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
Look no further other than Rodney Rodchata Aquino, one of the pioneer of bachata dancing in the USA and multi-owner of bachata festivals and events all over.
Want more info about him? Click here…
And Read His Exclusive Interview here...
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
Renown dance teachers, Rodchata and Camille Yannantuono recently teamed up to go on a world tour for the remaining year of 2009.
Get ready and learn from the best. Rodchata and Camille will be offering dance workshops of bachata, salsa, bolero, tango and merengue.
Schedule:
August
- California Bachata Congress , Los Angeles
- Latin Dance Bootcamp, Honolulu, Hawaii
September
- Chicago
- Bachaturo Poland Festival, Warsaw
- Lithuania Bachata Festival, Vilnius
October
- Brusells (TBC)
- Norway
- Sexy and Sensual Festival - London
Stay tuned, more to come…
LATIN DANCE STIMULUS DVDs, Buy ‘em here...
Just wanted to thank you for being out there and trying to promote the heck out of bachata….remember that message I sent about an advanced bachata workshop you were going to teach. I asked in a manner that was probably interpreted as “what’s so advanced about bachata?”. Well, just the fact that I saw the words “advanced” made me think what I never bother to. I spend every moment of just about every day thinking how I can be a better salsero. I never thought to myself, what can I do to make myself a better bachatero?
Thus, I commited to taking your Bachata Cornerstones workshop at the Dallas Salsa Congress. Despite the fact that I’m a salsero who LOVES turn patterns, I turned down some Santo Rico patterns for a class that I didn’t think I’d get anything out of (crazy right?). I was thinking maybe, just maybe, there’d be something new to me. Even though it didn’t say “advanced“, I had to see what there was about bachata that I hadn’t seen before. I figured “There just had to be if someone was gonna teach a workshop on it right?” We’re talking about the dance that I show most of my students the basic concepts in about 5 minutes. I never thought of bachata as advanced. I know eveybody dances different and I remember when you once told me the 3 main types of bachateros out there. I know it’s supposed to be sensual but unless my partner is somebody I’m comfortable with or someone I’m dating, I don’t. I dance sensual when I think it’s called for, do footwork when I need space, and turns if the ladies want them. But even with hammerlocks, turns, footwork, hand tosses and other moves I was able to convert from salsa to bachata I wasn’t sure if I’d be up to par where I could say I’m an “advanced” bachatero.
If there’s anything I hate, “yes HATE is a strong word but it applies here” is when I want to achieve a level of greatness in something that I do, and not be sure of how to measure my skill level. Every girl can say I’m a great dancer but if there’s a syllabus, requirement, etc…I want to know. I want to be great to them…and to the requirement…that’s just how I am. I know dance is supposed to be fun…but why not be fun dancer and great dancer all in one. I took the class thinking I wouldn’t get anything out of your workshop…………and I want to thank you.
About 30 minutes into it, I told myself “Damnit Rodchata, you better teach me something I don’t already know“. It bothered me because I turned down a workshop from one of the best salseros out there and didn’t see myself learning anything new besides the one thing that I had already picked up from one of your myspace vids….you know, the leg humping looking move. After the workshop, I searched my innerself for more and told myself “you better be a badass bachatero whether there was new stuff or not….you took a bachata workshop….you better be looking better out on the dance floor now. If this workshop wasn’t labeled “advanced” there had to be more out there.” Then it hit me…..I was about to take for granted some important advice that nobody ever told me about bachata, and all of it all made sense.
Point in case..bachata is lead from the hips….I can’t tell you how much more stuff I’ve made up just because somebody finally told me that. And what I already knew looks better. When you have your arms around someone, it’s easy to want to lead w/your arms….especially as a salsero. Leading from the hips is waaaayy better. I try to lead just about everything from the hips.
Then you addressed to squeeze the ladies legs between ours if she feels insecure about support. HUGE difference!!! Most of the back and forth leans have them on one foot and although I know I won’t drop them, they always don’t. This had helped alot.
Just the fact that me and my partner connected more this weekend brought out the beast in us….I busted out some new turns..dunno where they came from because I can’t seem to convert those into salsa. If I would’ve had one more bachata on Saturday I would’ve been checking my pants….you’re the man bro. I now know advanced….or do I? Let me know when you have a bachata event…and if you need performers, count me in…..I’ll even send a video to qualify if I have to.
El Bachatero Guerro “yes I just coined that”
aka “El Pollo Loco” or
Richard Ortiz http://www.myspace.com/richsalsa
After being told by the dance studio’s receptionist that the workshop had been moved to another location, I walked for about one block to the said location. The first thing I noticed upon walking into the Metronome’s Block Room was numerous people waiting for Rodchata to show up.
