---

A student asks him how he cues his partner to perform a movement. Korke is dancing Bachata his own way at this point, because no one has taught him. He does not know how to answer: “Dije, yo sé que lo hago, pero no sé cómo.” (I said to myself: I know I do it, but I don’t know how.) — Korke, interview at Masters of Bachata, posted online in 2016 ^[2].

That student’s question changed everything, because it pushes Korke to explore how to lead, how to control, and how to manage body weight. That research gives rise to a cueing system, then a method, then instructor training, and both Korke and Judith, his dance partner, tell this story in many interviews, from 2014 to 2023 ^[2].

The press and their students often present them as the creators of Bachata Sensual, but they themselves talk about it differently over the years.

---

Creators, patent, zouk, competitions: the 8 MYTHS about Korke y Judith, TRUE or FALSE

Who really invented Bachata Sensual? Two friends from Cádiz, a London promoter, a competition? Copied festival biographies, collaborative encyclopedia pages, and forums about Korke y Judith circulate widely, amplified and sometimes contradictory. Eight claims keep coming up. Which ones hold up? The verdict at a glance, then the details in the indicated sections. As for their age, the answer is in the FAQ.

---

CÁDIZ, 1999-2000: a summer course on the beach, then CARNIVAL

Korke comes from Salsa, not Bachata: he says he started with a teacher in Cádiz, his hometown, and that he was a waiter before devoting himself to dance. He had never planned to leave Cádiz or travel around the world, he says in an interview posted online in 2020, from Washington ^[2].

His first contact with dance dates from 1999, he says, though he remains cautious about the year. After seeing the film Baila conmigo, he signs up for a very inexpensive, fifteen-hour summer course on the beach in Cádiz, then stops ^[2][3].

A year later, a female friend brings him back to dance: she dances in a Cádiz Carnival show and is looking for boys ^[2]. The choreographer is Lázaro Castellón, and Korke then decides to take Salsa seriously, in 2000 ^[2].

Lázaro Castellón becomes his first Salsa teacher. “Lázaro Castellón fue mi primer profesor de salsa y fue una revolución” (Lázaro Castellón was my first Salsa teacher, and it was a revolution), Korke says in April 2020 ^[2]. He adds that Lázaro introduced Salsa to southern Spain. Korke dances in his group, the Pura Salsa company, and travels with him across Europe, without receiving any performance fee ^[2][4][5].

He does not mind: “Yo empecé a bailar con Lázaro y yo viajaba con Lázaro. Yo no cobraba. […] para mí ya era un pago el poder bailar con mi profesor en el tema nacional y no me importaba pagar en el viaje” (I started dancing with Lázaro, and I traveled with Lázaro. I wasn’t paid anything. […] for me, being able to dance with my teacher on the national stage was already payment, and I didn’t mind paying for the trip) — Korke, De Tú a Tú, April 2020 ^[2].

What drives them then is sheer enthusiasm: “nosotros empezamos porque nos encantaban, entonces vamos a practicar porque nos encantaba y ensayamos porque nos encantaba […] antes era toda ilusión porque era una cosa que te había llegado y te había enamorado” (we started because we loved them, so we practiced because we loved it, and we rehearsed because we loved it […] before, it was all enthusiasm, because it was something that had come into your life and that you had fallen in love with) — Korke, De Tú a Tú, April 2020 ^[2].

---

CÁDIZ, 2001-2003: Bachata OUT OF IGNORANCE

In those years, Bachata has almost no place in Cádiz. Korke says that nightclubs only played it to make people leave, and Pablo, who would become his student, remembers the rejection it met with at the time ^[2][4].

Yet Korke takes it up between 2001 and 2003, by his own estimates, without a teacher: at the end of Salsa parties, a song comes on, he goes onto the floor and dances it his own way, as a hobby. He does not switch dances for money, since Salsa paid him; it is Bachata he loves, and no one, he says, wanted to dance it ^[2].

When Korke is asked how the style began, he speaks of his ignorance rather than a plan. In an English-language interview posted online in 2020, he says he started dancing Bachata Sensual because he was ignorant and had no idea how to dance Bachata: “I think I started to dance Sensual Bachata because I was an ignorant, ignorante. I don’t have idea how to dance Bachata but I like the music and for the reason I started to dance in my way” (I think I started dancing Bachata Sensual because I was ignorant. I had no idea how to dance Bachata, but I liked the music, and that is why I started dancing my own way) — Korke, Virak Studio interview, January 2020 ^[2]. He repeats the same idea in interviews posted online in 2016 and 2022 ^[2].

So he dances his own way, because no one has taught him, and his first idea is to make it a very close dance, with bodies touching, but respectful. Many people, he observes, associate Bachata with a dance that is more sexual than sensual ^[2].

In an interview posted online in 2016, the duo cites their great inspiration, Juan Luis Guerra’s music, and talks about a very slow Bachata, close to bolero. One of them says he danced with bodies touching and with cadence, without knowing the basic step, and that body movements grew out of that cadence ^[2].

Then comes the student’s question. In interviews posted online from 2016 to 2022, Korke recounts this scene: he does not know how to answer, so he starts studying how to cue, how to control, and how weight shifts ^[2]. That is where, he says, his love of finding the reason behind everything began ^[2].

He then builds what he calls a cueing system, in which everything goes through the body: weight shifts, body movements, breathing. The arms play a small part: an interview posted online in April 2020 speaks of 90 % body and 10 % arms ^[2].

