History of Brazilian Zouk Dance

During the 1980s, Lambada became a true cultural phenomenon in Brazil, conquering the world with its contagious music and sensuality. Artists like Kaoma and Beto Barbosa, along with musical influences from Samba-Reggae, Caribbean Zouk, and Flamenco (notably from the Gipsy Kings), played an essential role in its international spread.

Lambada was widely promoted through television, cinema, and DJs, becoming a constant presence in nightclubs throughout Brazil — especially in cities like Porto Seguro, São Paulo, Belo Horizonte, and Rio de Janeiro.

Some of the most iconic nightclubs of the 1980s and 1990s where Lambada flourished include:

• Porto Seguro – Reggae Night, Boca da Barra

• Rio de Janeiro – Roxy Roller, Ilha dos Pescadores

• São Paulo – Lambar, Mel, Reggae Night

• Belo Horizonte – Casa Blanca, Cabaré Mineiro

With the beginning of the 1990s, Lambada's popularity began to decline. However, many dancers remained passionate about the style and began dancing to Caribbean Zouk music, originating from the French Antilles. This combination gave rise to the informal term "French Lambada", referring to the French Creole lyrics of the songs.

Over time, the dance became known simply as Zouk, and it was at this moment that the first efforts emerged to reinvent Lambada and give rise to a new style — Brazilian Zouk.

In Rio de Janeiro, this transition process was led by two fundamental names: Renata Peçanha and Adílio Porto. They were pioneers in adapting Lambada movements to Caribbean Zouk musicality, developing a new technique, a new embrace, and a new body language that made the dance more fluid, elegant, and musical.

The partnership between Renata and Adílio was decisive in establishing the foundations of what we know today as Brazilian Zouk. Through their classes, shows, and teacher training, they created a style that quickly spread throughout Brazil and, subsequently, the world. Additionally, many of the main Zouk instructors of subsequent generations were directly influenced or trained by them, consolidating Rio de Janeiro as the birthplace of Brazilian Zouk.

Other teachers also played an important role in the expansion and development of the dance, such as Philip Miha, Rodrigo Delano, and Gilson Damasco, who contributed to Zouk spreading to different regions of Brazil, each imprinting their own characteristics and interpretations.

From 2007 onwards, Brazilian Zouk began to spread rapidly around the world thanks to a group of visionary couples and teachers who decided to take the style to different countries, promoting workshops, shows, and international congresses.

Among these pioneers are:

• Kadu Pires and Larissa Thayane, who moved to Australasia (Australia and New Zealand) and were largely responsible for consolidating the Zouk scene in that region, establishing a strong community and inspiring hundreds of new dancers and teachers.

• Carlos da Silva, who brought Zouk to the Czech Republic, being one of the first to introduce the style in Eastern Europe, helping to create one of the most solid communities in Central Europe.

• Adílio Porto, who moved to Amsterdam, where he continued to develop Zouk and trained new generations of European instructors, keeping alive the connection with the Rio de Janeiro roots of the style.

• Freddy Marinho and Andressa Castelhano, who brought Zouk to Russia and Finland, helping to establish active and technical communities, known for their precision and dedication to dance.

These teachers, among others, were fundamental to the internationalization of Brazilian Zouk, transforming it into a global and culturally diverse dance. Each region developed its own style and identity, but always maintaining respect for the origins and characteristic musicality of Brazilian Zouk.

For years, the community discussed the official name of the dance. Although "Zouk" was already widely used, it was recognized that the term originally referred to a Caribbean musical and dance style, which created confusion in promoting the Brazilian version.

In 2006, a decisive meeting occurred at the Minas Zouk Congress (currently BH Zouk Congress) in Belo Horizonte, bringing together dancers and teachers from various regions of the country. After long discussions, the name "Brazilian Zouk" was chosen by majority vote.

Between 2006 and 2012, new meetings and presentations at international congresses helped consolidate the name Brazilian Zouk on the world dance scene.

In 2014, Larissa Thayane and Kadu Pires founded the Brazilian Zouk Dance Council (BZDC) with the purpose of supporting, structuring, and promoting Brazilian Zouk on an international scale.

The BZDC plays an essential role in the growth and professionalization of the dance and is composed of a council of highly respected professionals, including:

• Renata Peçanha

• Alex de Carvalho

• Kadu Pires

• Larissa Thayane

• Gilson Damasco

• Rafael Oliveira

• Andressa Castelhano

• Ruana Vasquez

• Philip Miha

• Bruna Kazakevic

• Rodrigo Delano

• Rachel Ramalho

• Freddy Marinho

• Val Clemente

• Jaime Arôxa

One of the BZDC's most influential initiatives is the creation of official Brazilian Zouk Jack and Jill competitions, now held in dozens of countries around the world.

The BZDC serves the global Brazilian Zouk community by:

• Promoting communication and maintaining detailed records of the world Zouk scene.

• Disseminating Brazilian Zouk to the general public.

• Providing a global information center for dancers, teachers, judges, organizers, and enthusiasts.

• Maintaining an official website with resources and community updates.

• Managing the competitor registry, tracking scores and results of official events.

• Maintaining the registry of BZDC-recognized instructors.

• Coordinating a global events calendar, helping in the organization and expansion of the world scene.