Ten minutes have passed and Rodchata finally showed up.
The workshop has brought together diverse dancers from several disciplines. I for one, had been dancing Swing for 6 years. Others I interacted with are from several dance studios in the Bay Area: Reggie Wilson and his wife are Dublin based, Rhythm Street Studio. Luis Herrea hails from Caribbean Gardens, and Ras Perez is a Dominican-based salsa dancer. Read more here…
Despite all the crap, the tribulations and the trials of life we all go through, there’s always that space provided for us to appreciate and enjoy what life has to offer.
Enjoying life to its fullest for me is appreciating small things around me.
Here’s My Top Absolute 25 things to fully enjoy life…(not only you’d be happy, but you will be able to maintain a positive outlook on everything)
25. Walk! Don’t take the bus or don’t drive you car. If you have a camera, bring it with you. You’d be surprise what you can actually see when you have a camera in your hand. It makes you notice things you’ve never seen or appreciated before – things that you don’t see normally yet they’re there all along. I recently have done this and walked all of the streets of San Francisco and it was an awesome time.
24. Take your friend to dinner. It doesn’t have to be a date! Call someone you haven’t hung out in a while and catch-up. Go to a new restaurant and just let it be; let the conversation flow with good food.
23. Drive to the beach early in the morning. You can either stay in your car or go outside staring at the ocean for half and hour. It’s a form of meditation and reflection. The sound of the ocean is an absolute therapy.
22. Watch a movie once-a-week. ALONE! Seriously, there is something meaningful when you watch a movie alone. I highly recommend watching Independent or Foreign films.
21. Play Poker! Now, I’m not telling you to become a gambler, but play poker with your friends. My friend Jenesa host a salsa poker once-a-month and let me tell you, it’s damn fun!
20. Log on to several Social Network. If you haven’t done this, you’re missing out. It can be salsa, bachata, or a non-dance network group. Sign up, build your profile and post away and express your opinion. It doesn’t really matter whether millions would listen to you, but it’s for you to express yourself.
19. Take a dance class. No, don’t bring a partner. Learn a dance you like that you’ve never danced before and go there with an “empty cup” and open mind. Not only you’d get to meet new friends but you’d get know another side of you.
18. Go and travel! If you have the money, fly somewhere far. If you are tight on a budget, drive somewhere far. Do not go on the tourist spots but go to places where the locals hangout. Bring camera, etc.
17. Read a book. It doesn’t matter whether it’s fiction or non-fiction. Follow your gut-feeling, buy a book and finish reading it. You’d be surprised how enlightening it is.
16. Flirt with someone. Flirting is an art. Some are natural at it and some need to really learn how to flirt. A flirt can be innocent, healthy and just plain fun.
15. Attend a dance congress or festival. It’s a weekend full of people, dancing and workshops. To get the whole essence of the event, buy a full pass and stay at the event’s hotel. Do not attend the big ones. I recommend a bachata festival; you get to meet and dance with everyone, making new friends at the same time.
14. Go to the wine country on a date. There’s just something about wine tasting and enjoying the whole wine country atmosphere. It’s so serene.
13. Visit your parents! Spend time with your mom or your dad. Nope, don’t wait for thanksgiving. You will make them happy.
12. Go to the gym! A healthy heart goes a long way enjoying life at its fullest. Take a cardio class and spend time at the sauna after.
11. Challenge your fear of heights! Bungee jumped, sky dive or fly a plane. You’ll be proud of yourself you did it.
10. Dance with someone more than once. Recognizing chemistry and appreciating it is enjoying what life has to offer.
9. Take a private lesson. Going beyond an interest on a certain dance you like is an investment. Private lessons corrects your ego, fixes your foundation and fundamental problems.
8. Talk to a stranger! “Hi” is the best line-opener you can ever deliver. Location isn’t important. You can be in a plane, a bus, a train on walking on a street, enhancing your social skill.
7. Enjoy a facial treatment. Get a full-body massage. Why not, eh? Pampering yourself from time to time is part of enjoying life.
6. Go to the doctor every 6 months. Yup, physical check-up is part of enjoying life. You don’t go to a doctor when there’s something wrong. Prevention is the key to living life at its fullest.
5. Tantric Sex. Extended orgasm, anyone? Tantric sex will reinvigorate your lovemaking. If you like Kama Sutra manuals, you’d even love tantric sex.