---

CÁDIZ, around 2006: DANCING DRAGONS, Korke’s group

Korke then leaves Lázaro’s group, and he tells it plainly. “Mi historia con Lázaro acabó regular, vamos a decirlo así. No pasó nada, pero pasó todo. Entonces, digamos, diferencia de opinión, y me fui del grupo” (My story with Lázaro ended rather badly, let’s put it that way. Nothing happened, but everything happened. Let’s say: a difference of opinion, and I left the group) — Korke, De Tú a Tú, April 2020 ^[2].

He then talks to some dancers from Pura Salsa who also wanted to leave, and they decide to form a group. But Korke makes himself wait: “hubo un año de transición, que yo quise hacer también por respeto” (there was a transition year, which I also wanted out of respect) — Korke, De Tú a Tú, April 2020 ^[2]. During the year between this departure and Dancing Dragons’ first steps, he is invited to teach Bachata on his own. His first Bachata workshop at a congress takes place at the last festival of Lázaro’s that he attends, he says ^[2]. Korke also says he gave workshops outside Cádiz as early as 2006, but he himself admits that he easily gets the years wrong ^[2].

Around 2006, Korke forms his own Salsa group, Dancing Dragons, of which he is the founder and director ^[2][5]. At first there are four of them, two boys and two girls, then five.

The name comes from a challenge: a friend tells him he would never dare call it that, and Korke, who likes dragons and the world of The Lord of the Rings, takes up the challenge, while Judith adds that he loves manga ^[2].

---

CÁDIZ, around 2008-2009: JUDITH joins the company, then the duo

Judith, for her part, does not come from Bachata: she comes from competitive rhythmic gymnastics, then ballet, to which she adds contemporary dance, Afro rhythms, and Cuban rumba. Salsa is her first love, and that is where she develops a taste for Bachata, which she comes to love a great deal ^[2]. “Salsa it was my first dance, my first love” (Salsa was my first dance, my first love) — Judith, Dance & TALKS Podcast, August 2020 ^[2].

Around 2008-2009, by her own calculations, she joins Korke’s Salsa company in Cádiz. Korke remembers the place: “Un día, bailando en la Sala Malecón, de Cádiz, vi a Judith bailar y le ofrecí formar parte de mi compañía de salsa (Dancing Dragons)” (One day, while dancing at the Sala Malecón in Cádiz, I saw Judith dance and offered her a place in my salsa company (Dancing Dragons)) — Korke, Rivadavia magazine, October 2014 ^[3]. Judith tells her side of the story: she was seen dancing at a nightclub and was offered a place as a substitute, a third female dancer, and she stays for about two years ^[2]. There are then three couples in the company ^[2].

Until then, Korke had been dancing with another dancer in the company. She leaves the company, and Judith, who joined as a substitute, starts dancing with him. A year later, they decide to work on their own ^[2]. Pablo, who says he takes his first classes with Korke in 2009, remembers that Judith is not yet Korke’s dance partner at that point ^[4].

Then the requests change: people ask Korke for Bachata workshops, so he leaves the Salsa group and suggests to Judith that they continue as a pair. This is the beginning of the Bachata duo, in 2009-2010 according to Korke, and for nearly a year they travel without a fee so that organizers can try out the product. Their way of dancing, he says, does not resemble the Bachata of the time ^[2]. The duo is identified as such by March 2010 at the latest, by the organizer of BachataStars ^[6].

Judith remembers the proposal: “I’m gonna leave the group but people is asking me for like Bachata workshops […] if you want come with me and we dance together” (I’m going to leave the group, but people are asking me for Bachata workshops […] if you want, come with me and we’ll dance together) — Judith, Dance & TALKS Podcast, August 2020 ^[2]. For her, it was the obvious next step: “yo vi que sí podía tener un futuro […] voy a terminar mis estudios, pero yo esto 100 % estilo de vida” (I saw that I could have a future […] I’m going to finish my studies, but this, 100 %, is a way of life) — Judith, De Tú a Tú, April 2020 ^[2].

What changes when Judith arrives? She tells the story herself. Before her, Korke’s dancing is very close, with no improvisation or arm work for his partner, and Judith, coming from Salsa and ballet, wants to open up the dance because it is too closed ^[2]. Korke himself considers his dancing at the time very closed, not very aesthetic, and a little old-fashioned, and the result, Judith says, is a more open and more visual dance ^[2].

At work, their two temperaments complement each other: Judith says Korke is obsessed with technique and that she initially struggled to do his movements, while he describes himself as stubborn and very analytical. For them, technique is what gives them the freedom to create ^[2]. She is grateful to him for it: “yo sé lo que el chico está haciendo mal gracias a él, que fue súper obsesivo y súper técnico” (I know what the boy is doing wrong thanks to him, who was super obsessive and super technical) — Judith, De Tú a Tú, April 2020 ^[2].

Festival biographies sometimes claim that Judith only contributed aesthetics ^[7]. Her own words say something else: she describes an opening up of the dance, which became more visual ^[2].

---

LONDON, 2010: where does the name Bachata Sensual come from?

According to Korke y Judith, they did not choose the name themselves. It all happens in London, at their first event outside Spain: a promoter asks them what to call the workshops, finds their style very sensual, and decides to write Bachata Sensual. According to their account, this promoter is Tony Lara ^[2].

Korke dates this trip to 2010, but he acknowledges that the duo easily gets the years wrong ^[2], so this date is according to Korke. Pablo, his former student, tells the same story: the name was given by a promoter in London ^[4].

In an interview posted online in May 2022, the duo sums it up: “el promotor dijo, bueno, vuestro baile es muy sensual, yo voy a poner bachata sensual, y ahí se quedó ese nombre, o sea, fue una casualidad” (the promoter said: your dancing is very sensual, I’m going to put Bachata Sensual, and the name stuck, it was a coincidence) — Korke y Judith, La Gozadera, May 2022 ^[2]. In an interview posted online in April 2020, the duo says that this name came about by chance, that it was neither their idea nor a marketing calculation, and in another, posted online in 2021, they add that many people believe they chose it themselves ^[2].

Before this name, other terms circulate. Yenny Otero, who would later become their business partner, says she discovered their style in 2012, when people were talking about Korke’s style, or the Spanish style ^[4].

---

CÁDIZ, 2010: BACHATASTARS, who founded it, and what role did Korke y Judith play?

BachataStars is a Bachata competition, and there are two accounts of its founding. Nia Wilson’s thesis at Texas A&M University states that Korke founded it in 2010, and festival biographies repeat this ^[7][8]. The organizer’s pages from the time, however, name a company from Seville, 2sifica Eventos ^[6]. Its founding remains uncertain.

On March 11, 2010, BachataStars announces that Korke y Judith will be the official face of the competition. Presented as one of the most representative Bachata duos in Spain, they will also serve on the judging panel for the Spanish final in Cádiz, June 4 to 6, 2010 ^[6].

The final takes place on June 5, 2010, at the Sala Anfiteatro in Cádiz: Daniel y Desirée, from Seville, are the Spanish champions, and Chaves y Silvia, from Cádiz, finish second. The judging panel includes Korke y Judith, presented as international dancers and the official face of the event ^[6].

The organizer’s website then names Chaves y Silvia as the 2011 European champions at the final in Las Palmas in early December 2011, and lists Korke as the coordinator of the international venues for BachataStars Europe in 2012 and 2013 ^[6]. In October 2013, a Hungarian announcement for the competition presents Korke and Judith as its main international organizers ^[6]. According to Korke, Chaves y Silvia were his students ^[2].

Is BachataStars the Bachata Sensual world championship? Not in 2010: the competition is open, it does not restrict styles, everything is improvised, and the title awarded is that of 2010 Spanish Bachata champions ^[6].

And did Daniel y Desirée create Bachata Sensual, as a forum post claims ^[7] ? The Cádiz press attributes the style to Cádiz and Korke as early as 2011 and 2012 ^[5], and in 2010 Daniel y Desirée win a competition judged by Korke y Judith ^[6].

---

CÁDIZ and CHICLANA, 2011-2012: the AVANT school and Mundial Bachatarte

In 2011, Korke is already preparing a school in Cádiz: on August 10, the Cádiz press announces the opening of Avant, a dance school he is launching with ballet dancer Nuria Weber, with an opening planned for September 1 ^[5]. What he enjoys most is passing on his knowledge: “Para nosotros bailar es bonito, pero enseñar lo es más aún. Que un alumno tuyo gane un concurso o lo contraten como bailarín es lo que más te enorgullece” (For us, dancing is beautiful, but teaching is even more so. Having one of your students win a competition or be hired as a dancer is what makes you proudest) — Korke, Diario de Cádiz, August 2011 ^[5].

From November 2 to 5, 2012, Chiclana hosts the Mundial Bachatarte championship, whose main collaborator is the Avant academy. The term Bachata Sensual appears in print on this occasion in the October 27, 2012 issue of Diario de Cádiz ^[5].

---

CÁDIZ, 2013-2014: the birth of SENSUAL WEEK

Sensual Week is born from a simple idea: one summer, the duo brings a group of students to Cádiz for a week of intensive classes. Their business partner, Yenny Otero, has attended a very large congress, with more than a thousand people per workshop, and she suggests a smaller event, with smaller classes ^[2]. Korke tells it this way: “un verano decidimos traer a un grupo de estudiantes allí, traerlos a Cádiz a tomar clases intensivas durante una semana. […] vamos a hacer un evento que sea pequeñito, clases reducidas, en Cádiz una semana. Y así empezó la idea” (one summer, we decided to bring a group of students there, to bring them to Cádiz for intensive classes for a week. […] we’re going to put on a very small event, with smaller classes, in Cádiz, for a week. And that is how the idea was born) — Korke, Wedancetv, September 2019 ^[2].

This first trip takes place in 2013: 27 students, mostly from Sweden and Norway ^[3]. The event counts its editions from 2014: in October 2014, Korke and Judith list Sensual Week Cádiz 2014 among their festivals in Rivadavia magazine, and in 2018 the event’s website announces its fifth edition ^[3]. The press dates its birth to August 2013 or 2014 ^[3]. In a video posted online in September 2019, the organizers speak of the sixth year, with 35 countries and more than 200 people ^[2].

For Korke, the spirit of the event is to give a chance to those trying to grow in dance as well, not just to artists ^[2].

---

CÁDIZ, October 2014: “BAILAR ES NUESTRA PASIÓN”

In October 2014, Rivadavia magazine, published by the Diputación de Cádiz, devotes four pages to the duo. In this interview, Korke talks about his schools, his former students, Sensual Week, and what dance has given him. “Bailar es nuestra pasión. Es lo que más nos gusta. Podemos expresarnos como más nos gusta y, a fin de cuentas, ser nosotros mismos. […] El baile cambia vidas. Permite conocer gente de todo el mundo y de cualquier condición. Permite integrarse. Y eso, es lo más bonito” (Dancing is our passion. It is what we love most. We can express ourselves the way we like best and, ultimately, be ourselves. […] Dance changes lives. It allows you to meet people from all over the world and from all walks of life. It allows you to fit in. And that is the most beautiful thing) — Korke, Rivadavia, October 2014 ^[3].

