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TORONTO KIZOMBA & SEMBA LESSONS


Kizomba dance invokes the feelings of connection, smoothness, sensuality, just to name a few!

Currently a dance craze that has been taking the world by storm, becoming emensely popular in Europe and growing in popularity in North America and everywhere else, kizomba is a dance originated from Angola. Its direct predecessor is Semba, with which shares the foundations and all the basic steps, which we are proud to be the first school in Toronto also offering it.

KIZOMBA vs. SEMBA?


Semba is a style of dance originating from Angola, that lays down the foundation in terms of steps and use of space for what later on became known as kizomba. With the popularization of zouk music from the French Caribbean in Africa, and the subsequent mixture of musical styles that musicians in Angola started creating, the same steps already used in semba continued being used in what soon after became known as kizomba. So from a dance point of view, kizomba is in a way a variant of semba, that brings in a more romantic feel, whereas semba tends to be more playful. Both require a high degree of connection between the dance partners.
In our kizomba lessons in Toronto you will learn the framework, technique and feel of kizomba, in a progressive and structured way, always keeping in mind the cultural background of the dance. Our new program structure will be offering ongoing classes in 3 different levels:
  • Level 1: for those with little or no kizomba dance experience;
  • Level 2: for those with basic kizomba knowledge but in need of fundamentals
  • Level 3: for those with strong fundamentals. Attendance in Level 2 or 3 is subject to instructor's approval.

OUR KIZOMBA & SEMBA PROGRAM


KIZOMBA DANCE


KIZOMBA AS A DANCE GENRE

Kizomba dance has evolved mainly from semba, an Angolan traditional dance that emerged and became popular in the 50s. For Angolans there is no big distinction between the steps used for kizomba and the ones used for semba, other than the usual slower tempo dictated by kizomba music which tends to be romantic. For many Angolans kizomba sinply uses a subset of the steps that semba has, where some of the more extravagant/playful elements are not present. It is worth noting that even semba has had over the years some infusion of ideas and steps from tango as well as Cuban partner dances such as Son. Some of these influences have naturaly made their way into kizomba as well. Angolan traditional kizomba emphasizes heavily on smoothness and fluidity, using the music as a steady compass.

In the last years a new style of kizomba has been emerging from Europe, where the interpretation of the music and dance has taken a more edgy/hip-hop approach. In this style, now called Urbankiz, there are more influences of tango as well, and the couples are often seen pausing and changing the tempo of steps.

Our Kizomba lessons in Toronto will introduce you to Angolan style.