Interview with (Brazil's) K-Yo Victor on Zouk

Interview with Carioca K-Yo Victor & Go Dance Mambo

Soulzouk instructor, DJ, performer from Brazil

 

K-Yo, when did you start dancing?  

I started dancing zouk in 2003 at Studio de Dança By Cia with Irineu Alves founded by him and his brother, Chiquinho Alves, who is one of the pioneers of Lambada Dancers in Brasilia and so I learned from both of them.  Before dancing, only play soccer 10 years and ju-jistu 7 years. I was a piece of wood dancing J

 

 

What were your first impressions as a beginner zouk dancer?
I remember that the zouk songs were the best songs that i ever listened to, like:

Xurra - Debaixo dos Lençois
Gama - Tentação
To Semedo - Kriola
To Semedo - Por Ti
Kaysha - Trinidade
Nichols - Touch my body
Ali Angel - Rendez-Vous  

 

 You are an ambassador of soulzouk and were certified by the creator China and his partner Lu.  How did you meet them?  

I met China dancing in videos on internet, at that time dont have youtube.
Rio always have a big scene of lambada and after zouk.

I speak in e-mail with China and plan to meet them in Rio but them came to Brasilia, to see the zouk scene here. We speak a lot about zouk.
China and Lu, invite me to go to Rio and dance and meet the scene there. At first i get 3 months of classes with China and Lu.

This was the end of 2004. In 2005 i come back to Rio four times and get more classes. After that, Lu and China invite me to become first representant of Soulzouk, out of Rio.   

 

 

How did you meet your partner Gabi Povoa?

She started at Cia dance after one year I was there as a ‘helper’. We trained a lot together before we formed a partnership.  We’ve danced as partners since 2009. 

 

 

Why did you choose to learn Soulzouk as opposed to lambazouk or Porto Seguro zouk style?  

The passion, the leading techniques, making your partner feel comfortable.

Dancing soulzouk is like a scene out of a movie- everybody just disappears and only one couple remains on dance floor, still dancing, oblivious they are the only ones left :) Soulzouk is art, not sport. 

 

You have been djing at your own zouk social "Ghetto do Zouk" (the only zouk social!) with Irineu since December 2010 in Brasilia. When did you decide to become a zouk dj?  

I love songs of zouk and at the classes, i show the songs that i found on internet, to my teacher. At that time, i was the helper of the classes. I study how to mix and play song with a DJ of Cafe Cancun, Hugo Campos (which is now closed unfortunately). In 2006 there was a congress of zouk in Brasilia (organized by Prisila Rangel) and they need a dj...so I start there.

 

When did you start teaching zouk?

I started teaching in 2006, for the Cia school, and now currently teaching at Julia Castro dance academy 3x a week here in Brasilia.

I also travelling a lot to congresses and festivals and being invited to teach and dj all over Brazil, and now Miami, New York, Toronto, Montreal, Quebec, Ottawa. I am excited to come back to Canada this year!

 

Why did you enjoy Canada so much?   

 I have my top 3 things in Canada

1. Because of the People - i feel like in Brazil.  You guys are so likeable people, like Brazilians. 
2. Ski, because in Brasil we don’t have snow to ski!
3. Poutine . Amazing taste ! 

 

 

You mentioned you think the zouk scene will do well in Toronto. Why?

Because I feel that people like to dance, and feel the dance in the way that they need to . In the North, normally people like to compete, but in Canada, i don’t feel that way. People just like to dance and enjoy themselves. Zouk was made for that ! :) 

 

   

Interview by SalsaSteph of GoDanceMambo.com 

For private lessons with K-yo or Gabi, contact Renata Lisa renata@torontodancezouk.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INTERVIEW

 

 

 

 

Interview with K-Yo Victor (Soulzouk instructor, DJ, performer)

 

When did you start dancing?  

I started dancing zouk in 2003 at Studio de Dança By Cia with Irineu Alves founded by him and his brother, Chiquinho Alves, who is one of the pioneers of Lambada Dancers in Brasilia and so I learned from both of them.  Before dancing, only play soccer 10 years and ju-jistu 7 years.Im a piece of wood dancing J 

 

  

 

 

What were your first impressions as a beginner zouk dancer?
I remember that the zouk songs were the best songs that i ever listened to, like:

Xurra - Debaixo dos Lençois
Gama - Tentação
To Semedo - Kriola
To Semedo - Por Ti
Kaysha - Trinidade
Nichols - Touch my body
Ali Angel - Rendez-Vous  

 

 

 

You are an ambassador of soulzouk and were certified by the creator China and his partner Lu.  How did you meet them?  

I met China dancing in videos on internet, at that time dont have youtube.
Rio always have a big scene of lambada and after zouk.
I speak in e-mail with China and plan to meet them in Rio but them came to Brasilia, to see the zouk scene here. We speak a lot about zouk.
China and Lu, invite me to go to Rio and dance and meet the scene there. At first i get 3 months of classes with China and Lu. This was the end of 2004.
In 2005 i come back to Rio four times and get more classes. After that, Lu and China invite me to become first representant of Soulzouk, out of Rio.   

 

 

 

How did you meet your partner Gabi Povoa?

She started at Cia dance after one year I was there as a ‘helper’. We trained a lot together before we formed a partnership.  We’ve danced as partners now for 2 years.

 

 

Irineu Alves & Gabi Povoa

 

Why did you choose to learn soulzouk as opposed to lambazouk or Porto Seguro zouk style?  

The passion, the leading techniques, making your partner feel comfortable.
Dancing soulzouk is like a scene out of a movie- everybody just disappears and only one couple remains on dance floor, still dancing, oblivious they are the only ones left :) Soulzouk is art, not sport.

 

 

K-yo & Irineu

You have been djing at your own zouk social "Ghetto do Zouk" with Irineu since December 2010 in Brasilia-which is the only zouk social there. When did you decide to become a zouk dj?  

I love songs of zouk and at the classes, i show the songs that i found on internet, to my teacher, in that time, i was the helpers of the classes . I study how to mix and play song with a DJ of Cafe Cancun, Hugo Campos (which is now closed unfortunately). In 2006 there was a congress of zouk in Brasilia (organized by Prisila Rangel) and they need a dj...so I start there.

  

  

 
When did you start teaching zouk?

I started teach in 2006, for the Cia school, and now I currently teaching at Julia Castro dance academy 3x a week here in Brasilia.

I also travelling a lot to congresses and festivals and being invited to teach and dj all over Brazil, and now Miami, New York, Toronto, Montreal, Quebec, Ottawa. I excited to come back to Canada this year!

 

 

 
Why did you enjoy Canada so much?   

 

 

 I have my top 3 things in Canada

1 – Because of the People - i feel like in Brazil.  You guys are so likeable people, like Brazilians.
2 - Ski, in Brasil we dont have snow to Ski
3 - Poutine . Amazing taste !

You mentioned you think the zouk scene will do well in Toronto. Why?

Because i feel that people like to dance, and feel the dance, in the way that they need to . In the North, normally people like to compete, but in Canada, i don’t feel that way. People just like to dance and enjoy themselves. Zouk was made for that ! :) 

 

 

 

Interview by SalsaSteph of GoDanceMambo.com

 

Catch K-Yo at his Toronto Workshops! Click here for more info.

For private lessons with K-yo or Gabi, contact Renata Lisa renata@torontodancezouk