He also explains why he started: “empecé a bailar precisamente para conocer gente” (I started dancing precisely to meet people) — Korke, Rivadavia, October 2014 ^[3]. And he describes what has touched him most: “Lo más gratificante es el trato humano. Gente que quiere verte, tocarte, que llora por tenerte delante […] Y un día, parar de bailar en un gran festival, dar una vuelta por la pista de baile y ver cómo dos mil personas bailan algo que tú creaste… No hay palabras. Jamás lo imaginé” (The most rewarding thing is the human contact. People who want to see you, touch you, who cry at having you in front of them […] And one day, to stop dancing at a big festival, walk around the dance floor, and see two thousand people dancing something you created… There are no words. I never imagined it) — Korke, Rivadavia, October 2014 ^[3].

In October 2014, three years after the project was announced, he still lists the school on Escalzo Street, with Nuria Weber, among his schools in Cádiz ^[3]. In Chiclana, he also mentions La Cuna de la Bachata, with Chaves ^[3].

Among their former students who have become professionals, Korke names Chaves y Silvia, Kike y Fania, Truji y Lale, and Pablo y Raquel: “Es un orgullo decir que fueron mis alumnos” (It makes me proud to say that they were my students) ^[3]. Pablo, a student of Korke in Cádiz as early as 2009 or 2010, now dances under the name Pablo y Raquel: in two interviews posted online in April 2020, they interview Korke and then Judith ^[2][4].

The last answer in the interview is a thank-you: “MAMÁ, gracias por apoyarme siempre, me animaste hasta cuando era una locura. Te quiero. Y un gran abrazo a mi compañera en esta aventura. Sin ella no estaría donde estoy” (MOM, thank you for always supporting me, you encouraged me even when it was madness. I love you. And a big hug to my companion in this adventure. Without her, I wouldn’t be where I am) — Korke, Rivadavia, October 2014 ^[3]. The companion in this adventure is Judith.

---

MARSEILLE, May 2016: MASTERS OF BACHATA and a show for Cádiz

London is, according to Korke, their first event outside Spain, and the trips follow one after another: in an interview posted online in 2016, they say that every weekend means a flight ^[2]. In May 2016, the duo is in Marseille for the Masters of Bachata, where the lineup brings together Korke y Judith, Bachata Sensual, and Ronald y Alba, Estilos Unidos ^[3].

To create a show, they first look for music they both like, then imagine a story: “es muchas horas uno enfrente del otro diciendo, ¿qué hacemos? […] encontramos una música, nos gusta los dos, la escuchamos y creamos una historia y luego intentamos contar esa historia” (it’s many hours facing each other asking: what do we do? […] we find music we both like, we listen to it, we create a story, then we try to tell that story) — Korke y Judith, Masters of Bachata, May 2016 ^[2]. Their shows, they say, contain more and more dancing and fewer and fewer acrobatics ^[2].

In the Masters of Bachata interview, posted online in 2016, they talk about a show dedicated to Cádiz, their city: it is not a Bachata, they say, but a tribute ^[2]. “Esta canción habla de nuestra ciudad, nos criamos allí […] habla de que huele a mar, de la noche en Cádiz […] es como un homenaje” (This song is about our city, we grew up there […] it talks about the smell of the sea, the night in Cádiz […] it’s like a tribute) — Korke y Judith, Masters of Bachata, May 2016 ^[2].

---

BARCELONA, around 2018: regular classes and INSTRUCTORS

Instructor training exists early on: as early as September 2015, an instructor based in the United States, Kat Arias, states on her website that she has obtained the level 1 “Bachata Sensual by Korke & Judith” certification (September 18, 2015) ^[9].

Around 2018, they teach regular classes in Barcelona: in an interview posted online in April 2020, they say they have been there for about two years, and Korke arrived before Judith, according to one of their associates ^[2]. Their center, the BS Dance Center, is located in the Barcelona metropolitan area ^[1].

Their method is also passed on through instructor training: in 2018, Andi and their partner obtain the official title of Bachata Sensual instructor, with Korke y Judith and other duos as trainers, three days of training, then an exam ^[4]. The course the duo describes in an interview posted online in 2020 also includes history, traditional Bachata, public speaking, and running a school: “en el curso de bachata sensual tenemos horas de historia y bachata tradicional, y ahí enseñamos un poco de todo, también enseñamos a hablar en público” (in the Bachata Sensual course, we have hours of history and traditional Bachata, and we teach a bit of everything there, we also teach public speaking) — Korke y Judith, De Tú a Tú, April 2020 ^[2].

Their method is taught by certified instructors in Athens, London, and New York, according to their own accounts and an American university thesis. In the interview with Adem y Tamara, in London, one of the two says they started with Korke and consider him their teacher ^[4][8].

---

SEBASTIAN KRUSE, training and OSLO

In a video message published in January 2019, Korke y Judith address their trainer, Sebastian Kruse. They say that physical training has transformed the way they dance: “Since we train with Sebastian and we do dance specific training, we have a huge change in our way of dancing. In the balance, in the posture, in the strength, in the explosivity” (Since we started training with Sebastian and doing dance-specific training, we have seen a huge change in the way we dance. In balance, in posture, in strength, in explosiveness) — Korke y Judith, message to Sebastian, January 2019 ^[2].

Judith has also taught in Norway, where she lived, in Oslo, and where Korke joined her for a time ^[2][4]. When he returns to Spain, she teaches there on her own: “Oslo I grow a lot as a person there” (Oslo, I grew a lot as a person there) — Judith, Dance & TALKS Podcast, August 2020 ^[2]. She is also one of the creators there of the Be Fit and Sensual festival, presented as the first Latin dance festival combined with fitness ^[2].

