Kizomba – a new dance style hits town!

That blog title was designed to get your attention, but it's not universally true. Not every town has been hit! "Kizomba" may be new for some of our readers, but it's been part of the club dance scene internationally for several decades.   Roots & Influences Basic dance steps for current Kizomba styling were developed in Angola during the 1980s with strong Latin and Afro-Cuban influences. The historic roots of Kizomba can be traced to a mix of Portuguese folk dances and Samba steps more than a century ago.   Kizomba draws from a wide assortment of styles and invites individual expression. In recent years variations have popped up overseas and domestically in major dance centers, like Miami, New York and Los Angeles. Now it's in the Bay Area, where interest is rapidly increasing.   Classified as a Latin club dance, Kizomba borrows heavily from Salsa, Bachata, Merengue, Samba, and the Lambada for its patterns, turns, wraps and basic steps.   Moderate Tempo One of its main distinctions, however, is the tempo. It's slower than those styles. The dance does not require the speed or energetic footwork associated with Salsa or Samba. A preferred musical tempo is closer to what you would find during a Rumba or Bolero.   Connection What it may lack in speed, Kizomba makes up for in styling and sensuality. The body connection is quite close. Rather than an upright ballroom frame, couples lean forward, heads touching, similar to positions in Argentine Tango styles. Also, a hip connection is emphasized, with hip action often moving in a "figure 8" pattern.   Improvisation Like figures in advanced Salsa, couples have the option of occasionally dancing "solo" before reconnecting. But in Kizomba, a greater degree of "free form" styling is encouraged. When a partner executes a solo "shine step" in Salsa, you can often sense what will happen next. With Kizomba, you may see something you never expected – or ever saw before in Latin dancing.   Another Fad? Some Bay Area dance studios have started to train Kizomba students, particularly for Latin dance parties, and you will see it performed more regularly now in Latin nightclubs. Yet due to its unusual intimacy and improvisational freedom, we can expect dancers to wonder if this dance will become a short-lived fad. Let's not be quick to judge. Dance history is marked by some surprising events.   Three decades ago, it was not uncommon to hear veteran dance instructors, many trained in a traditional syllabus, describe Salsa as a "passing trend." Viewing it as a mere variation on Mambo, they believed Salsa would fade away when its novelty wore off. Of course, the opposite happened. Today Salsa is one of the most established and popular Latin club styles around the world.   Variety and Fun By this time next year, it may be difficult to find a ballroom dance studio that isn't offering Kizomba among its club dances, either in regularly scheduled classes or workshops. Only time will tell. Meanwhile, the variety of something new often makes all other dancing more fun. If you already enjoy Latin dancing and a close partner connection, you might be one of the highly satisfied "early adopters."   Hope to see you on the dance floor!  

Cheryl Burke Dance Mountain View For more information, see cherylburkedance.com. Click on "Contact Us" or visit the studio Facebook pages. © 2013, Cheryl Burke Dance. All rights reserved