'DANCER SINGER TEACHER CHOREOGRAPHER'
STUDIO AFRO- LATINO
“Where dance mirrors life”
London is probably the most multicultural capital of the world and I firmly believe that Afro-Latin culture has changed our dance culture and has come to stay. I feel that Studio classes are the best environment for learning a dance form properly. I currently offer the following classes:
MONDAY: SALSA DANCE SCHOOL
With Miguel Monteiro - CB STYLE ON1
Beg/Improv 7:30-8:30pm
Int/ Adv 8:30-9:30pm
Four week sequence & shines rotation with styling
Starts 12th May
@ The Space Performing Arts, Falkirk St London N1 6HQ
(Nearest tube: Old Street, Shoreditch area/ Off Hoxton Sq
£7 drop in or £25 for a 4 lesson card Introduce a friend and pay ½ price
TUESDAY: LUSAFRICA DANCE SCHOOL
With Kwenda Lima - KIZOMBA CLASS
Beg/Improv 8:00- 9:00pm
Int/ Adv 9:00- 10pm Inc. Intro to Semba/Funana
In the Style Of Kwenda & Iris
Starts 6th May
@ The Space Performing Arts, Falkirk St London N1 6HQ
(Nearest tube: Old Street, Shoreditch area/ Off Hoxton Sq
£7 drop in or £25 for a 4 lesson card Introduce a friend and pay ½ price
SCHOOLS
What is the place for Ethnic Dance forms in modern Dance culture today?
As a Dance artist my multicultural background has taken me to explore and be influenced by different dance forms of my generation and I firmly believe that, like myself, there’s a whole generation of young talent that comes from a mixed and diverse background and identifies itself with more than one culture.
I believe as dance evolves, one must evolve with it and reflect this in our training for future dance artists and artists need to be ahead of time, as so do most cultural organizations.
Taster workshops and short courses in Body Movement, Afro-Cuban Jazz and Salsa also available.
AFRO- LATIN DANCE WHY?
• A rich culture- Provides a wide scope of movement and rhythm
• Students can relate- the natural diversity helps bridge into modern disciplines
• Extra skills- provides students with extra skills into the job market
LEARNING OUTCOMES
• Demonstrate interpretation skills and styles
• Recognize traditional movement in modern & popular dance forms
• Improve flexibility, posture and mobility
LONG TERM BENEFITS
• Provide students with original skill set opening their minds to a discipline outside their common perspective
• Make other dance forms accessible to all
• Promoting a culture of inclusion
Colleges and Dance Centres I currently work with:
Hackney Community College
WAC
East London Dance
London Studio Centre
National Youth Theatre
The CityLit
Westminster Borough Schools
Pineapple Dance Studios
Danceworks Studios
The Basement
About Kizomba
Kizomba is a partner dance native of the African country of Angola, with influences from other Lusofone countries. It was first known as “Passada” (meaning “stepping” a reference to the movement flow) and for having a sensuous rhythm. Kizomba means party in the Kimbundu dialect of Angola.
It’s considered to be a fusion of Semba (a predecessor of samba, traditional Angolan dance) with ‘Zouk’ influences coming from the French Caribbean Islands, although the exact origins are unknown. In the 80’s groups like Kassav or Zouk Machine infused a fast paced and more African influenced sound into the music. In Recent times the style got slightly slower and more romantic and the influence of other dance styles like Tango are clearly visible. In Cape Verde Islands it is known as “cabo love”. Repetitive steps and patterns provide a clear platform where teaching this dance form in a skilled manner is perfectly achievable.
Famous Angolan Kizomba musicians include, among others, Don Kikas, MC Roger and Irmãos Verdade. The Kizomba from Sao Tome is very similar to the Angolan one and Juka- with whom I worked with when he started his career in Portugal - is, perhaps, the most notable among the artists.
Capeverdean Kizomba is different from the Angolan one due to the language used (often Creole instead of Portuguese) and more romantic. It is also called "Kizomba Crioula". Suzanna Lubrano is one of the most successful among Capeverdean performers – she was considered the best African performer in 2003.
Kizomba links:
