Rodchata - Dancer, Teacher, Promoter, Choreographer
Rodchata is an international instructor with 25 yrs of dance experience, including world competition judge and promoter. He has taught Bachata Dancing in 48 countries totaling 350 cities in the world including the Dominican Republic. He is ranked the 2nd most influential bachatero in the world by Dance Planet Daily, and one of the few teachers that teaches authentic bachata in the USA.
Reference:
1. Listed as one of the few Teacher Teaching Authentic Bachata
@ https://sites.google.com/site/realbachata/instructors-who-teach-real-bachata
2) Ranked #2 The Most Influential Bachatero in the World
@ https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-top-bachata-dancers-in-the-world?fbclid=IwAR0PXyzeqVw1u3reM9A2Ewp3jZ5Tg8hk_e1oxv3_37bZPAazTPcOqEjhlto
4) Featured as one of influential bachatero in the world by GoLatinDance.com
5) Awarded and recognized as the pioneer of the 1st bachata festivals in the USA by the International Bachata Society
6) Awarded and recognized for teaching and promoting bachata in the world by Dominican Ambassador Edwin Ferreras
7. World Latin Dance Cup Judge for 2 years (USA)
8. World Bachata Champion of Champions Judge (UK)
9. World Salsa Championship Judge (SF)
10. Asia Latin Championship Judge (Singapore)
11. 1st Person to organize a Bachata Festival in the USA
12. 1st Person to co-organize Dominican Bachata Festival in Santo Domingo
13. Hosted by the Angolan Embassy in Korea for teaching the very first Kizomba workshops in South Korea.
Teachers that Trained and Taught Rodchata in Dance, Martial arts, Fitness & Enterprenuership (In any order)
Gil and Naomi Flores, Alex Da Silva, Ava Apple, Frankie Martinez, Severino Reyes, Tamara Culpepper, David & Valentina Weise, Mandela, Kwenda Lima, Vali Damaskou, Ralph Castro, Carlos Navarro, Nestor Ylagan, Rene Latosa, Remy Presas, John Perrera, Pedro Diaz, Bill Wallace, Evan Margolin, Flavio Bacianini, Franco Columbo & Dan Duchaine.
Rodchata is a leading Latin dance & music event company. Rodney aquino, the founder of Rodchata, is a top producer of dance & music conventions all over the world. He has over 160,000 subscribers in his newsletter and over 60,000 friends combined in instagram, twitter and facebook. He is constantly sought by promoters not only to teach but hosting their events as well as judging dance competitions.
Rodchata is the first man in history to ever organize the very 1st international bachata festival in USA (Reno Bachata Festival and SF Bachata Festival), and co-organized the very 1st Dominican Republic Bachata Festival in the Dominican Republic (Santo Domingo)
Solely responsible for revolutionizing bachata dance in USA, RODCHATA, as bachateros intimately calls him, has been in the Latin Dance scene for over 25 years and is considered the foremost authority in the bachata dance, both Dominican and Modern styles. He has judged bachata competitions all over the world including USA Salsa Open, Canada Open, WLDC (World Latin Dance Cup 2 years in a row) and others. He has sold his DVD line up, a 5-volume of dance instructional DVDs of bachata, salsa and merengue, to over 60 countries, and just produced new DVDs; The Secrets of Dominican Bachata - How Bachata is Danced.
Rodchata has MA in Counseling Psychology. He is a certified Personal Fitness Trainer, Dancing and holds a 4th Degree Black Belt in the Martial Arts. His experience in the Martial Arts for 20 years and his background in Fitness Training plays a vital role on his effectiveness as a dance teacher. When he is not doing a dance tour, he teaches locally in the Bay Area.
