Exclusive Brazouka Group ticketing, raves, reviews, media and social network links

"Brazouka" is a mystical dance story from the streets of Brazil.

Braz dos Santos is acknowledged as the best freestyle Lambazouk dancer in the world. "Brazouka" is his personal story and struggle, it was a case of "dance or die"....The stunning performers introduce thesensual dancers of Lambazouk, withForro, Capoeira, with Afro-contemporary, RioZouk and Samba.

..

A show not to be missed 

https://www.facebook.com/ZoukLambadaPerth/posts/1489807607943954


Brazouka is pure Energy!!

Coming to Australia:

http://brazouka.info/

EXCLUSIVELY FOR GROUP BOOKERS MINIMUM: 8+

OFFER: GROUPS 8+ SAVE $10.00* OFF THE TICKET PRICE!

PLUS, GROUPS 20+ GET 2 FREE TICKETS!

PERTH

REGAL THEATRE • FROM 23 OCTOBER

PRICES: THURSDAY A RESERVE: $69.00*

FRIDAY/SATURDAY A RESERVE: $79.00*

SUNDAY MATINEE A RESERVE: $69.00*

SUNDAY EVENING A RESERVE: $59.00*

SYDNEY

ENMORE THEATRE • 13-16 OCTOBER

PRICES: THURSDAY A RESERVE: $69.00*

FRIDAY/SATURDAY A RESERVE: $79.00*

SUNDAY MATINEE A RESERVE: $69.00*

SUNDAY EVENING A RESERVE: $59.00*

MELBOURNE

THE PALMS AT CROWN • 19-30 NOVEMBER

PRICES: TUESDAY TO SUNDAY:

A RESERVE: $79.00*

GOLD COAST

JUPITERS THEATRE • 4 DEC-18 JAN

PRICES: TUESDAY TO SUNDAY:

A RESERVE: $59.00*

GROUP BOOKINGS

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1300 364 001 OR FOR FURTHER INFORMATION EMAIL

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RESERVE YOUR SEATS NOW AND PAY LATER!^

Exclusive group booking offer available here:

http://premier.ticketek.com/BRAZOUKAGP

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more about Brazouka
http://www.brazouka.info 

about the dancers:
http://brazouka.info/dancers.html


Zouk Lambada Perth
https://www.facebook.com/ZoukLambadaPerth/

Brazouka raves, reviews, media and social network links

https://twitter.com/BrazoukaLive

https://www.facebook.com/BrazilLiveonStage


http://www.dancing-times.co.uk/dance-today-news/item/1493-brazouka

http://www.thepublicreviews.com/brazouka-assembly-hall-edinburgh/
Brazouka is the new Brazilian dance craze hitting Edinburgh’s stage at the Festival Fringe. Pamela Stephenson-Connolly has made it her mission over the past few years to introduce the emerging and already very popular styles of lambazouk, samba de gaffiera, sambe nu fe and forro to the mainstream market. Director Arlene Phillips certainly does her job well with this dynamic, engaging, gravity defying show.
The star of the show, Braz Dos Santos, hails from the tough streets of Brazil and tells his story of success taking him from the slums to the international stage. The script, though at its heart tells a moving and fascinating story, in reality only serves to stilt the action. More effective story telling could be achieved through using the dance as a vehicle, and to a certain extent this was achieved.
There are many highlights to this show; the gravity defying acrobatics, the passionate and sensual physical interpretations of the elements/embodied emotions, and of course the dance form itself. The dancers, many of whom appear to have similar beginnings to Braz Dos Santos, are superb. Their energy and skill is mesmerising. They can not be faulted in their unique styles and impressive strength.
All fans of dance should certainly see this show. The infectious beat and tantalising rhythms will definitely get you wiggling in your seat and maybe even up on your feet.



http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p024g8mv
Brazouka at Assembly Hall
DURATION: 01:22
A taster of Braz Dos Santos' extraordinary true story from the toughest streets of Brazil. Sixteen dazzling dancers take audiences on a breathtaking journey of intense passion, sizzling sensuality, pulsing music and explosive energy. 

https://www.londontheatre1.com/index.php/95520/review-brazouka-new-wimbledon-theatre-london/
Review of Brazouka at New Wimbledon Theatre London

September 16, 2014 by Michaela Clement-Hayes 1 Comment

Brazouka at New Wimbledon TheatreI know that I’m not alone when I say that I love to dance. However, when I go to the ballet or see musical theatre shows I suddenly realise how delusional I am.

But with Brazouka, directed by the wonderful Arlene Phillips, you suddenly witness REAL dancing.

Having lived in Spain I have a soft spot for Latin music, but I know only too well that South America is where the music comes alive and the people really know how to move. But Brazouka is not just a show about Brazilian music and dancing, it’s about determination and drive. For it is the true story of Braz, a young boy from Porto Seguro with one aim – ‘dance or die’.

From a bordello in Bahia to the British stage, Brazouka is a production about fighting for what you want and never giving up; it is a story of a dancer telling his story through the medium of dance.

Although Brazouka starts off slowly, it gradually finds its feet and draws the audience in. The Lambada itself is a fabulous piece of music, but most of the other music is contemporary; while this is catchy, it’s a shame that the music isn’t more traditional. However it does appeal to the audience who can’t help but shake their own hips to Shakira’s ‘Hips Don’t Lie’ and bob their head to Rihanna’s ‘Rude Boy’.