---

WASHINGTON and SANTO DOMINGO: “CHANGED MY LIFE 100%”

In an interview published in January 2020, Korke explains that he is in Washington, where Virak Studio interviews him. He is asked what dance has changed in his life: “Change everything. I was a waiter. I never had in my plan to leave out of Cadiz, stay, travel around the world” (Everything. I was a waiter. I had never planned to leave Cádiz, to stay, to travel around the world). And he concludes: “Changed my life 100%” (It changed my life 100 %) — Korke, Virak Studio interview, January 2020 ^[2].

Korke is married. Among the things dance has brought him, he mentions his new family: “I meet with my wife, I meet with my friends, this is my new family” (I met my wife, I met my friends, this is my new family) — Korke, Virak Studio interview, January 2020 ^[2]. In an interview published in April 2020, when asked how he sees himself later on, he answers: “con mi mujer, con mi niña […]” (with my wife, with my little daughter […]) — Korke, Smooth Entrevistas ^[2].

Their method evolves. In an interview posted online in 2021, they say that, until two years earlier, they had practically never taken Bachata classes. They then began studying traditional Bachata with their teacher, Evelyn Lanegra, who invented a methodology for teaching it ^[2]. In January 2020, Judith travels to the Dominican Republic to learn traditional Bachata with her ^[2]. Korke says his sensual basic step has changed, since it previously came from his Salsa basic, and for the future he imagines a midpoint between sensual and traditional ^[2].

---

BETWEEN A COUPLE AND A DUO: the pact that protected their work

Korke and Judith have not always been just dance partners. Before or during the duo’s early years, they were also a couple in life. That relationship ended, yet they continue to dance and teach together. They talk about it themselves, openly, in several interviews ^[2].

How did they manage it? They had planned for it long beforehand. “Si algún día rompemos, tengamos en cuenta que estamos trabajando, porque vamos a tirar todo a la basura. Empezar de cero puede que no consigamos nada” (If we break up one day, let’s remember that we are working, because we are going to throw everything away. Starting from scratch, we might not achieve anything) — Korke y Judith, De Tú a Tú, April 2020 ^[2]. Korke says it again in 2021: “algún día pasa algo, no seamos estúpidos” (one day, something happens, let’s not be stupid) — Korke, Ritmo Azul, April 2021 ^[2].

When the relationship ended, there was a show to create, and they had to see each other and rehearse every day. Judith remembers what she wanted to prove then: “[…] que soy profesional y que podemos seguir trabajando juntos. Y si algo no quiero perder es el baile” ([…] that I am a professional and that we can keep working together. And if there is one thing I don’t want to lose, it’s dance) — Judith, Ritmo Azul, April 2021 ^[2].

Today, they describe themselves as siblings: “somos como hermanos postizos” (we are like adopted siblings) and “es como mi hermana” (she is like my sister) — Korke y Judith, De Tú a Tú, April 2020 ^[2].

Korke also recounts that, at the beginning of his relationship with his life partner, people asked if he would dance with her. His answer: “[…] si puedo evitarlo no quiero bailar con una persona que sea mi pareja. […] yo tengo muy claro que tengo para mí la mejor pareja del mundo” ([…] if I can avoid it, I don’t want to dance with the person who is my companion. […] I am very clear that I have, for me, the best partner in the world) — Korke, De Tú a Tú, April 2020 ^[2]. The best partner in the world is Judith.

---

2020-2022: LOCKDOWN, the BRAND and a team of four

Online classes arrive early, since class platforms had already been operating for about two years before the pandemic, and they become, the duo says, their lifeline during lockdown ^[2]. In an interview posted online in August 2020, Judith explains that she wants to travel less and develop the Bachata Sensual brand further, so that it does not depend solely on Korke y Judith ^[2].

In another, posted online in May 2022, they describe themselves, together with their associates Maggi and Eric, as four pieces of equal value, and all four have an equal vote ^[2]. Korke insists: “ellos son el símbolo real y presente de que no podemos hacer nada solos” (they are the real and present symbol of the fact that we cannot do anything on our own), “somos cuatro piezas con el mismo valor” (we are four pieces of equal value) and “los cuatro contamos y votamos igual en todo” (all four of us count and vote equally on everything) — Korke, La Gozadera, May 2022 ^[2]. For him, it is “una familia enorme” (an enormous family), ranging from a boy from Argentina to a Norwegian from Oslo: “[…] hasta el noruego que está en Oslo son parte de esto” ([…] all the way to the Norwegian who is in Oslo, everyone is part of this) ^[2].

---

TODAY: Thursdays at the BS DANCE CENTER

Today, Korke and Judith teach together in Barcelona, at the BS Dance Center, which presents them as “Bachata Sensual Creadores” ^[1]. On Thursdays, the season’s schedule lists an intermediate class at 7:25 pm, then, at 8:30 pm, Korke’s Inicio class with Rebeca and Judith’s Bachata Lady Style, and finally an intermediate-advanced class at 9:35 pm ^[1].

Alongside them, the school’s team in 2026 includes Igor & Gloria, Alonso & Noelia, Carlos & Pamela, Toni & Judith (another duo: this Judith is not the Judith from Korke y Judith), Rebeca Yagüe, Carolina Rosa for Bachata Tradicional, Franco Rocha for Salsa, Sergi & Marta and Maria Crespo for stretching and contemporary dance ^[1].

