After setting the tone with its forward-thinking vision, Buenos Aires Dance (BAD) has now concluded its inaugural edition – and the results firmly position it as one of Latin America’s most important new platforms for electronic music culture.
At the heart of the educational programme was Usina del Arte, which hosted two days of talks and workshops attended by more than 2,000 participants. Speakers spanned international heavyweights and key voices from the local scene, bridging past, present and future perspectives on electronic music. Alongside artist-led sessions, representatives from Ableton, Billboard, Sony Music Entertainment, Spotify, Ultra Records and William Morris Entertainment contributed to discussions focused on creativity, industry infrastructure and global connectivity.
Beyond the conference setting, BAD extended into the city itself through a series of exclusive pop-up performances staged at iconic Buenos Aires landmarks. Highlights included Richie Hawtin performing at Floralis Genérica, complete with a bespoke “El Preferido” ice-cream kiosk, Indira Paganotto at Caminito, Carlita at Puente de la Mujer, and an Above & Beyond meet-and-greet at the Obelisco. These moments blurred the line between festival and city, embedding electronic music directly into Buenos Aires’ cultural fabric.
The week also aligned strategically with ULTRA Buenos Aires, which took place on 14-15 February, reinforcing BAD’s role as both a cultural and industry gateway for international audiences arriving in the city. Additional club shows across Buenos Aires featured artists including Dom Dolla, Charlotte de Witte, Joseph Capriati, O.Bee & Tomas Station, Massano and more, further cementing the city’s position on the global electronic music map.
A standout moment within the programme was the Women in Music panel, reflecting BAD’s commitment to equity and representation within the industry. The session brought together a diverse group of voices and aligned the event with wider global conversations around access, visibility and structural change in electronic music.
More than a festival, BAD’s first edition functioned as a platform for transformation – one that connected global and Latin American scenes while laying the foundations for long-term cultural impact. With its debut successfully delivered, Buenos Aires Dance now looks ahead to its next chapter, having already established itself as a vital new node in the international electronic music ecosystem.
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