Choreography is simple at first, but as the story and tempo build, the dances become more daring and dangerous, with jumps, flips and lifts that make the audience gasp. The lambada is as thrilling as ever and it seems incredible that not so many years ago this dance was unknown outside of Brazil.

The soloists move well, using their bodies to portray the sensual side to the production, while the chorus provides the raw, sexy dancing – after all, the original aim of the Lambada was to make people hot. It’s the perfect combination and each one of the dancers is exceptionally talented.

In a gentle nod to Brazil’s semi-final defeat by Germany, the cast perform a football-inspired dance that to me is better than any match of the World Cup. It’s fast-paced, sexy and mesmerising… Everything that football is not!

Despite my initial reservations by the end of Act II I was ready to jump on a plane to Brazil and dance the night away with the cast in these beautiful and passionate dance numbers.

Review by Michaela Clement-Hayes



http://www.jupitersgoldcoast.com.au/whats-on/entertainment/Pages/Brazouka.aspx
Brazouka is a mystical dance story from the streets of Brazil, created by Pamela Stephenson-Connolly and Arlene Phillips and performed by Brazil's most thrilling new dance troupe.


http://www.crownmelbourne.com.au/Brazouka/
a true dance story born on the toughest streets of brazil.


Brazouka

Published by Kelly Apter
9 Aug 2014


Edinburgh Festival Fringe Scotsman review Dance: Brazouka at Assembly Hall (VENUE 35), reviewed by Kelly Apter

It’s not often you see West End slickness on the Fringe, so if that’s what you’re after, Brazouka has it in spades.
Written by Pamela Stephenson Connolly, whose passion for lambazouk (an off-shoot of lambada) was fired after a trip to Brazil, the show takes us through the life story of Braz Dos Santos – a leading exponent of the style.
http://www.wow247.co.uk/blog/2014/08/09/review-brazouka/




http://www.joburgtheatre.com/en-GB/shows/braz%20dos%20santos'%20brazouka/info
"BRILLIANCE" "SPECTACULAR"   "BREATHTAKING"   "INTENSE PASSION"
THE CRITICS RAVE ABOUT BRAZOUKA AT JOBURG THEATRE

"Brilliance from Brazil... a fast-paced, energetic, whirlwind of Brazilian dance routines seductively executed... carried away in a balloon of fun and entertainment... for sheer entertainment value, Brazouka hits the spot... brought gasps of amazement from the packed auditorium... the bevy of gorgeous female dancers with a need to swing their heads at such a rate it's a wonder they don't come off and it never stops pumping... One can leave one's troubles at the door and become enmeshed in a wholly entertaining enterprise."
 Peter Feldman, artslink.co.za



http://www.atgtickets.com/shows/brazouka/new-wimbledon-theatre/


http://www.backstagepass.biz/2014/06/pamela-stephenson-connolly-and-arlene.html
DIRECTED BY ARLENE PHILLIPS

WRITTEN BY PAMELA STEPHENSON CONNOLLY

The sensational dance story from the toughest streets of BRAZIL, taking the streets of Edinburgh by storm in 2014!


http://www.digitalspy.com.au/showbiz/s104/strictly-come-dancing/news/a595789/pamela-stephenson-talks-beautiful-dance-show-brazouka-billy-loves-it.html
Pamela Stephenson talks 'beautiful' dance show Brazouka: 'Billy loves it'


Read more: http://www.digitalspy.com.au/showbiz/s104/strictly-come-dancing/news/a595789/pamela-stephenson-talks-beautiful-dance-show-brazouka-billy-loves-it.html
Follow us: @digitalspy on Twitter | digitalspyuk on Facebook


Stephenson-Connolly brings BRAZOUKA to Aust
http://www.skynews.com.au/video/entertainment/2014/09/28/stephenson-connolly-brings-brazouka-to-aust.html

BRAZOUKA
http://www.gardynetheatre.org.uk/event/brazouka/



http://www.itv.com/goodmorningbritain/entertainment/pamela-stephenson-brazouka-dance
Pamela Stephenson-Connolly tells us about the success of her self-penned show Brazouka at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and its transfer to Wimbledon Theatre.


WIN 1 OF 10 DOUBLE PASSES TO SEE 'BRAZOUKA' AT THE REGAL THEATRE
http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/win-1-of-10-double-passes-to-see-brazouka-at-the-regal-theatre/story-fnhocraa-1227084994229

Enter below for your chance to WIN 1 of 10 double passes to see BRAZOUKA live at the Regal Theatre Perth.

A journey of intense passion, magical music and explosive energy, with Brazil's most thrilling new dance company.

Following the world premiere season at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, in July, 2014, Nine Live, with Pamela Stephenson-Connolly, Arlene Phillips and Australian producer Harley Medcalf, founder of Burn the Floor, are proud to announce that BRAZOUKA is going worldwide, moving to the Mandela Theatre in Johannesburg, South Africa, before the Australian premiere at the Regal Theatre.

This unique passionate dance-drama, is performed by Brazil's most thrilling new troupe, led by Braz Dos Santos.  BRAZOUKA will introduce the sensual dance language of Lambazouk, mixed with the bouncy Forro style, dazzling martial arts/dance - Capoeira, Afro-contemporary, Rio Zouk and the cheeky partner dances of the Samba.