Rodney Aquino's Teaching and Competition Judging History
2003 - Reno Dance Sensation (Reno, NV). Taught Bachata Workshops
2004 - Reno Dance Sensation (Reno, NV). Taught Bachata Workshops, Judged
2005 - Salsa Extravaganza (Palm Springs, CA). Taught Bachata Workshops, Judged
2005 - Reno Dance Sensation (Reno, NV) Taught Bachata Workshops, Judged
2005 - Created Rodchata Project Dance Team
2006 - Salsa Extravaganza (Palm Springs, CA) Taught Bachata Workshops, Judged
2006 - Chico Dance Sensation (Chico, CA) Taught Bachata Workshops, Judged
2006 - Dallas Salsa Congress (Dallas, TX) Taught Bachata Workshops
2007 - Chico Dance Sensation (Chico, CA) Taught Bachata Workshops, Judged
2007 - Northwest Salsa Congress (Tacoma, WA). Taught Bachata Workshops
2007 - Hawaii Dance Sensation (Honolulu, HI). Taught Bachata Workshops
2007 - Santa Rosa Salsa Festival (Santa Rosa, CA) Taught Bachata Workshops
2007 - Dallas Salsa Congress (Dallas, TX) Taught Bachata Worshops
2008 - SF Salsa Congress (San Francisco, CA) Taught Bachata Workshops
2008 - Sydney Bachata Festival (Sydney, Australia)
2008 - Swedish Bachata Festival (Gothenburg, Sweden)
2008 - Finland Bachata Festival (Tampere, Finland)
2009 - Reno Bachata Festival (Reno, NV) Organizer, Promoter
2009 - Bachatando (Brussels, Belgium) Taught Bachata Workshops
2009 - Salsaventura (Haag, Netherlands) Taught Bachata and Salsa Weekend Bootcamps
2009 - Sydney Bachata Festival (Sydney, Australia) Taught Bachata Workshops
2009 - Helsinki Bachata Festival (Helsinki, Finland) Taught Bachata Workshops
2009 - Tampere Bachata Festival (Tampere, Finland) Taught Bachata Workshops
2009 - San Francisco Bachata Festival ( SF, CA) Organizer, Promoter
2009 - Bachaturo ( Warsaw, Poland) Taught Bachata Workshops
2009 - Lithuanian Bachata Festival (Vilnius, Lithuania) Taught Bachata Workshops
2009 - SF Salsa Congress (Oakland, CA) Taught Bachata Workshops
2009 - Sexy and Sensual Festival (London, England) Taught Bachata Workshops, Judged
2009 - DC Bachata Congress (Washington, DC) Taught Bachata Workshops, Judged
2010 - Reno Bachata Festival (Reno, NV) Organizer, Promoter
2010 - Reno Dance Sensation (Reno, NV) Taught Bachata Workshops, Judged
2010 - Bachatando (Brussels, Belgium) Taught Bachata Workshops
2010 - Bachata Bootcamp Salsaventura (Rotterdam, Netherlands) Taught Bachata Workshops
2010 - Valentines Bachata Festival (Stockholm, Sweden) Taught Bachata Workshops
2010 - Tampere Bachata Festival (Tampere, Finland) Taught Bachata Merengue Workshops
2010 - Lithuanian Bachata Festival (Vilnius, Lithuania) Organizer, Promoter
2010 - San Francisco Bachata Festival (SF, CA) Organizer, Promoter
2010 - Hawaii Bachata Festival (Honolulu, HI) Organizer, Promoter
2010 - DC Bachata Congress (Washington, DC) Taught Bachata Workshops
2010 - WORLD LATIN DANCE CUP (San Diego, CA) Judged
2010- 1st DOMINICAN REPUBLIC BACHATA FESTIVAL (Santo Domingo, RD) Organizer, Promoter, Teacher
2010 - San Diego Salsa Bachata Congress (San Diego) Taught Bachata Workshops
2010 - All-Star Salsa Bachata Cruise (co-hosted)
2010- LA Bachata Festival (Los Angeles) Taught Bachata Workshops
2010 - Salsa Mambo Festival (Palm Springs) Taught Bachata Workshops, Judged
2010 - Los Angeles Salsa Congress (Los Angeles) Taught Bachata Workshops
2011 - Reno Bachata Festival (Reno, NV) Organizer, Promoter
2011 - Salsa Factory Bootcamp (Warsaw, Poland) Taught Bachata Workshops
2011 - Bachatando (Brussels, Belgium) Taught Bachata Workshops
2011 - Valentines Bachata Festival (Stockholm, Sweden) Taught Bachata Workshops
2011 - Afro-Latin Egypt (Cairo, Egypt) Taught Bachata Workshops
