You've probably heard of a dance called Lambada from the 80's. Brazilian Zouk actually evolved from Lambada, only much more stylized and elegant!
Zouk-Lambada is a group of closely related dance styles based on or evolved from the lambada dance style. Zouk today is the evolution of Lambada and it is super smooth, romantic, hypnotic with long, fluent, wave-like movements and surprisingly easy to learn! Unlike the fast paced, energetic and explosive LambaZouk. Brazilian Zouk or Zouk-Lambada is used to distinguish the dance from the Caribbean Zouk dance style, which is historically related to, but very different from the Brazilian Zouk-Lambada dance style.
Zouk was originally called "Zouk Love" due to it being danced to a much slower paced music, therefor could display a more sensual movement.
One of the most amazing things with Zouk is the music! Todays Zouk music is mellow and beautiful, with an irresistible dance beat and a strong bass line. The majority of Zouk dancers today dance to the music you hear on the radio, many of songs is RnB music that have either been re-mixed and put a Zouk beat in them or naturally have the correct pace and rhythm to dance Brazilian Zouk. When the dance is put together with the music, it will mesmerize you!| Zouk Timetable | |||
| Next course | Where | Cost | Register online |
| Zouk Beg (L1) Wed 25 Apr 7pm w/Dharsh & Shantini |
Candy Lane Studios 44 Mt Eden Rd, Mt Eden |
8wk coursee |
REGISTER HERE |
| Zouk BegPlus (L2) Thu 26 Apr 7:30pm w/Dharsh & Shantini |
Candy Lane Studios 44 Mt Eden Rd, Mt Eden |
8wk coursee |
REGISTER HERE |
|
Zouk Improvers (L3) |
Candy Lane Studios 44 Mt Eden Rd, Mt Eden |
8wk coursee |
REGISTER HERE |
What makes Zouk different to other styles
Since it's introduction a few years ago, it has quickly won the heart of Latin dancers across Brazil, Australia, USA, Asia and of course Europe!
Distinctive Moves
- Basic step going back and front (from Samba de Gafieira)
- Lateral (from Bolero), where the leaders open up to create a "corridor" for the ladies.
- Bonus (aka Boomerang), where the follower is lead to cross the leader with a simple turn, then return to the leader to go back to the basic step.
- Cambre is a back arch or dip. Sometimes a cambre can go below the waistline.
- Boneca is a very characteristic move where the ladies are lead to do a round head movement.
Zouk fast facts
- There are three dominant lines of Brazilian zouk; Traditional Zouk, LambaZouk, and Zouk with different styles.
- Zouk is also called Brazilian Zouk or Zouk-Lambada to distinguish from the Caribbean Zouk which is very different.
- In the mid 1990's Lambada music stopped being produced quite abruptly. Lambada dancers found the slower zouk music to dance to and it had an impact on the fast Lambada movements. Soon the new Brazilian Zouk dance style emerged.
- LambaZouk is the style closest related to the original Lambada.
- Traditional Zouk (aka today as Rio Zouk) draws influences from contemporary and modern dance.