Braz Dos Santos is widely acknowledged to be the very best freestyle Lambazouk dancer in the world. It is his personal story of a struggle to scramble onto the world’s stage from the toughest streets of Brazil that has inspired ‘BRAZOUKA’. From modest beginnings as a teenage fishermen, Dos Santos and his brother Didi witnessed the birth of the Lambada dance form by peeking through the door of the local bordello.  Discovered dancing in flip flops in a beach bar, Dos Santos and his brother were asked to come to Paris (a place they had never heard of) to dance the Lambada, which had become known as the ‘’Forbidden Dance”. The boys’ father, a shaman in the Candomblé religion, forbade them but the choice for Braz was clear; with truly precarious fishing the only other option, it was a case of ‘dance or die…’.

ENJOY THE BRAZOUKA ON THE GOLD COAST
http://www.montanapalms.com/blog/enjoy-the-brazouka-on-the-gold-coast/70


Brazouka You Tube Channel:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN1nCBrwx0C3JFX1NtdawQw




Tickitek Australia:
https://www.facebook.com/TicketekAustralia

Regal Theatre:
http://www.regaltheatre.com.au

Enmore Thetre:
http://www.enmoretheatre.com.au

The Palms at Crown
http://www.crownmelbourne.com.au/events

Jupiters Theatre
http://www.jupitersgoldcoast.com.au/whats-on/entertainment/Pages/Theatre.aspx


supported by: http://www.zouklambada.com
and Zouk Lambada Perth: 
https://www.facebook.com/ZoukLambadaPerth

Brazouka Tour 2014

Touring 2014 "BRAZOUKA"

Be amongst the first to discover BRAZOUKA! a feast of passion, vibrancy, color, incredible music and explosive, ' can't--sit-down energy. Touring 2014 Visit http://brazouka.info

 Like Brazouka on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/BrazilLiveonStage

Webisode 8- The Making of BRAZOUKA-The dancers are in Dundee

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QS5GnyuErD0

Show Dates and bookings for Dundee, Edinburgh, London, Johannesburg and Australia available ...... more dates and locations coming soon

for ticket booking information visit: http://brazouka.info/tickets.html 

Producers Pamela Stephenson-Connolly and Arlene Phillips talk about Brazouka on the London ITV Mornings show:

BRAZOUKA WEEKEND TV

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9L1xgU1wxSQ

supported by zouk lambada perth:

https://www.facebook.com/ZoukLambadaPerth

Parties Ending the Year 2009 - Festas do Ano Novo 2010

London - Londres

JET7SETs New Year Celebrations - London

Reveillon - Festa do Ano Novo - London

in Portugal

Lisbon - Lisboa

January 2010

International Lambazouk Workshop in Porto Seguro Jan 2010

More info @ http://www.planetzouk.xpg.com.br

Happy New Year Everybody!! Feliz Ano Novo para Todos!!

Adriano

Suzanna Lubrano show live on TV, 10 tickets to giveaway for this Event!!!!

Hi People, I have 10 tickets for a show in Rotterdam, Netherlands to give away.


ZOUK-LAMBADA TV SHOW WITH SUZANNA LUBRANO ! !


Sunday, December 13, 2009


Venue: WATT, West-Kruiskade 26, 3014 AS Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Tel + 31 10 2179 199


Venue opens @ 5 PM, with the best Zouk-Lambada DJ's from the Netherlends


Suzanna Lubrano show with live band, Zouk-Lambada dance couples, and special guests: 8.30 PM


Tickets to the event are 10 Euros.






This event is organised for TV registration. A 54 minute compilation of the show will also be aired on TV in some other countries, and on at least 7 different TV stations in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht and other regional TV channels during Christmas 2009. It’s also due to be aired on TV stations in Africa and possibly in Brazil.


It will be the first time ever for a Live LambaZouk Music & dance event to be aired by mainstream TV stations in the Netherlands.


To get your ticket simply e-mail your name and phone number (and mention the country you are attending from) to dancezouk@yahoo.co.uk


If you’d like to go to the event with a friend or partner include their name and phone number details also. You will only be able only refer to one individual as a valid entry for the giveaway.


If you’re a lucky winner, then we will be in touch to confirm your ticket. The 1st 10 to get back to me.


Book your flights soon.

From Suzannas latest Album:

Suzanna Lubrano - Festa Mascarado

Supported by Zouk Lambada Events

Lambada - Para los que aman la Lambada y el Zouk

Para los que aman la Lambada y el Zouk

Muchos creen que la lambada – música y baile – son productos culturales de Caribe. Hay todavía los que creen que la lambada y el zouk son nombres distintos para el mismo ritmo y baile. Pero nada de eso es verdad. Para comprender como surgió la lambada y deshacer la confusión se necesita saber más, y separar bailes y músicas en una caldera de ritmos.


Los Caribes y la Lambada

En vez de Caribe, lo más correcto sería llamar a esta región "Los Caribes", considerando que as islas han sido dominadas por diversas naciones europeas, dando características muy distintas a cada una de ellas. Los Caribes serían cuatro: el español, el francés, el inglés y el holandés. Todos tienen en sus culturas, en mayor o menor cantidad, la influencia de los nativos, de los colonizadores y de los africanos.
En la música, esto ha representado una gran diversidad, pero con un detalle: casi todos los países utilizan principalmente los instrumentos de cuerdas que han sido traídos de Europa y la percusión africana (básicamente la de la nación Yoruba).