Judith, for her part, imagines her future in Cádiz: “Me veo en Cádiz con mis chalecitos, haciendo barbacoa con mis amigos, con toda la gente de Cádiz […] si Dios quiere bailando todavía” (I see myself in Cádiz, with my little houses, having a barbecue with my friends, with all the people from Cádiz […] God willing, still dancing) — Judith, Pablo y Raquel, April 2020 ^[2].

---

CREATORS? What Korke y Judith say, what others say

It is the question everyone asks: who created Bachata Sensual? The answer changes depending on who is speaking and the year, so here is, first, what Korke y Judith have said themselves, in date order (for videos, the date they were posted online).

• January 2013 — In a filmed interview, the duo recounts how the style was born, then: “¿no? Somos los creadores” (right? We are the creators) ^[2].
• October 2014 — Korke, in an interview on the duo’s channel: “como digamos que uno de los creadores y pioneros del estilo sensual” (let’s say, as one of the creators and pioneers of the sensual style) ^[2]; in the Cádiz magazine Rivadavia, he also says: “somos los creadores del estilo conocido como tal” (we are the creators of the style known by that name) ^[3].
• May 2016 — A reporter reminds them that they are presented as the creators, but Korke makes no claim: he answers by talking about his love of music and his lack of knowledge ^[2].
• January 2019 — In a video message for a trainer, they both introduce themselves as creators of Bachata Sensual ^[2].
• January 2020 — Korke opens an interview like this: “I am the creator of Sensual Bachata” (I am the creator of Bachata Sensual) ^[2].
• August 2020 — Judith: “I always say he was the creator […] he created without me” (I always say he was the creator […], he created without me) ^[2].
• April 2021 — The duo says they created a methodology and adds that they never said they created a new style ^[2].
• May 2022 — Korke says they have never called their style Bachata Sensual or called themselves the creators of Bachata Sensual ^[2].
• Today (2026) — On Instagram, Korke describes himself as “Creador de la BACHATA SENSUAL” (creator of Bachata Sensual), the duo as “Bachata Sensual Creators” (creators of Bachata Sensual) and Judith as “Creator BachataSensual by Korke y Judith” (creator of Bachata Sensual, by Korke y Judith) ^[10].

What does this sequence show? In 2013, the duo calls themselves creators; in 2014, Korke presents himself as one of the creators in a video and, in the magazine Rivadavia, says the duo created the style, then presents himself as the creator in 2020. In 2021 and 2022, the duo rejects the label and emphasizes the method, while Judith credits Korke with its creation and says she opened up the dance. Today, on Instagram, they both call themselves creators.

In an interview uploaded in 2021, they also recount how the label came about: in the Canary Islands, at Team Bachata, a Cuban introduces the term, and that is the start, they say, of a small snowball ^[2].

In this interview uploaded in 2022, Korke clarifies what he claims: having created the technical part of leading with the body, which he calls body leading. With Judith, he then developed a method, and as for the name, they did not choose it themselves; a London promoter gave it to them ^[2].

What about others? On August 10, 2011, Diario de Cádiz presents Korke as the creator of the current international style, without mentioning Judith ^[5]. In October 2012, in the same newspaper, organizer Álvaro Manzano credits Cádiz with the creation of the style, at the hands of Korke, on the occasion of the Mundial Bachatarte championship in Chiclana ^[5]. In 2024, Andalusian television channel Canal Sur speaks of a style invented by two residents of Cádiz ^[3], and hosts, organizers, and students also speak of the creators, in the plural ^[4].

The press and their students present Korke y Judith as the creators of Bachata Sensual, and their Instagram profiles describe them that way today, but in their interviews they emphasize the method they have built. Judith credits Korke with its creation and says she opened up the dance. They are pioneers of the style.

---

---

How they DANCE and TEACH: technique, respect, and method

What is Bachata Sensual to Korke y Judith? In an interview uploaded in 2014, Korke describes it as a substyle of modern Bachata, and his goal in class is simple: for people to enjoy themselves ^[2]. To him, dancing is everything: “Bailar es mi vida. Sinceramente lo que más me gusta” (Dancing is my life. Honestly, it’s what I love most) — Korke, the duo’s channel, October 2014 ^[2].

A few ideas recur in their interviews, forming the core of how they dance and teach:

• Close but respectful contact. For Korke, Bachata Sensual does not include kissing, groping, or aggressive gestures, while the duo says they have been very strict about the close-contact position from the start ^[2].
• A body that leads. The cue comes through body weight, body movements, and breathing, with hardly any use of the arms ^[2].
• A solid foundation. For Korke, the most important step is the basic step, the most characteristic step is the wave, and he also talks about the bolero, a movement based on a breath ^[2].
• Social dancing first. They teach and dance for social dancing, and Judith points out that in a show, they do not even really dance Bachata: “when we do a show really we don’t even do bachata” (when we do a show, we don’t even really dance bachata) — Judith, Dance & TALKS Podcast, August 2020 ^[2].
• Around ten basic techniques. In an interview uploaded in 2020, the duo describes a teaching structure based on around ten basic techniques ^[2].
• Fusion, yes, with respect. Everyone can dance whatever they want, they say, as long as they do not disrespect anyone ^[2].

When criticized for focusing too much on technique, Korke replies that without passion, he would not be there, and that technique is a way to express it: “la pasión es lo más importante. Y digo, espérate, yo si no tuviera pasión no estaría aquí” (passion is the most important thing. And I say, wait, if I didn’t have passion, I wouldn’t be here) — Korke, De Tú a Tú, April 2020 ^[2].

