Juan Ruiz

Juan was born in Ecuador, but moved to the US in his teenage years. Living in Chicago for 6+ years, he was a street dancer by heart, until he was properly trained at various dance academies near his home. It was here that Juan was introduced to Bachata, learning in a Multicultural city from various dancers such as the Dominicans, Boricuas, Hispanics, Mexicans & many others. This combined fusion of technique & cultural style is what makes him so unique.

Juan is responsible for the Bachata craze in Australia as 2004 saw him in a new country & culture when he arrived in Sydney, only to find the dance he was most passionate about was a taboo, never played in nightclubs or taught at dance studios. Inspired as no one else can be with Bachata, Juan started running classes & workshops, as well as promoting Bachata music to various influential DJ’s, Nightclubs & Latin Events. It was from there his fame as ‘El Bachatero’ grew quickly making him the best know Bachata Instructor in Australia & New Zealand. From then on, Juan became one of the most influential Bachateros in the world. He has taught hundreds of workshops throughout the world (Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, France, USA and more) and performed at prestigious Latin events around the world. Juan is also one of the organizers of the successful ‘Sydney Bachata Festival’ and he’s the director of Bachateros Online Magazine, one of the first web portals dedicated to Bachata only.

Juan’s is the pioneer of the Bachata Moderna movement and his syllabus and moves are being used around the world (you can read the history of Bachata Moderna here). With the growth and evolution of Bachata music, Juan has ensured that the dancing evolves as well. Bachata Moderna is a more stylized style of Bachata were dancers can add different footwork and transitions and yet remain true to Bachata form, maintaining the feeling & emotional elements that makes Bachata what it is.

Juan’s influence in the Australian Bachata

• May 2004, Moved to Australia
• January 2005, First Sydney Salsa Congress 2005 – no Bachata taught or promoted there
• 12^th of March 2005, First ever Bachata workshop in Australia, hosted at Latin Dance Australia (LDA).
• June 2005, First Ever regular Bachata classes in Australia, hosted at LDA
• Sept 2005, First Bachata Workshop at a National event: Latin Dance Corroboree, Juan and Jenny. Also, First ever Bachata routine in Australia by Juan & Jenny
• Oct 2005, Second Bachata Workshop at a National event: Australian Salsa Championships
• Nov 2005 – Jan 2006, Briefly moved to Brisbane and started the Bachata craze there. Bachata Workshops in Brisbane, hosted by Latin Energy Productions
• January 2006 – 2^nd Sydney Salsa Congress, Originally scheduled to teach Bachata, but due to Juan living in Brisbane, Bachata workshop was given to Richard and Jenny from LDA
• January 2007, 3^rd Sydney Salsa Congress – Promoters bring international Bachata star Tony Lara
• Nov 2007, Workshops around Sydney (hosted at Salsa Republic) – Introduced the concepts of Bachata Shines (called Pasitos de Bachata)
• April 2008, Organized 1^st Bachata Festival in the world together with Nestor Manuelian and Sky Blue. Taught Pasitos de Bachata (Bachata Shines) and Fun moves
• Jun 2008, Bachateros website is launched
• September 2008 – First Bachata only tour in Australia. Bachateros Do Australia Tour with Jorge Elizondo
• Sept-Oct 2009 – Developed the Bachata Moderna style
• January, 2009 – Taught first BACHATA MODERNA workshop at 1^st Reno Bachata Festival, USA. First ever Bachata Festival in USA.
• March, 2010 – Considered as one of the Most Influential Bachateros in the world (Independent list)
• April, 2011 – Opened Tropical Soul Dance Studio together with Josie Cote

Bachata Moderna demo