La Música Zouk

La música caribeña, que además es ingrediente de varios ritmos brasileños, ha siempre tenido gran influencia en el norte de Brasil, especialmente en el Maranhão.
El zouk es una de estas músicas. Fuerte en los países de colonización francesa como la Martinica y Guadalupe, es cantado normalmente en creòle, una mezcla de francés con idiomas africanos. Estudiosos creen que su base rítmica sea proveniente de la cultura árabe. Se encuentra esta misma base también en varios países como España y Portugal, en el continente africano y en prácticamente toda América.
Una de las versiones sobre el aparecimiento de la música zouk cuenta que haya sido criada para divulgar la Martinica y tener, a ejemplo de Cuba, una influencia cultural en América Latina. El resultado ha sido parcial: lograron que el ritmo se difundiera por el mundo, pero como esto ha ocurrido desde la Francia, en muchos países, incluso Brasil, muchos creyeron que la música fuera francesa.


El Baile Zouk

El Zouk - que significa fiesta – es un baile muy parecido al merengue, practicado en Caribe, principalmente en las islas de Guadalupe y Martinica.
Se baila el zouk cambiando el peso básicamente en las cabezas de los tiempos musicales y su coreografía es poco elaborada.


La Música Lambada


La música lambada surgió en el Pará y tiene base en el carimbó (en su forma tradicional, se acompañan tambores de leño afinados a fuego) y en la guitarrada, influenciada por varios ritmos como la cumbia, el merengue y el zouk.
Varios relatos de paraenses (persona nacida en Pará) cuentan que una emisora local llamaba de "lambadas" a las músicas más vibrantes. El uso transformó el adjetivo en sustantivo, bautizando el ritmo que tiene en el músico Pinduca su más importante nombre.
Esa mezcla del carimbó con la música metálica y electrónica de Caribe gaño el gusto popular.
El gran suceso, todavía, sucedió con el ingreso de empresarios franceses en el negocio, que de una sola vez compraron los derechos autorales de centenas de músicas. Con una gigantesca estructura de marketing y músicos buenos, el grupo Kaoma introdució con éxito la lambada en Europa y otros continentes. Adaptada al ritmo, la música boliviana "Llorando se fue" se convirtió en el carro-jefe de la novedad por el mundo.
Luego se siguió un período intenso de composiciones e grabaciones de lambadas tanto en el mercado interno cuando en el externo. Decenas de grupos y otros cuantos cantores se aprovecharon del suceso del ritmo, incrementando sus carreras, como fue el caso de Sidney Magal, Sandy y Jr, Fafá de Belém y el grupo Balão Mágico. Esta es una historia recurrente, donde cambian solamente los personajes: la valoración del producto brasileño ocurre en seguida a su éxito en el exterior.
En seguimiento a este período de superexposición, como ocurrió con casi todas las novedades del pasado, le pasó a la Lambada un desgaste natural, con la consecuente caída en las ventas, hasta cesar completamente la producción.


El Baile Carimbó

Antes de hablar sobre el baile lambada debemos recordarnos una de sus raíces: el carimbó. Con origen atribuído a los indígenas Tupinambá, es un antigo baile perteneciente al folklore amazónico, asta hoy muy practicado. Tiene hace tiempos nítidas influencias espanholas, tiene como características principales: movimientos donde la mujer intenta cubrir al hombre con su falda, el galanteo, muchos giros e rotaciones de la cabeza.


El Baile Lambada

El baile lambada ha tenido su origen en el norte de Brasil, de una mezcla de carimbó y unos bailes de nordeste, y también con algunas figuras del maxixe como el “balón apagado”. En su primera etapa, llegó hasta el Nordeste, pero sin arraigarse. En ese período la principal característica de la lambada fue la proximidad de las parejas.
Luego llega a Porto Seguro y se desarrolla ahí. Como referencias menciono las casas “Lambada Boca da Barra” en Porto y el “Jatobar” en Arraial D'Ajuda - donde desde el inicio también las Rumbas Flamencas (llamadas de lambadas españolas) y los zouks (llamados de lambadas francesas) sirvieron para mecer a los lambaderos.
A fines de los años 80 hubo un éxito mundial gracias a la gran divulgación hecha por el grupo Kaoma, que tenía bailarines brasileños en sus shows. En el exterior y en Brasil, la lambada (baile y música) se ha vuelto un fenómeno de ventas y en poco tiempo la empezaron a utilizar en aperturas de telenovelas (ex. abertura de la Rainha da Sucata, Rede Globo, 1990), películas y prácticamente todos los programas de auditorio – Fue el momento de los grandes concursos, shows etc. La necesidad del espectáculo hizo que los bailarines desenvolvieran coreografías cada vez más audaces, con muchos giros y acrobacias.


