You probably can’t tell from the sensual bachata performance in their latest video, but Luis Loredo and Victoria Calamusa have only been dance partners for four months. While Loredo lives in Dallas, Calamusa calls Charlotte, North Carolina, home.
The pair set out to showcase the hot Dominican dance by using Dallas’ skyline as a backdrop. The response? Muy bueno, according to Facebook fans, who've watched the video more than 16,000 times since it was posted Tuesday, Jan. 9.
Tell us about the filming of this video.
Calamusa: Well, actually, it was freezing when we did this video. So the whole time we were filming, until we warmed up from dancing, we were both pretty cold. As for the music, whenever we first heard the song, we really connected to it and instantly knew we had to create something magical with it.
Loredo: We wanted somewhere that showed the scenic side of Dallas. We found a hidden gem above the intersection of Hampton and I-30. From there, we went on to the Trinity River Bridge for the second location and finally came back at sunset to the location above Hampton and I-30. Luckily, we didn’t have many people walking on the bridge while we recorded. We filmed for about an hour and a half in order to get all the right angles. We did it around rush hour though, so there were people honking and yelling outside their windows at us.
"We did it around rush hour, so there were people honking and yelling outside their windows at us." — Luis Loredo
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How do you feel about the response this video has had on Facebook?
Loredo: We are happy that people who might not have liked bachata in the past are welcoming the new styles of bachata fusion due to DJs doing remixes to popular mainstream songs.
Calamusa: We are so excited that people seem to love and appreciate the work that we are putting out there. We want to bring something unique and different to the bachata scene.
What are the key ingredients for a tasty bachata?
Loredo: Having a good dance is like having a good conversation. You can’t have a good conversation with everyone. Just like a conversation, the best dance happens when both sides are listening to one another. A good dance does not consist of perfection but what you feel while you are dancing. For a good performance, you typically need four to six months of training. You want people to capture the essence of your vision. You want the hair on people’s hands to go straight to the sky and their hearts to skip a beat.
Calamusa: Another element that makes good bachata good is when you can actually see the passion and emotions that are being felt between dancers; it makes the performance stand out.
Where can people get a taste of this Latin dance for themselves?
Loredo: The bachata scene in Dallas has been steadily growing. We have a lesson and social dancing on Wednesday nights at Stratos until 2 p.m. Sunday nights at Los Lupes, class is from 10-11 p.m. and then social dancing from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. For these specific nights, it is free. We also have a few monthly socials for $10, including:
- First Saturday of the month at Clique Studio with a class starting at 9:30 p.m. and social dancing until 4 a.m.
- Second and fourth Friday of the month is Pura Salsa Dallas at Alpha Midway Studios. This event starts with a class from 9-10 p.m., then goes into social dancing from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. and includes both salsa and bachata music.
- Third Friday of the month is Pura Salsa Fort Worth. There is a class from 9-10 p.m. and social dancing from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m.
Where else can we see you perform around town?
Loredo: We will be at a number of congresses and festivals coming up this year: Dallas Kizomba Festival (Sept. 1-3) and Dallas Salsa Congress (Sept. 20-23).
To see more performances by Laredo and Calamusa, visit facebook.com/luisyvictoria.
