Who am I?
I’m Jessica, the creator, owner, organizer, DJ, lead content-creator, and Bachata instructor of For the Love of Bachata. I’m also an elementary Spanish teacher full time with an extensive training in educational pedagogy which has allowed me to bring education into every facet of what I do with FTLOB.
What do I do?
I teach Bachata classes and workshops here in Pittsburgh as well as Latin dance events of all sizes. I have been hired to DJ at events across North America such as the Seattle Dance Experience NYE, Baltimore Salsa Bachata Congress, and DCBX. I also organize, host, and DJ at my own Latin dance socials and bring in guest instructors to teach at semi-annual Bachata weekenders. In between events, I research Bachata and create content for other dancers, too. Most of my work focuses on Bachata, or what some call Traditional or Dominican Bachata - it stays true to the way Bachata is danced in its home of the Dominican Republic. In fact, I was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation by the International Ambassador of Dominican Arts for my my dedication to developing Bachata in the dance community back in March of 2017. However, I’m also a Salsera in my heart and I enjoy several other dance styles, so sometimes I will host a special Salsa intensive weekend or you’ll hear me slide in some Kizomba or Semba songs at my socials.
I bring my training in education into my event planning by working with instructors not just to select workshops, but to create a meaningful learning sequence. I want the attendees to feel empowered by all the workshops and never confused or overwhelmed, as can sometimes happen when you take a ton of workshops that have nothing to do with each other. My goal is for each attendee to never want to leave because they are feeling so good about their learning.
Where do I do it?
All of my physical events take place in Pittsburgh, though the festivals attract dancers from all over - from Denver to North Carolina to Toronto and everywhere in between. I also have offered some weekly classes and monthly workshops online, which means almost anyone can learn here.
Why do I do it?
Back in 2014, when I attended a special event called Toronto B.E.A.T.S. (Bachata Education About Traditional Style), I fell in love with “Traditional” Bachata. I went in thinking it was a bunch of fancy footwork and I left with my world upside down - and I LOVED it. The mix of history, culture, music, and dance classes all arranged in a logical sequence any professional teacher would approve of left me feeling more inspired than I’ve ever felt through any other dance experience. I knew I had to bring more events like that to the world that would share all those good vibes I feel with others. To this day, I continue to work with artists to create workshop series that not only focus on Bachata as it’s danced in the DR, but also incorporate good foundations of teaching so that everyone can leave feeling clear, inspired, and excited for more.
hear more about me and my work in these interviews:
Interview with Rodney Aquino, March 2022
Sin Filtro Interview, September 2020 with Liza Yelyaive, Maria Kozlovkaya, & Jessica
Go Latin Dance! Interview, March 2020
Learn Spanish con Salsa Podcast, 2020
Two Left Feet Podcast, July 2019
Where do I sign up?
All current event offerings are located in the events page. Check ‘em out!