Based in Cabarete, Dominican Republic, Bachata Academy (Academia de Bachata) is the world’s only school for bachata music. The Academia enrolls 250 boys and girls in intensive daily tuition-free music classes. Under the tutelage of a faculty that includes Grammy-nominated Martires de León and Abel Mendez, the students are recognized for their virtuosity and mastery of Latin and Caribbean traditions. Academia de Bachata’s bands perform regular concerts and workshops throughout the Dominican Republic and the United States.

Bachata evolved from Iberian, African, and indigenous Caribbean influences. As with American jazz and blues, it was first practiced by the marginalized and shunned by elites. In the late 20th century, Dominican migrants brought bachata to the US. Second-generation Dominican-Americans combined bachata with US funk, rap, and R&B. The resulting “Bachata Urbana,” best represented by superstar Romeo Santos, has become hugely popular in the US and globally.