Bachata music, like Merengue, originated in the Dominican Republic. It has gained popularity in Salsa Clubs all over the world.

Recognisable by its electric guitar arpeggio, it's based on a musical style known as “bolero campesino”. Traditionally, lyrics were about lost love and pain. The name Bachata only recently came to denote the style of music and dance, the term originally referring to a party where guitar music was played. Today's lyrics are still about romance, but are more upbeat, moving away from the melancholy.

The dance has an 8-beat phrase in a sideways step (3-steps left, 3 steps right, for the leader) and the usual Latin hip movement. There is a distinctive "hip pop" on the 4th and 8th beats.

It is primarily a closed-position, semi-erotic partner dance, with the couple's thighs connected, giving the appearance that they are locked together at the hips.

In Japan, open-position is more prevalent due to the relative shyness about close physical contact in public.

Due to the sudden popularity of the dance in Japan, there is a shortage of good Bachata instructors. Improper hip movement, especially the "pop" is the biggest obstacle to getting the dance to "look right".