2011 - SF Bachata Festival (San Francisco, CA) Organizer, Promoter
2011 - Hawaii Bachata Festival (Honolulu, HI) Organizer, Promoter
2011 - Hawaii Salsa Festival (Honolulu, HI) Taught Bachata Workshops
2011 - Texas Salsa Congress (Houston, TX) Taught Bachata Workshops
2011 - Las Vegas Salsa Congress (Las Vegas) Taught Bachata Workshops
2011 - World Latin Dance Cup (Las Vegas, NV) Judged
2011 - Japan Bachata Festival (Tokyo, Japan) Taught Bachata Workshops
2011 - United Salseros Bachata Bootcamp (Toronto, Canada)
2011 - Flirt Seattle Festival (Seattle, WA)
2011 - Los Angeles Salsa Congress (Los Angeles)
2011 - 1st Kizomba Zouk Festival (San Francisco) Organizer, Promoter
2011 - San Diego Salsa Bachata Congress (San Diego) Taught Bachata Workshops
2012 - Reno Bachata Festival (Reno) Organizer, Promoter) Taught Kizomba
2012 - Salsa Mambo Festival (Palm Springs) Taught Bachata Workshops
2012 - Texas Salsa Congress (Houston, TX) Taught and Hosted Bachata Workshops and Parties
2012 - Boracay Latin Dance Festival (Boracay, Philippines) Co-organizer, Promoter
2012 - Singapore Latin Dance Festival (Singapore) Taught Bachata Workshops, Judged
2012 - Rhythm Identity (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) Taught Bachata & Kizomba
2012 - SF Bachata Festival - Organizer, Promoter
2012 - SF Salsa Congress - Hosted Bachata Room
2012 - US SALSA OPEN - Judged
2012 - Japan Dance Tour (all over japan) Taught Bachata and Kizomba Workshops
2012 - Latin Motion Dance Academy Dance Bootcamp (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) Taught Bachata and Kizomba Workshops
2012 - International Kizomba Festival (San Francisco)
2012 - Toronto Bachata Kizomba Congress (Toronto, Canada) Taught Bachata and Kizomba Workshops
2012 - Canada Bachata Chmapionship (Toronto) Judged
2012 - Sonoma Salsa Bachata Congress (Sonoma, CA) Taught Bachata Workshops
2012 - LA Bachata Festival (Los Angeles) Taught Bachata Workshops
2013 - 5th Anniversary Reno Bachata Festival (Reno)
2012 - Kiss Korea Dance Bootcamp (Seoul) Taught Bachata and Kizomba Workshops
2013 - SF Bachata Festival (San Francisco)
2013 - Gonchata Bootcamp (Tokyo, Japan) Taught bachata and Kizomba workshops
2013 - US Salsa Open - Judged
2013 - SF Salsa Congress (San Francisco) Judged, taught bachata workshops
2014 - Afro-Latin Vegas (Las Vegas)
2014- BKS Experience Weekend (Calgary, Canada) Taught Bachata and Kizomba Workshops
2014 - St Louis (STL) International Latin Dance Festival (St Louis, Missouri)
2014 - Bay Area Dance Festival (Emeryville)
2014 - New York Intnernational Salsa Congress (New York) Teacher
2014 - Los Angeles Bachata, Kizomba Salsa Festival (Orange County)
2015 - Master Workshops Series (London, England)
2015 - BKS Calgary Canada - June 12-15
2015 - 7th SF Bachata Festival
2015 - Canada Congress (Vancouver) - September 2015 (Los Angeles)
2015 - Israel Bachata Bootcamp, August (Tel Aviv)
2015 - New York Salsa Congress (August 2015)
2015 - Bachata & Kizomba Bootcamp, Vilnius, Lithuania
2015 - Sexy & Sensual Latin Festival (October)
2015 - Bachata Bootcamp, Copenhagen, Denmark (November)
2015 - Bachata Con Sentimiento, Brussels. Belgium (November)
2015 - SF Salsa Congress (November)
2016 - 8th Afro-Latin Vegas @ Harrahs - January 2016
2016 - March Bachata Boocamp in Vancouver's Basa Studio
2016 - April Bachata Bootcamp Weekend @LatinLabInc - Norway
2016 - May Toronto Bachata Bootcamp @ United Salseros Studio
2016 - June BKS Dance Experience Weekend in Calgary
2016 - July San Francisco Bachata Festival
2016 - September - Los Angeles BKS Festival