El Nuevo Estilo, La Lambada Carioca

Tras varios años de suceso por el mundo, la música lambada sufrió una crisis y no la grabaron más. Los Djs de las discotecas aprovecharon para simular el entierro del estilo musical.
El baile perdió su realce, pero se ha mantenido vivo gracias a los experimentos en las lambaterías con estilos de música variados que tuvieran la misma base de marcación que permitiera bailar lambada. Como ejemplo, podemos citar el grupo de rumba flamenca Gipsy Kings, que tuvo venta extraordinaria en Brasil en consecuencia del baile. Así, las canciones francesas, españolas, árabes, estadounidenses, africanas, caribeñas etc. garantieron la continuación del estilo de baile. De todas las músicas, el zouk fue la que mejor se adaptó, volviéndose la favorita para se bailar la lambada.
El hecho de bailar con músicas de paso más lento, con más tiempo y pausas que prácticamente no existían en la música lambada, permitió explorar al máximo la sensualidad, plasticidad y belleza de nuestra creación. Los movimientos volvieronse más suaves y fluidos, cambiando a medida que el baile se fue incorporando e intercambiando con otras modalidades. La relación interpersonal fue valorada de nuevo y las acrobacias volvieron exclusividad de los palcos. Contribuyeron también varias pesquisas, hasta fuera del baile de salón, como por ejemplo, las de contacto y de improvisación.
La casa nocturna Ilha dos Pescadores (Barra da Tijuca – Rio de Janeiro), comandada por Tio Pio y dirigida con el lema: “mientras existir un lambadero, la lambada jamás morirá”, mantuvo por casi todo el tiempo en que la lambada estuvo fuera de moda, los domingos dedicados a este estilo de baile. En ese ambiente de resistencia se consolida la transición de la lambada de Porto Seguro hacia la lambada carioca.
Hoy, en inicio del siglo XXI, tenemos el estilo de Porto Seguro (generalmente llamado de lambada) que preferencialmente utiliza las músicas más rápidas (lambadas, zouks, músicas árabes...), mucha energía, giros múltiplos de la mujer, mucho movimiento de los hombros y con énfasis del movimiento en los tiempos pares de la música*1 o mismo intercambiando en los pares y impares. El estilo carioca (muchas veces llamado lambazouk, lambada zouk, zouk, zouk love, zouk brasileño, zouk carioca y otros nombres) que normalmente usa músicas lentas como el zouk love y la kizomba (love), es más sensual, con muchas espirales, torciones de tronco, contacto y énfasis del movimiento en los tiempos impares*1. Constato además una gran mezcla de los dos estilos y algunos subestilos.





Reconocimiento

A cada día, más brasileños y extranjeros reconocen y valoran nuestra cultura. El baile lambada se ha mostrado un gran amplificador profesional. En el bienio 2006/2007 hemos registrado cerca de diez diferentes eventos por el mundo, que tienen la lambada por destaque - concursos, encuentros, seminarios*2 y conferencias como el Br Danças en Rio de Janeiro, el de Barcelona, el de Brasilia y el de Porto Seguro.
Se encuentran bailes especializados y profesores en varios estados y en los más variados puntos de la Tierra. Aunque, equivocadamente llamen el baile lambada de zouk, muchos vivieron y viven de él. Es también interesante mencionar que muchos profesores han hecho reuniones para encontrar formas de divulgación comunes.
De toda esa historia quedaronse muy buenos frutos, por ejemplo: gran parte de los talentos de baile de salón hoy en día surgió de la lambada; la presentación del baile a los más jóvenes, la visibilidad internacional conquistada - la lambada es nuestro baile de pareja más conocido en el extranjero (hasta mismo más que el samba) y principalmente el rescate del derecho, perdido desde hace décadas, de bailar abrazado.

Luís Florião – Profesor de lambada, pesquisador y idealizador del Movimiento Lambada Brasil.

Escuela: R. Carmela Dutra, 82 - Tijuca - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Brasil - CEP. 20.520-080
(005521) 85340306 ou 25687823
http://www.dancadesalao.blogger.com.br/ almad@dancecom.com.br

For those who love Lambada and Zouk

For those who love Lambada and Zouk

Many people believe that lambada – both music and dance – are products from the Caribbean culture. Others believe that “lambada” and “zouk” are different words used for the same rhythm and dance. But that is not true. To understand how the lambada appeared we need to know more, and separate music from dance in this big boiler of rhythms.


“The Caribes” and the Lambada

Instead of Caribbean, maybe it would be better to call that region “The Caribbeans”, since those islands were dominated by Europeans from different countries, giving each island a peculiar characteristic. In this conception, the Caribbeans would be four: the Spanish, the French, the English and the Dutch Caribbean.
Each of them has been influenced to a greater or a lesser extent by the natives, the colonizers and the Africans. In the music, this influence led to a great diversity with something in common: almost all countries use chord instruments that came from Europe and the African percussion (basically from the Yoruba).


Zouk Music

Caribbean music, which is also a spice in many Brazilian rhythms, has always played a great influence in the northern region of Brazil, specially in the state of Maranhão. Zouk is one of these styles of music, originated in the French Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique. It is usually sang in “creole” a mix of French and African. Researchers believe that it´s rithmic basis comes from the arabian culture. This same basis is also found in many countries like Spain and Portugal, in the African continent and in practically all America.
One of the versions about the appearing of the zouk music says that it was created to divulge Martinica. The result was parcial though: the rithm has spread in the world, but being divulged trough France, in many places, including Brasil, many people believe that this music is French.


