[BACHATA IN MEDIA] Bachata is a popular genre of music and dance that originated in the Dominican Republic and has spread across the world. It is characterized by its romantic lyrics, sensual movements, and distinctive guitar sound. Bachata has been featured in many movies and TV shows, both as a soundtrack and as a plot element. In this blog post, we will explore some of the most memorable examples of bachata in media and how they celebrate its culture and history.
One of the earliest movies to showcase bachata was The Godfather Part II (1974), where a young Vito Corleone visits Santo Domingo and witnesses a bachata performance at a nightclub. The scene captures the contrast between the elegance of the upper class and the poverty of the lower class, as well as the influence of American culture on the Dominican Republic. The song played in the scene is "Pena" by José Manuel Calderón, one of the pioneers of bachata.
Another movie that features bachata prominently is Dance with Me (1998), starring Vanessa Williams and Chayanne. The movie tells the story of a Cuban dancer who moves to Houston and falls in love with a dance instructor. The movie includes several scenes of bachata dancing, both in formal and informal settings. The movie also introduces some of the variations of bachata, such as bachatango and bachata-merengue. The soundtrack includes songs by Juan Luis Guerra, Aventura, and Monchy y Alexandra.
Bachata has also made its way to TV shows, especially in recent years. One of the most popular examples is Jane the Virgin (2014-2019), a comedy-drama series that follows the life of a young woman who becomes pregnant after being accidentally artificially inseminated. The show features many references to bachata, such as Jane's favorite singer being Juan Luis Guerra, her father being a famous telenovela star who dances bachata on screen, and her love interest being a hotel owner who teaches her how to dance bachata. The show also uses bachata songs to enhance the mood and emotion of certain scenes, such as "Bachata en Fukuoka" by Juan Luis Guerra and "Propuesta Indecente" by Romeo Santos.
Another TV show that incorporates bachata is One Day at a Time (2017-2020), a sitcom that follows the life of a Cuban-American family living in Los Angeles. The show depicts the struggles and joys of being an immigrant, a single parent, a veteran, a queer person, and a person of color in America. The show also celebrates the diversity and richness of Latinx culture, including music and dance. In one episode, the family attends a quinceañera party where they dance bachata to "Stand by Me" by Prince Royce, a bilingual version of the classic song.
These are just some of the examples of how bachata has been represented in movies and TV shows. By featuring bachata in media, we can appreciate its beauty and significance as an art form that expresses love, passion, and identity. Bachata is more than just music and dance; it is a way of life that connects us to our roots and to each other.