2016 - October Latvia Bachata Festival in Riga
2016 - October World Bachata Championshop in London
2016 - October Bachata & Salsa Event in Reading (UK)
2017-January, Afro-Latin Vegas (Organizer) (Las Veas)
2017-March, Bachata French Kiss (Teacher) France
2017- April, 10th Sydney Bachata Festival - Teacher (Australia)
2017-Bay Area Dance Festival (Emeryville) Organizer
2017 - June BKS Dance Experience (Calgary, Canada)
2017-July-San Francisco Bachata Festival (Organizer)
2017-October, iSEMBA Fest (Organizer( San Francisco)
2017-Ocotber, Sexy Sensual Latin Fest - Teacher (UK)
Rodchata Teaches weekly classes in the Bay Area and Reno
For Bookings: Rodney@Rodchata.com or Call 415-802-83233
The Rodney Rodchata Aquino Interview
Rodney Aquino is The Godfather and creator of the first bachata congress in the USA (2009). His events draw large numbers of dancers who want to experience bachata culture, music and dance at its finest. Few others have done more than Rodney to bring together and facilitate unity among bachateros. He is currently planning a bachata competition, The Bachata Gold Cup. Dance Planet Daily talked with Rodney and he gave a very candid and incredibly eye-opening look into the bachata world that he has helped shape over the past decade.
You are Filipino, correct?
Yes. My parents are from the Philippines. I was born in San Francisco. When I was 12 years old they sent me to the Philippines for school.
Did you have any exposure to Latin music and dance growing up?
My parents danced Tango. They were the stars in their generation I think! (laughs). It was kind of weird to look at them dance, but we had a lot of salsa and mambo music when I was a kid. Generally speaking Filipinos are influenced by Latin and Spanish culture, and that’s how I got exposed to it.
Although you’re widely known for your involvement in bachata, your early days in the Latin dance scene were spent teaching and promoting salsa. How did you initially get into salsa dancing?
I was into Latin ballroom. I was competing with my partner and one night I saw this guy doing some cool moves at a club. He would almost kiss women, or brush their hair while dancing certain moves. I said, ‘My God! He can actually get away with that! (laughs)’. That was about 18 years ago. I pursued salsa and I left ballroom because I really did not enjoy a restricted type of dance (ballroom).
READ THE COMPLETE INTERVIEW HERE...
You are Filipino, correct?
Yes. My parents are from the Philippines. I was born in San Francisco. When I was 12 years old they sent me to the Philippines for school.
Did you have any exposure to Latin music and dance growing up?
My parents danced Tango. They were the stars in their generation I think! (laughs). It was kind of weird to look at them dance, but we had a lot of salsa and mambo music when I was a kid. Generally speaking Filipinos are influenced by Latin and Spanish culture, and that’s how I got exposed to it.
Although you’re widely known for your involvement in bachata, your early days in the Latin dance scene were spent teaching and promoting salsa. How did you initially get into salsa dancing?
I was into Latin ballroom. I was competing with my partner and one night I saw this guy doing some cool moves at a club. He would almost kiss women, or brush their hair while dancing certain moves. I said, ‘My God! He can actually get away with that! (laughs)’. That was about 18 years ago. I pursued salsa and I left ballroom because I really did not enjoy a restricted type of dance (ballroom).
READ THE COMPLETE INTERVIEW HERE...