One sentence from Korke sums up his idea of dance: “Yo siempre he dicho que para mí bailar bachata es hacer que la música se pueda ver” (I’ve always said that, for me, dancing Bachata means making it possible to see the music), he says on Ritmo Azul’s Night Fever show, uploaded in April 2021 ^[2].

---

Their VALUES: work, respect, and discretion

In an interview uploaded in 2023, they offer advice: treat dance as a job, arrive on time, rehearse, prepare classes, and avoid comparing yourself to others. “Que lo toméis como un trabajo […] Nunca llegamos tarde, siempre ensayamos, siempre preparamos las clases” (Treat it as a job […] We are never late, we always rehearse, we always prepare our classes) — Korke y Judith, Meet the Masters, July 2023 ^[2]. They also urge caution, because you should not accept everything you are offered, and there are fake instructors ^[2].

Judith makes passion a requirement: “I wouldn’t be doing this if I don’t have passion for my work first of all because I’m doing my hobby now is my work” (I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t have passion for my work, first of all, because my hobby has become my work) — Judith, Dance & TALKS Podcast, August 2020 ^[2].

Their beginnings were not easy, as the duo says they were heavily criticized and attacked at first, with comments along the lines of: what you are doing is fake, it is not real ^[2]. Daniel Sánchez, of the duo Daniel y Desirée, says in an interview uploaded in 2020 that Korke has been a warrior who held on and survived, and that he has trained many dancers who are now professionals ^[4]. Korke takes a lesson from this: having endured criticism, he does not want to criticize other styles in turn ^[2].

They keep a low profile: Korke says they are quiet people who do not like the spotlight, and Judith refuses to teach just to be seen, preferring fewer views. Korke considers himself more of a teacher than a dancer and says he never imagined becoming a teacher: “yo no estoy viviendo mis sueños, yo estoy viendo un sueño que me ha caído del cielo” (I’m not living my dreams, I’m watching a dream that fell from the sky) — Korke, De Tú a Tú, April 2020 ^[2]. What makes him proudest is passing on his knowledge: “la cantidad de gente que llega a encontrar una vía de escape […] como este baile también sirve como algo social para la gente, eso me da mucho orgullo” (the number of people who manage to find an escape […] since this dance also serves as a social connection for people, that makes me very proud) — Korke, Smooth Entrevistas, April 2020 ^[2]. And his talent, he says, is nothing spectacular: “mi talento es analizar las cosas y que la gente las entienda” (my talent is analyzing things and getting people to understand them) — Korke, Ritmo Azul, April 2021 ^[2].

---

PATENT, ZOUK, DATES: three misconceptions about their style

The birth date of the style. You read 2004, or that the style was born twenty-two years ago. But the duo’s own official website gives two different ages on the same page: twenty-two years ago, then twenty years ago ^[1][7]. The dates put forward range from 1998 to 2006 depending on the source, because three things get mixed together. There are Korke’s beginnings in Bachata (between 2001 and 2003, according to him), the birth of the style, and the time it became known outside Spain, around 2010-2012 ^[2]. The style emerged in Cádiz in the 2000s, around Korke, a Salsa dancer who became a Bachata teacher.

The patent. The patent is not established: an Andalusian television report in 2024 speaks of a style that was created and patented, while the duo’s official website only displays the ® symbol after Bachata Sensual ^[1][3].

Zouk. Wikipedia, in English and Spanish, presents Bachata Sensual as a blend of Bachata and Brazilian zouk ^[7]. The duo says otherwise: in an interview uploaded in April 2021, they explain that they have never taken zouk classes and do not dance it, while accepting fusions ^[2]. Yet an American university thesis cites zouk among the influences listed on their 2016 page, along with West Coast Swing, gymnastics, ballet, flamenco, hip-hop, and modern dance ^[8].

---

Studio24’s artistic REFERENCES

The path of Korke y Judith crosses those of artists you will find on this blog. Johnny Vazquez first: Korke recalls that at the time, Johnny was the king of the Salsa world, yet treated him as if he had known him forever: “me trató como si me conociera toda la vida […] su humildad […] como debe ser un artista” (he treated me as if he had known me forever […] his humility […] the way an artist should be) ^[2]. Daniel y Desirée next: in June 2010, they win the Spanish final of BachataStars, before a judging panel that includes Korke and Judith, according to the organizer’s website ^[6]. Both duos are announced for the first Congreso Internacional Bachata con Sentimiento, scheduled in Madrid from February 3 to 5, 2012: Korke y Judith as official figures and members of the BachataStars 2010 judging panel, Daniel y Desirée as runners-up at BachataStars Europe 2011 ^[6]. A year later, Korke is on the judging panel of the world bachata championship won by Daniel y Desirée ^[11]. Korke y Judith also appear on the program of the festival in Rovinj, Croatia, from June 24 to July 1, 2013, alongside Eddie Torres, Adolfo Indacochea and Alberto Valdés ^[12], then, in 2015, on the Fusión Salsa Fest program, with Eddie Torres and Adolfo Indacochea ^[13]. At Bachaturo, from August 22 to 24, 2014, they are on the program with Johnny Vazquez ^[14]. These profiles complement this one.

All the profiles on the blog are collected on the page about the great names of Salsa, Mambo, and Bachata.

---

Learning BACHATA SENSUAL in Liège and online

Korke y Judith’s Bachata Sensual is part of the training of Xavier Colina: he attended their masterclasses at the Benidorm Summer Festival, in its Bachata and Kizomba section (the BK Congress, at the Gran Hotel Bali), notably in July 2017 and July 2019. This is the Bachata, led with the body, that he teaches today at Studio24. He has also taken their training in the World Mastery program.