The Dance Zouk

Zouk - that means “party” - is a dance similar to the “Merengue” in the sense that it is danced changing the weight basically in the heads of the musical times. Zouk is practiced in the Caribbean, mainly in the islands of Guadalupe and Martinica, and its choreography is little elaborated.


The music Lambada

Born in the state of Pará, lambada is a Brazilian music style based in the carimbó (in its traditional form, accompanied by drums made of a hollow trunk, tuned by fire) and the guitarrada, also influenced by many rhythms like cumbia, merengue and zouk. Local people from Pará say that a broadcasting station called “lambadas” the most vibrating songs. The adjective “lambadas” then became a noun, naming the rhythm that has the musician Pinduca as it’s most important name. This mixture of carimbó with electronic and metallic Caribbean music became popular. However, the great success happened when French businessmen bought the Copyright of hundreds of songs. With a huge structure of marketing and good musicians, the group Kaoma released the lambada in Europe and other continents. Adapted to the rhythm, the Bolivian song “Chorando se foi” became a summer hit worldwide.
In the external and domestic markets, an intense period of compositions and recordings followed. Dozens of groups and many singers took advantage in the success of the rhythm. That was the case of Sidney Magal, Sandy and Junior, Fafá de Belém and the group Balão Mágico. This is a recurrent tale: the merit of a Brazilian product is recognized in Brazil only after its success in the external market. After the over-exposure phase, the lambada suffered a natural exhaustion, the sales lessened, and the production had to stop.


The Dance Carimbó

Before talking about lambada, let's remember one of its roots: the Carimbó.
Believed to have it´s origin in the Tupinambá Indian tribe, it´s an ancient dance belonging to the amazonian folklor, till today very commonly practiced. It has since long a clear Spanish influence and has as main characteristics movements in which the woman tries to cover her male partner with her skirt, the gallantry, many turns and rotations of the head.


The Dance Lambada

The dance lambada has its roots in the north of Brazil, from a mixture of carimbó, some dances from the northeast and figures from the maxixe, such as the balão apagado. In its first period, the lambada arrived in the northeast, without fixing roots there. In this period the main characteristic of the lambada was the proximity of the partners. Soon the lambada arrives at Porto Seguro and is enriched. The houses “Lambada Boca da Barra” at Porto Seguro and “Jatobar” at Arraial D'Ajuda can be quoted as references. They also played Flamenco Rumba (the so called Spanish lambada) and the zouks (also known by then as French lambada).
By the end of the 80's lambada entered the global mainstream with the success of the French pop group Kaoma, which had some Brazilian dancers in their shows. Inside and outside Brazil, the lambada (both music and dance) became a phenomenon of sales and was even present in the soap-operas (e.g. Rainha da Sucata, 1990), movies and TV-shows. The competition in the spectacles developed dared choreographies, with many turns and acrobatics.

A new style: the Lambada Carioca

After many years of success worldwide, the lambada knew its decline, and stopped being recorded. The Djs simulated the funeral of the music style. The dance, however, survived through music from France, Spain, Arabia, United States, Africa and Caribbean among others. Just to give an exemple, the flamenco rumba band Gipsy Kings sold a lot in Brasil because of the dance. There was a search for a music style with the reading that allowed people to use the movements from the lambada. From all music styles, zouk was the one that fitted best, becoming the preferred music to dance lambada.
Dancing lambada with slower music with more time and pauses that practically did not exist in the lambada music allowed a broad exploration of sensuality, plasticity and beauty of our creation. Movements gained softness and fluidness, changing to the measure that the dance was incorporating and changing with other modalities; the dancers interchange regained value and acrobatics became almost exclusively movements for stages. Many researches also contributed, even outside the social dances, as for instance, the contact improvisation ones.
The Night Club Ilha dos Pescadores (Fisher's Island), Rio de Janeiro, run by “Tio Pio” had the lemma “Lambada will never die while there is at least one lambada dancer”. During all the time that lambada was “out”, the house resisted hosting the dance on Sundays. This resistance helped consolidating the transition from the lambada from Porto Seguro to the Carioca Lambada style.
Nowadays both styles still survive. The style from Porto Seguro (usually called lambada) uses faster songs (lambadas, zouks, Arabian songs, etc), multiple turns of the woman and a lot of movement of the shoulders. This style gives emphasis of the movements either in the even times of the song*1 or alternating evens and odds. The Carioca style (also called lambazouk, lambada zouk, zouk, zouk love, zouk brasileiro, zouk carioca, and many other names) is usually danced to slower songs like the zouk love and the kizomba (love). It is more sensual, with many spirals, twists of the torso, contact and emphasis in the odd times of the songs*1. There can be also found a broad mixture of both styles and some sub-styles.


Acknowledgment

Day after day more Brazilians and foreigners appreciate our culture. The dance lambada has represented a broad professional growth. In the period 2006/2007 about ten events around the world focused the lambada - competitions, meetings, seminars and conferences like the Br Dances Congress in Rio de Janeiro, and others in Barcelona, Brasília and Porto Seguro.
There are specialized dances and teachers in many states of Brasil, and many countries around the world. Even though some people call zouk the lambada by mistake, a large number of people live from this dance style. It is worth to note that many teachers have been meeting to find common ways of unveiling the lambada.
The whole history of the lambada has been very fruitful: a significant number of the most talented contemporary social dancers appeared through the lambada; the accessibility of the dance in pairs to the young people; the international visibility acquired – lambada is our dance in pairs that is best known abroad (even more than samba). It represents the rescue of our rights of dancing embraced.