4. Laugh hysterically! Go and see stand up comic with your friends. It is very true; laughter is the best medicine.
3. Watch a Broadway musical. I recommend Les Miserable’s or Phantom of the Opera. Bring a date and dressed up a little.
2. Compliment your love one. It feels good to make someone smile. “I can live for two months on a good compliment. - Twain”
1. Look at yourself in the mirror, smile and say, “God, I love you.”
This was my 2nd time taking a workshop with Rodchata, the first having been a couple of years ago at the Reno Dance Sensation not long after I first moved to California. Amazingly, he remembered me - he said he has a good memory for faces, not names, but I call that amazing. I got to talk to him for part of the weekend, and was really impressed with how down-to-earth and “normal” he was. Even though he is a well-known bachata teacher, there isn’t a bit of arrogance to him.
Organization
The workshop, like all Salsa Extravaganza-sponsored workshops, was held at the Wyndham Resort. It’s a great hotel located in Palm Springs, with sizeable workshop rooms.
Friday – Bachata Basics
The capacity of the room was 100 people, it was small. Of course, for the organizer’s sake, I would like to see workshops be located in a bigger room. But from a purely selfish perspective, it was *amazing* to have one hour with Rodchata where he was able to make the class fun in a very crowded room. Since almost everybody taking the work shop had only been dancing for at least 1 or 4 years, he was able to teach at a basic level and explained several concepts in a fresh manner. It was at a more advance basic level than most of the workshops I’ve gotten to take. He did a great job of adjusting his teaching to the skills of the people in the room.
Rodchata also made a point of first teaching the basic steps, then adding what he called the “connection” – being one with your partner, hand placement, facial expressions, when to breathe, all the stuff that makes a partner dance look natural.
He has a cute way of speaking, ending almost every other sentence with “yes?” or “yeah?” Along with just being his own recognizable way of speaking, it also is his way of confirming that the class is keeping up with his teaching.
Saturday - Advance Workshop
Saturday workshop was fairly difficult, but good. (Well, I say that, but it could well have been for REALLY advance dancers) But it was nice to see what advance bachata workshop was all about. The workshop was done before anyone could get burnt out or bored. There was some cheer when Camille Yanantuono, who was watching the workshop, dashed to Rodchata and dance with him for a few seconds. I could tell that the advance dancers enjoyed it.
Rodchata stuck around after the workshop to videotape a segment of what he taught. He was very gracious about posing for pictures and chatting with students.
Sunday – All levels Workshop
Sunday, we covered bachata in general sense. Yet again, I was very happy for the class size and a bigger room. We were all able to dance in rotation without hitting each other. I don’t think it’s ever possible to completely avoid some mayhem when a room is overcrowded.
Rodchata taught his own preferred style of bachata dancing, which includes a little more influence drawn from the traditional as well as modern. He also includes some ways of merging certain moves that are not culturally authentic, though they are quite awesome. Rodchata, although not from a Dominican decent is extremely knowledgeable about the history and cultural context of bachata, and includes a lot of information about how to dance modern bachata without losing the traditional look.
He started the class by taking us through different basic steps concept and technique, then teaching us his new ways of feeling the music, the conga and the bass. Once we were up to speed, he taught a very nice kind of modern movements with a hint of romance and sensuality. It had a good Dominican flavor, while incorporating some fun extras like the turns, and a fun little trick where we kind of bend our knees on the third beat. I can’t describe it, but it was nice and it worked with the music. He managed it pretty well, and when the class tried it, there was a lot of giggling on the floor.
Overall Impressions
I wholeheartedly recommend taking a workshop with Rodchata. He is so down-to-earth, funny, and is obviously committed to making students feel like they come away from a workshop with as much valuable information as possible.
The influences of Dominican style and Modern are very clear in his dancing and teaching. So if you are a big fan of both styles, you will get a nice taste of it in any of his workshops. I have taken workshops with several bachata teachers in Europe and United States. While their teaching styles can be quite different, Rodchata takes a lot of history, tradition, his own style with other combinations and presents it in a much accessible workshop. He has a very rich background in Latin dancing.
He does, however, take those influences, and really makes his dance his own. The little details and nuances he teaches in his workshops are valuable for learning how to show your own personality in your dance. I think he excels at teaching the details that take technically correct movements and fill them with vibrancy and personality.
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,
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.
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,
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.”
One of the names that comes up frequently when I discuss the world bachata scene with Jorge Elizando is Rodney (Rodchata) Aquino. Rodney is another one of the pioneers of bachata in the US scene (as well as worldwide). I’m really happy to see the increased publicity for bachata as it comes ‘out of the closet’ in the US.
One of the things that I know is going to happen is that there’s going to be a whole new layer of opportunity for new stars of genre. ”Rodchata” is one such fellow who embraced bachata early on and I suspect a lot of you don’t know much about him so I thought I’d share a few posts and videos with you Click here: Wandering Salsero
