Salsa, bachata or kizomba: which one suits you?

Salsa, bachata and kizomba are often mentioned in the same breath. You find them at the same schools and the same parties, sometimes in the same room. Yet they are three different dances, each with its own origins, its own music and its own feel.

The facts about origins and rhythm come from the sources at the bottom; the rest is what I see as a dancer.

What is the difference between salsa, bachata and kizomba?

In short: salsa is fast and playful, bachata has a clear sideways basic step with a hip accent, and kizomba is slow, close and smooth.

They also come from different parts of the world. Salsa has Cuban roots, bachata comes from the Dominican Republic and kizomba from Angola. I go into this in more detail below.

Where do salsa, bachata and kizomba come from?

Salsa from Cuba and New York, bachata from the Dominican Republic, kizomba from Angola.

Salsa grew out of a line of Afro-Cuban and Caribbean dances, such as son, danzón, mambo, cha-cha-chá and rumba. "Salsa" caught on as a name for the music mainly in the 1970s, in New York, where musicians and dancers from Cuba, Puerto Rico and the rest of the Caribbean came together.

Bachata, according to UNESCO, is a blend of rhythmic bolero with other Afro-Antillean genres such as son, cha-cha-chá and merengue. The lyrics are often about love, passion and longing. Since 2019 bachata has been on UNESCO's list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Kizomba emerged in Angola in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It is a blend of Angolan semba with zouk from the French Antilles. The word means "party" in Kimbundu, one of Angola's national languages. Since 2024 the Angolan government has recognised kizomba as national intangible heritage.

What is the difference in the music?

Salsa is the fastest, bachata is built around guitars, kizomba is slow with a heavy bass.

Salsa: most dancing to salsa music happens at a tempo of roughly 160 to 220 beats per minute. A lot happens in the music, and you see that reflected in the dance.

Bachata: according to UNESCO, a traditional group is small, with one or two guitars (nowadays often electric), bongos, maracas, a scraper and a bass, and usually one singer. To me the music feels calmer and more melodic than salsa.

Kizomba: compared to semba, the tempo came down and a heavier bass line was added, often with electronic percussion.

How does each dance feel?

Salsa is full of turns and energy, bachata sits close to the music with a fixed accent, kizomba is all about connection.

Salsa: the basic step is three steps in four counts, twice, so six steps in eight counts. Around that you build turns, figures and your own style. There are different salsa styles; you can read more about them in on1, on2 or Cuban.

Bachata: the basic step is eight counts sideways, with a hip accent or a tap of the foot on the fourth and eighth count. The original social dance in the Dominican Republic was danced in closed hold, like bolero. Bachata moderna appeared in the late 1990s through dance schools outside the Dominican Republic. Bachata sensual, which originated in Cádiz in Spain, added circular movements, body waves and dips.

Kizomba: you dance close together and the lead gives direction mainly through the upper body. In my experience there are few big figures; it is about connection, walking to the music and small variations.

Is bachata hard?

For many beginners the basics of bachata are easy to follow. It only gets hard when you want to put more into it, and that is true of every dance.

Eight counts sideways with an accent on four and eight is quick to learn. After that come posture, connection with your partner and the styles with wave movements, and that is where the depth lies. Salsa asks more of you at the start because of the tempo. Kizomba is not fast, but it does require you to feel comfortable dancing close together.

Which style suits you?

The one whose music moves you. Put on a few songs from each style and notice what your body responds to.

• Do energy and tempo make you happy? Then salsa is a good fit. After an evening of salsa you are tired in a good way.
• Do you love melody and want to be able to do something quickly? Then bachata is a good start.
• Are you looking for calm and connection? Then kizomba might suit you. You do stand close to your partner, and you need to be comfortable with that. Taking time to get used to it is fine; that is true of every partner dance.

You learn to dance more easily to music you love.

Can you learn salsa and bachata at the same time?

Yes, but start with one style until you feel the basics. Otherwise the steps start to get mixed up.

Many dance schools teach salsa and bachata side by side, and at many Latin parties you hear both. Kizomba often has its own nights. For all three, you can come on your own and you switch partners in class. See also learning salsa without a partner.

Where can you find a salsa, bachata or kizomba class?

On Baila Discover you can see which schools teach each style in each town. Have a look at salsa classes, bachata classes, kizomba classes or bachata in Rotterdam. If it is your first time, read your first dance class.

Sources

• https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/bachata-music-and-dance-of-the-dominican-republic-01514 (UNESCO: origins, instruments, lyrics and basics of bachata)
• https://www.washington.edu/news/2016/01/15/salsa-dance-commerce-explored-in-juliet-mcmains-book-spinning-mambo-into-salsa/ (University of Washington on research by one of its own dance professors: forerunners of salsa, naming in the 1970s)
• https://www.dnoticias.pt/2024/5/8/404506-kizomba-um-sentimento-angolano-que-explodiu-pelo-mundo/ (Lusa news agency: meaning of kizomba, recognition as national heritage in 2024; in Portuguese)
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salsa_(dance) (forerunners, tempo)
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bachata_(dance) (styles: Dominican, moderna, sensual)
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kizomba (origins, semba and zouk, music)