BACHATA

TUESDAY · ART DECO 2 · ALEX & LENKA BADRIYAH

Connection, rhythm, and the joy of dancing close — with the right song, it feels effortless.

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What is Bachata?

Bachata is a popular partner dance originating from the Dominican Republic and embraced worldwide. It is a versatile dance style with no strict rules. Generally, Bachata can vary between fast-paced dances with loose hand connection and romantic dances with closer body contact.

The dance is performed in a four-beat rhythm, with the basic step consisting of a side step count (1), bringing the other foot together (count 2), another side step (count 3), and concluding with a tap (count 4). This sequence is then repeated in the opposite direction. Bachata can be danced in both the classic close position, with the right hand on the partner's back, and the open position, where partners hold hands.

Free trial week · 14–19 September
Drop in to any class, no registration needed — subject to availability

Alex

Bucharest, Romania

Cuban SalsaBachataRueda de Casino3× World Champion

3× Rueda de Casino World Champion (2007, 2008, Prague 2025), Vice World Champion in Salsa (2009). Originally from Bucharest, Romania, with 30+ years of dance experience.

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Alex, from Bucharest in Romania; started dancing ballroom & other latin dances in 1993 and over the years has achieved numerous awards, both national and international in his career as a competition dancer and as a teacher. As a dancer he was part of the Romanian National Team in ballroom and latin, and a finalist and semi-finalist at the Romanian National Championships and Cups. As a dancer his biggest achievement is wining the European and World Champion title in Rueda de Casino in 2007 and 2008. In 2009 he became the Vice World Champion in Salsa in the competitions organised by the International Dance Organisation (IDO).

His teaching career both for social and competition dancing started in 2005. The couples who trained under Alex, became World and European Champions in Salsa, Bachata and Latino Show. For 3 years Alex lived in Turkey, and his students represented Turkey in the World Championships organised by the World Dance Sport Federation (WDSF) and became national champions.

Alex has a dance experience of over 30 years and a teaching experience of over 10 years. Even though he teaches Bachata, his favorite dance is still the Tango. Alex loves the expression of passion and other feelings that you can express through dance and his favorite quote about dance has to be: "Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, except backwards and in high heels".

Lenka Badriyah

Czech Republic / Belgium

Raqs SharqiBellydanceSilver BDU 2012

Silver Belly Dancer of the Universe 2012. Toured internationally with Bellydance Evolution for six years. Founder of Kan Zaman Festival and co-organiser of Leylet Raqs bellydance festival.

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Badriyah is a professional Raqs Sharqi dancer (bellydancer), devoted mainly to Egyptian classical and folkloric styles, modern fusion and the Golden Age of belly dance. Badriyah has won several important awards - she was awarded as silver Belly Dancer of the Universe 2012 (California, USA), Vice Miss Bellydancer of Europe 2011 (Germany) and bronze Bellydancer of the Universe 2011 (California, USA). The biggest achievement of her dance career is performing for 6 years with Bellydance Evolution, led by the famous Jillina. She has performed in Japan, Hong Kong, USA, Taiwan, Australia, Morocco, Greece and other countries.

Her biggest passion is the history of Raqs Sharqi. She is a collector of vintage items depicting Egyptian dancers, and she is the organizer of Kan Zaman - The Golden Era Music & Dance Festival. She runs an online Raqs Sharqi Museum, and she plans to turn it into a physical museum based in Ghent.

Personally, the most wonderful thing for her is to see her students grow and fall in love with dance, no matter which forms the dance has.