In Liège, at Studio24, Bachata Sensual is danced on Wednesdays: Introductory at 6:30 pm, Basics+ at 7:30 pm, Intermediate at 8:30 pm. After about a year of practice, it is time for the Advanced level on Thursdays, at 8:30 pm. Everywhere else, Studio Live offers video classes you can follow at your own pace.

---

---

FAQ: everything you need to know about KORKE Y JUDITH

🌎 Who are KORKE Y JUDITH — the true story?

Korke and Judith are a duo of Bachata Sensual dancers and teachers, originally from Cádiz, Andalusia, where they grew up. Korke comes from Salsa, Judith from rhythmic gymnastics and ballet. Their Bachata duo dates back to 2009-2010, according to Korke. Today they live in Barcelona, train instructors, and have launched Sensual Week in Cádiz with their business partner Yenny Otero.

🎂 How OLD are Korke and Judith?

Their dates of birth have not been established.

💃 Who do Korke and Judith dance with on stage?

Together: their Bachata duo dates back to 2009-2010, according to Korke. Before that, Korke danced with another dancer in his Salsa company, Dancing Dragons, where Judith was a substitute. Today they teach side by side at the BS Dance Center in Barcelona: on Thursdays, Korke teaches the Inicio class with Rebeca while Judith teaches her Bachata Lady Style class ^[1][2].

💞 Are Korke and Judith a couple?

They are dance and teaching partners. They say they were a couple in their personal lives before or during the duo’s early years; the relationship ended, and they continue to dance and teach together, like siblings, they say ^[2].

🎵 Who created BACHATA SENSUAL?

The press and their students present Korke y Judith as the creators. In their interviews, they emphasize the method they have built. In the interviews (dates of online publication), the duo called themselves creators in 2013; in 2014, Korke presented himself as one of the creators in a video and, in the magazine Rivadavia, said that the duo created the style; he presented himself as the creator in 2020, then the duo rejected the label in 2021 and 2022. Judith attributes the creation to Korke and says she opened up the dance. Today, on Instagram, they both call themselves creators. They are therefore pioneers of the style.

📜 Where does the name BACHATA SENSUAL come from?

According to their account, from a London promoter, Tony Lara, at their first event outside Spain, in 2010 according to Korke. They say they did not choose it themselves. Diario de Cádiz uses the expression Bachata Sensual on October 27, 2012.

🏆 Did Korke found BACHATASTARS?

This remains unresolved. Nia Wilson’s thesis states that Korke founded BachataStars in 2010, while the organizer’s pages from that time name the Seville company 2sifica Eventos. According to those same archives, Korke y Judith are the official image and the judging panel for the 2010 Spanish final, and Korke later appears as coordinator of the international venues in Europe in 2012 and 2013.

💃 What is the difference between BACHATA SENSUAL and traditional Bachata?

For Korke, Bachata Sensual is a substyle of modern Bachata. It is danced in close, respectful contact, with cadence and body movements such as the wave ^[2]. A 2021 American university thesis finds that it has the same basic step as traditional Bachata, with circular movements, body waves, and a stricter lead ^[8]. Since around 2019, Korke y Judith have also been studying traditional Bachata.

⚖️ Is BACHATA SENSUAL patented? Is it zouk?

The patent has not been established: the duo’s official website only displays the ® symbol after Bachata Sensual. As for zouk, the duo says, in an interview posted online in 2021, that they have never taken zouk classes and do not dance it, while accepting fusions.

🏫 How do you become a certified BACHATA SENSUAL instructor?

Korke y Judith offer an instructor course. In 2018, a duo of students earned the title after three days of training and an exam. According to the duo, in an interview posted online in 2020, the course includes history, traditional Bachata, public speaking, and running a school. For today’s requirements, check their official website.

🌍 Where do Korke y Judith teach today?

In Barcelona, where they have been giving regular classes since around 2018. Their center, BS Dance Center, is located in the Barcelona metropolitan area, and they teach there on Thursday evenings, starting at 7:25 pm ^[1]. They also offer online classes.

📅 What is SENSUAL WEEK?

A Bachata Sensual event in Cádiz, born from a week of intensive classes for a group of students who came in 2013, with their associate Yenny Otero. Its editions are counted from 2014. In a video posted online in September 2019, the organizers speak of the sixth year, with 35 countries and more than 200 people.

📱 Where can you FOLLOW Korke y Judith?

On their official website bachatasensual.com, on their online academy and on their center’s website BS Dance Center ^[1]. On Instagram: the duo @korkeyjudith_oficial, Korke @korke_bachata, Judith @judith_cordero_pereiro and the style @bachatasensual_official ^[10].

🎓 Want to dance BACHATA SENSUAL? Where should you start?

With the foundations — that’s where it all happens. Xavier Colina teaches Bachata Sensual at Studio24 Liège. In Liège: first trial class for 10€, no reservation needed. Just starting out? Come on Wednesday at 6:30 pm for Introduction. Then, Basics+ at 7:30 pm and Intermediate at 8:30 pm. On Thursday, the Advanced level includes Bachata at 8:30 pm. Practice in the evening at Puerto Rico Nights. Worldwide: the Studio Live — +300 HD lessons, 7-day free trial.

---

---

Sources & Bibliography

---

Want to DANCE Bachata Sensual? Take the first step!

+1500 students have been here before you. Even those who swore they had “two left feet.” We’re waiting for you 💃

🎁 Give a gift voucher · 📱 Online Bachata Sensual classes · 📖 Blog & articles

📞 +32 484 602 084

---

📱 Join the Studio24 COMMUNITY

• Instagram
• YouTube
• Facebook
• TikTok
• Spotify