridges is not my cup of tea, after all, I know that sooner or later I’ll be crossing lots of bridges, so yeah, my motto; don’t mess with bridges because it more important to be nice than being important.

I have to admit, Reno Bachata Convention wasn’t part of the plan. The real plan was just to concentrate on planning the 1st San Francisco Bachata Festival. Of course, realistically, all things don’t exactly go perfectly according to plan.

November of 2008, I got a FB message from Juan I. Ruiz, one of the founding fathers of successful Sydney Bachata Festival, saying, 

“Hey Rodney, I’ll be vacationing in Chicago and I’d like to drop by San Francisco to hang out, bachata and then some, will you be in town?”

You see, Sydney Bachata Festival is pretty much the event that made me “international” - you could say that I was baptized there as an international dance teacher. And I will never forget the hospitality of Australian bachateros. Their attitude and friendship is still immensely felt here in my heart a year later- little good things that done to me will be appreciated and never be forgotten.

“Juan, let me see what I can do, brotha. Bay Area ain’t that really fanatic for bachata compared to Sydney, but let me ponder and think of something.”

And so I pondered, indeed…

Hmmm, maybe a bootcamp…

Maybe, a series of workshops in SF, San Jose and Sac…

Hmmm…

I called Jorge Elizondo, “Bro, Juan is coming to SF and he wants to hang out, you in? I mean, I’ll still do it without you, if you can’t do it”

“Tell me more, when and what do you have in mind…” Jorge was curious

Jorge loves SF and everytime he was here, he stayed at my place. I have sponsored him several times dong botcamps in the Bay Area.” So yes, he owes me and he won’t say no. We develop a friendship over the years because of bachata. I love bachata instructors that love the dance and promote it at the same time. I could care less which bachata style they teach or dance as long they have passion and really believe in what they’re doing. I dislike haters who are up to no good and just talk shit about each other, it’s a lose-lose situation and they sound like losers.

 I had to make sure he knows my intention and reaffirm my vision. So I said, “Bro, I’m thinking of bachata bootcamp with you, Juan and Camille in San Fran. Juan treated me well when I was in Sydney, so let’s give him a good time here in SF. I need your help in this.”

Like I said, he can’t say no, Jorge was in…

Last time I hosted a bootcamp here in the Bay Area, although well attended, I didn’t like it and it didn’t feel like an accomplishment for me. I was secretly disappointed that it didn’t make a dent in my vision – for bachata to be respected and recognized, not only by salsa dancers but salsa Djs as well as Latin dance enthusiasts.

Last question in my mind was, “Do I continue hosting little workshops here and there or do something really big before the SF fest?” 

So the pondering ended with the question above, on which, I never pondered again, not until I taught a bachata workshop in Reno…

I love Reno people, you know why? Because they love to party and they don’t give a shit whether you are Cuban stylist or Mambo stylists or OutOfTiming stylist. They dance for fun and they learn to dance for fun. I especially love them when they always ask when I’m coming back to Reno after the end of teaching a workshop.

I have been sponsored by BB of Salsa Reno and Chuck from Reno Dance Sensation numerous times there, and everytime I went and taught, the community there loved my workshops. 

So for a Halloween night, I had no plans and really didn’t feel like partying in San Francisco, yes, I was bored. And dear diary, you and I both know that I am not the most productive or even creative when I’m bored. I was seeking an adrenaline rush, a fix, if you will.

I got a call from BB…with fees and little negotiations; I was slated for Halloween at Pearl’s Reno’s Latin Thursday. BB is a cool guy. I call him the Godfather of Reno Salsa and rightfully so. We instantly connected when I met him 4 years ago. With lessons and workshops later, I endorsed him to teach bachata in the Reno/Tahoe area. We became friends eventually, and I always admired his go-getter personality. 

After teaching an enthusiastic crowd of 400 people, I thought to myself, “Hmmm, I think I just found my answer here.”

I drove Back to the Bay Area. I needed to confirm to Juan and Jorge about the proposed SF Bootcamp. I wasn’t 100% about the bootcamp idea. I needed to make a decision fast. There was no time to lose and January was just around the corner. 

I went to a Chinese restaurant and ordered my fave; Pan Fried Eggs with oysters. Oysters are filled with zinc and of course eggs are filled with B vitamins, in other words, it keeps your testosterone level high  You know what they say, you think faster and smarter when your testosterone levels are high.

In the middle of my meal, I came up with an idea and I texted BB of Salsa Reno, 

“Bro, I am gonna do a bachata event in Reno and I would love you to be a part of it.” 

I mean whether he was in or not, the idea was so good, I was still gonna do it.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5….phone rang…

“Hello BB…”

BB was in… (he couldn’t possibly say no)

After talking to BB, I called Jorge, 

“Jorge, change of plan…we’re going to Reno and we’re gonna do the 1st Bachata event in USA, Reno International Bachata Convention. I think 400 people would suffice.”

The rest is history and we sure made history that weekend where people showed coming from all over USA.

So I am personally inviting you to the 2nd Reno International Bachata Convention on January 7-10, 2010. Just check the details  at www.bachatareno.com

til next time, Diary

- the ambitious bachatero

GREAT NEWS!!! Two crazy Bachata Souls with their true friends - Top Dance Teachers from USA:

Rodney RODCHATA Aquino - World renowned Bachata Expert,
Camille Yannantuono - Top USA Dance Teacher,
Lee El Gringuito and Nohelia – Two of the hottest dancers in USA

decided - IT MUST GO ON! And it will - for the first time in Lithuania!

1st INTERNATIONAL BACHATA FESTIVAL is gonna happen on September 25 - 27, 2009.

Come to Vilnius - European capital of culture 2009 - and get infected with a splendid Bachata Virus!

Sensual program will be truly exotic:

BACHATA Cornerstone - Sexy Dominican Style
Modern BACHATA - Sensuality
Bachata Essence - secret of close dancing
BACHATA Sexy Moves – Combination of Dominican
Original, Modern styles into one
Merengue: Bootyology /How to move your body with passion/
Salsa - The Secret of Leading and Following
Flirting On The Floor with BACHATA,
Lee “El Gringuito” Signature Club Style BACHATA Combinations
Bridging the Gap Between BACHATA & Salsa
Charming ladies’ styling
Secrets of body movement
Phenomena of Bachatango

and more to come…

G&S
BACHATA Souls 
VsI “Ellas y ellos”/ 302324783

Giedre: +370 603 57776  
Sarunas: +370 656 77269

Facebook: Bachata Souls
Skype: gruodzio_ieva
YOU ARE SO WELCOME TO JOIN US AT FIRST INTERNATIONAL BACHATA FESTIVAL IN LITHUANIA, SEP 25-27, 2009, www.bachatasouls.lt