Luís Florião – Teacher, researcher of lambada and creator of the “Movimento Lambada Brasil”.

School: R. Carmela Dutra, 82 - Tijuca - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Brasil - CEP. 20.520-080
Tel. (005521) 85340306 ou 25687823 almad@dancecom.com.br
http://www.dancadesalao.blogger.com.br/

Para quem Gosta de Lambada e Zouk

Para Quem Gosta de Lambada e Zouk

Muitos acreditam que a lambada - música e dança - sejam produtos culturais do Caribe. Também há aqueles que acreditam que lambada e zouk sejam nomes diferentes para o mesmo ritmo e dança, mas nada disso é verdadeiro. Para entender como surgiu a lambada e desfazer essa confusão é preciso saber um pouco mais, separando danças e músicas nesse caldeirão de ritmos.

Os Caribes e a Lambada
Em vez de Caribe, o mais correto seria a região chamar-se "Os Caribes", considerando que as ilhas foram dominadas por diversos povos europeus, dando características muito diferentes a cada uma delas. Os Caribes seriam quatro: o espanhol, o francês, o inglês e o holandês. Todos têm em suas culturas, em maior ou menor grau, influência dos nativos, dos colonizadores e dos africanos. Na música, isso representou uma enorme diversidade, mas com um detalhe: quase todos os países utilizam principalmente os instrumentos de cordas que vieram da Europa e a percussão africana (basicamente do povo Yorubá).





A Música Zouk
A música caribenha, que é também ingrediente de diversos ritmos brasileiros, sempre exerceu grande influência no norte do Brasil, em especial no Maranhão.
O zouk é uma dessas músicas. Forte onde ocorreu colonização francesa como a Martinica e Guadalupe, é cantado normalmente em creòle, uma mistura do francês com línguas africanas. Estudiosos acreditam que a sua base rítmica seja oriunda da cultura árabe. Esta mesma base é encontrada também em vários países como Espanha e Portugal, no continente africano e em praticamente toda a América.
Uma das versões sobre o surgimento da música zouk afirma que ela foi criada para divulgar a Martinica e ter, a exemplo de Cuba, influência cultural na América Latina. O resultado foi apenas parcial: conseguiram que o ritmo se espalhasse pelo mundo, mas como isso ocorreu a partir da França, em diversos lugares, inclusive no Brasil, muitos passaram a acreditar que a música seria francesa.

A Dança Zouk
O zouk - que significa festa - é uma dança muito parecida com o merengue, praticada no Caribe, principalmente nas ilhas de Guadalupe e Martinica. É dançado trocando o peso basicamente nas cabeças dos tempos musicais e sua coreografia é pouco elaborada.

A Música Lambada
Surgida no Pará, a música lambada tem base no carimbó (que na forma tradicional é marcada por tambores de tronco de árvores afinados a fogo) e na guitarrada, influenciada por vários ritmos como a cúmbia, o merengue e o zouk.
Diversos relatos de paraenses contam que uma emissora local chamava de "lambadas" as músicas mais vibrantes. O uso transformou o adjetivo em substantivo, batizando o ritmo que tem Pinduca como nome mais importante. Essa mistura do carimbó com a música metálica e eletrônica do Caribe caiu no gosto popular.
O grande sucesso, no entanto, aconteceu após a entrada de empresários franceses no negócio, que de uma só vez compraram os direitos autorais de centenas de músicas. Com uma gigantesca estrutura de marketing e bons músicos, o grupo Kaoma lançou com êxito a lambada na Europa e outros continentes. Adaptada ao ritmo, a música boliviana "Chorando se foi" tornou-se o carro chefe da novidade pelo mundo.
Seguiu-se um período intenso de composições e gravações de lambadas tanto no mercado interno quanto externo. Dezenas de grupos e diversos cantores pegaram carona no sucesso do ritmo, incrementando suas carreiras, como foi o caso de Sidney Magal, Sandy e Jr, Fafá de Belém e o grupo Balão Mágico. É uma história recorrente, onde apenas mudam os personagens: a valorização do produto brasileiro se dá somente após a vitória no exterior.
Depois dessa fase de superexposição, como acontece com quase todas as boas novas de ontem, deu-se um natural desgaste com a conseqüente queda nas vendas até o cessar da produção.

A Dança Carimbó
Antes de falar sobre a dança lambada lembremos do carimbó, uma de suas raízes. Provavelmente originada na tribo indígena Tupinambá, é uma antiga dança pertencente ao folclore amazônico e ainda hoje, muito praticada. Possui há tempos clara influência espanhola e tem como principais características movimentos onde a mulher tenta cobrir o homem com a saia, o galanteio, muitos giros e rotações de cabeça.

