We host, organize, and facilitate Brazilian Zouk Workshops, Privates and Events in Scotland.

Operating under a maxim "One Dance United" embracing Brazilian Zouk as a dance for everyone. Our philosophy is to break down boundaries, ensuring that age, body type, orientation, or physical ability are no barriers to enjoying Zouk. While as a partner dance it has roles to play, they don't limit who you dance with and how you want to embody those roles.

A Brief History of Brazilian Zouk

Brazilian Zouk has a rich history that traces its origins back to the Lambada, a musical style that some sources attribute to the 1970s. The dance associated with Lambada gained massive popularity in Brazil during the 1990s. When Lambada music faded from the club scene, dedicated dancers decided to adapt the dance to the rhythms of French Caribbean Zouk music, breathing new life into the essence of Lambada. This transition was a natural progression since Zouk music had always been played alongside Lambada music at the clubs.

Over time, Brazilian Zouk found its place in both dance studios and clubs. In Rio de Janeiro, schools like Jaime Arroxa emerged, focusing on structured Zouk instruction. In Sao Paulo and other states, many clubs developed their own unique styles of Lamba Zouk. This scene grew in parallel to Rio style, with pioneers like Philip Miha. The first-ever Zouk choreography, created in Rio by Adilio Porto and Renata Peçanha, is considered by some as the inception of modern Zouk and attracted well-known artists and teachers to the dance. You can watch it here.

As music continued to evolve, Brazilian Zouk's dance structure also evolved, drawing inspiration from diverse genres such as Kizomba, Afrobeats, Pop, Hip-hop, and RnB. When the Lambada-focused clubs closed, the dance moved to smaller venues where body movement and isolations became prominent.

The dance moves of Brazilian Zouk are a fusion of various styles, including elements from Lambada, Jazz, Contemporary, Ballet, Swing, Argentine Tango, Bolero, Soltinho, Samba da Gafiera, Hip-hop, and more. Its history of movement can be traced back to dances like Carmibo, Maxixe, Lundu, Polka, Samba, and Semba.

One of the most remarkable features of Brazilian Zouk is the strong connection between dance partners, combined with a gentle and flexible frame. The signature head movements of Zouk have even influenced other dance styles like Bachata Sensual and specific styles of Forró. While it initially centered around close embrace, Brazilian Zouk has evolved into a much more adaptable framework.

For more in-depth information about the history of Brazilian Zouk, you can visit the Brazilian Zouk Council's history page.

We have a curated playlist here of Zouk at the highest levels!

You'll not get there overnight, however the whole dance can be enjoyed through each level of progress!

We also have a "zoukables" playlist so you can find some "zoukable" music.

Want to get into Brazilian Zouk dance? We operate out of Edinburgh! Contact Us to bring zouk dancing to your city!

Request an idea or take a look at our completed workshops

We offer private classes on an hourly basis with either Alecs, Azul or both. We also offer 5 and 10 hour packages, where you get a progressively discounted rate the more hours you book with us.

This is a great option for those who want to either progress faster on their Zouk journey, work on specific skills, or have dedicated time to get feedback and corrections.

If you are interested, please get in touch! The fastest way is to reach out to us on Instagram @northernzoukhub, but you can also email us or message us on Facebook.

Some common questions:

• Can I share the class with my friend?

Yes! Classes can have up to two students. Sharing the class is more economical since you split the cost but by having the class to yourself you get more focused attention. The choice is yours :)

• Where are the classes?

Classes are in our home in Fountainbridge, Edinburgh. If for some reason this doesn’t work for you, message us and we can talk about it.

• Do I need one or two teachers?

It depends. With both teachers you can get feedback on how your leading and following looks and feels, as one teacher can observe while the other dances with you. Its also easier to demonstrate correct technique; and if you are sharing the class one teacher can focus on the follower and the other one on the leader.

However we understand firsthand that private classes are an expensive investment, and it makes sense for a lot of people to choose only one teacher to save on costs.

• Should I take class with a teacher of my same role or opposite?

Again, it depends! Alecs is a more advanced leader and Azul a more advanced follower, so they can give finer refinement and technique on their own role. On the other hand, Alecs can lead followers through more advanced moves to teach them how the indication is supposed to feel, and Azul has high sensitivity as a follower and can give leaders feedback on how their leading feels.

More questions? Feel free to message us!