A Dança Lambada
A dança lambada teve sua origem no norte do Brasil, a partir de uma mistura da dança carimbó com danças nordestinas e ainda algumas figuras do maxixe, como o balão apagado. Em sua primeira fase chegou até o Nordeste, mas, sem fincar raízes. Nesse período a lambada tinha como principal característica os casais bem próximos.
Em seguida, ela chega a Porto Seguro e se desenvolve. Como referências cito as casas Lambada Boca da Barra em Porto e o Jatobar em Arraial D'Ajuda - onde desde o início também as Rumbas Flamencas (então chamadas de lambadas espanholas) e os zouks (então chamados de lambadas francesas) serviram para embalar os lambadeiros.
No fim da década de 80 veio o sucesso mundial que aconteceu graças à grande promoção feita pelo Kaoma, que contava com dançarinos brasileiros em seus shows. No exterior e aqui, a lambada (dança e música) tornou-se um fenômeno de vendas e em pouco tempo passou a marcar presença em novelas (ex. abertura da Rainha da Sucata da rede Globo de 1990), filmes e praticamente todos os programas de auditório - É a hora dos grandes concursos, shows etc. A necessidade do espetáculo faz com que os dançarinos criem coreografias cada vez mais ousadas, com muitos giros e acrobacias.

O Novo Estilo, a Lambada Carioca
Depois de vários anos nos topos das paradas de sucesso pelo mundo, a música lambada entrou em crise e parou de ser gravada. Os Djs das boates aproveitaram então para simular o enterro do estilo musical.
A dança perdeu destaque, mas sobreviveu, pois já haviam sido feitas nas lambaterias muitas experiências com variados estilos de música que tivessem a batida (base de marcação) que permitisse dançar lambada, só para citar um exemplo, a banda de rumba flamenca Gipsy Kings teve vendagem significativa no Brasil por conta da dança. Então as músicas francesas, espanholas, árabes, estadunidenses, africanas, caribenhas etc. garantiram a continuidade do estilo de dança. De todas as músicas, o zouk foi a que melhor se encaixou, tornando-se, a preferida para se dançar a lambada.
O fato de se passar a dançar em músicas com um andamento mais lento, com mais tempo e pausas que praticamente não existiam na música lambada, permitiu explorar ao máximo a sensualidade, plasticidade e beleza da nossa criação. Os movimentos ficaram mais suaves e fluidos, modificando-se à medida que a dança foi incorporando e trocando com outras modalidades, a relação interpessoal voltou a ganhar valor e as acrobacias ficaram praticamente exclusivas para os palcos. Contribuíram ainda diversas pesquisas, até fora da dança de salão, como por exemplo, as de contato e improvisação.
A casa noturna Ilha dos Pescadores (Barra da Tijuca – Rio de Janeiro), comandada por Tio Pio e norteada pelo lema: enquanto um lambadeiro existir, a lambada jamais morrerá, manteve por quase todo o tempo que a lambada esteve fora da moda os domingos direcionados para essa dança, e é nesse ambiente de resistência que se consolida a transição da lambada de Porto Seguro para a lambada carioca.
Hoje, no início do séc XXI, temos o estilo de Porto Seguro (geralmente chamado de lambada) que preferencialmente usa as músicas mais rápidas (lambadas, zouks, músicas árabes...), muita energia, giros múltiplos da dama, muita oscilação dos ombros e dando a ênfase do movimento nos tempos pares da música*1 ou intercalando nos pares e ímpares e o estilo carioca (chamado muitas vezes de lambazouk, lambada zouk, zouk, zouk love, zouk brasileiro, zouk carioca e outros muitos nomes) que normalmente usa músicas lentas como o zouk love e a kizomba (love), é mais sensual, com muitas espirais, torções de tronco, contato e tem a ênfase do movimento nos tempos ímpares*1. Constato ainda grande mistura entre os dois estilos e alguns subestilos.

Reconhecimento
A cada dia, mais brasileiros e estrangeiros dão o devido reconhecimento e valor à nossa cultura. A dança lambada vem se mostrando um grande incremento profissional, ano após ano registramos mais eventos pelo mundo, que têm essa dança como destaque - concursos, encontros, palestras*2 e congressos como o Br Danças no Rio de Janeiro, o de Barcelona, o de São Paulo e o de Porto Seguro.
Encontramos bailes especializados e professores em diversos estados e nos mais variados pontos do planeta e ainda que chamem equivocadamente a dança lambada de zouk, muitos viveram e vivem dela. Interessante também citar que muitos professores vêm se reunindo para criar formas de divulgações em comum.
De toda essa história ficaram ótimos frutos, por exemplo: uma boa parte dos talentos da dança de salão de hoje, surgiu a partir da lambada; a apresentação da dança a dois aos mais jovens; a visibilidade internacional conquistada - a lambada é a nossa dança de par mais conhecida no exterior (mais até que o samba) e principalmente o resgate do direito, perdido a décadas, de dançar abraçado.

Luís Florião – Professor e pesquisador especializado em lambada e idealizador do Movimento Lambada Brasil
Escola Sindicato da Dança R. Carmela Dutra, 82 - Tijuca - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Brasil - CEP. 20.520-080 Tel. (005521) 85340306 ou 2565-7330 almad@dancecom.com.br
http://www.dancecom.com.br/

Zouk Lambada Israel: Gilson Damasco and Dikla Damti workshops

World famous Lambazouk instructor Gilson Damasco and Dikla Damti are giving weekend workshops in Tel Aviv on Sep 25-26 for beginners and advanced students.

In addition there is a choreography workshop on Thursdays, Sep 17 and 24.

For more details please check the web site http://2dance.co.il/ and also the Facebook group "Zouk Lambada Israel"

Liza