Nelson Campos and Sophia Meyer – Kizomba Levels 1 and 2
Nelson & Sophia – Kizomba Levels I and II
[1 DVD – Rip]
Description
VOB version: & Sophia: Kizomba I & II (2010)eLearning Video | English | 640×480 | XviD ~825 kbps | MP3 ~128 kbps | 780 MBDanceNelson and Sophia are happy and excited to present the first ever English professional instructional Kizomba DVD on the market. This DVD is intended to get people started on Kizomba Dancing and at the same time offers beautiful sequences to develop your style.Nelson & Sophia: Kizomba I & II (2010)On Level I of this DVD Nelson & Sophia go through several basic sequences, step by step, with clear explanations, including men and ladies footwork, leading and following technique and plenty of opportunity to practice with music.Level II is about learning some amazing sequences to boost your dancing skills and allow you to shine on the dance floor. A couple are dancing, cheek to cheek. Their bodies lean in towards each other as their feet weave in intimate conversation; his hand presses against her back, tacitly signalling the next move. It looks like a tango, except that the way the dancers’ hips sway and their bodies rock is unmistakeably African.This is kizomba, and it’s the latest trend to sashay across London’s dancefloors. Kizomba originated in Angola in the ’80s but wasn’t really seen in the UK until a few years ago. Recently, however, its profile has soared, thanks to dancer and teacher Iris de Brito. De Brito is a native Angolan, who came to London more than a decade ago. Trained in ballet, jazz and contemporary dance, she was a fixture on the salsa scene before having the idea of introducing kizomba to the wider world. The word ‘kizomba’ means ‘party’ in the Angolan language Kimbundo, and it’s danced to music of the same name, a fusion of French Caribbean zouk and Angolan semba. The dance shares the same roots, although that probably doesn’t mean much to an English audience.’The first time I started advertising kizomba I called it Afro-tango,’ says de Brito. ‘I hate putting things in boxes but it’s a way for people to visualise the dance. The way we move has a lot to do with tango, but it’s not as strict in terms of body movement, which is where the African side has an influence, with the undulation of the body.’ Kizomba is more laid back than tango, and more intimate, slow and sensual than salsa. It’s sexy, but in an effortless way.’I like the connection you have when you’re dancing with somebody,’ says de Brito. ‘It’s a little bit more interior, it’s not so much about showing off. The connection is closer and more personal, without being seedy.’Kizomba fans in London are an eclectic bunch. Doctors, engineers and financial analysts are among the mix at Kizomba UK’s regular Thursday night events. ‘It’s a social dance, anybody can do it if they’re taught properly,’ says de Brito, adding, ‘It’s going to open the door to Angolan culture.’For de Brito, honouring kizomba’s heritage is important. Having not been back to Angola for more than 15 years (three decades of civil war have made it difficult and dangerous to travel there) this connection with her homeland is a vital one, and she’s keen to see the dance form gets the respect it deserves.To that end she’s currently creating an official kizomba syllabus and teaching at her Studio Afro Latino in Hackney as well as at Kizomba UK’s Thursday club nights. This Friday she’ll be at monthly salsa night El Grande in Vauxhall, along with guest dancers Paula Loureiro and Ricardo Sousa from Portugal. All of which means plenty of excuses to put on your dancing shoes.WHAT IS KIZOMBA?Existing since the 80s, Kizomba is an African dance that, in recent years, has won the heart of many pairs dancing in clubs and discos around the world. With its own very particular steps, rhythms and music, who knows how to dance Kizomba doesn’t want another thing and who do not know, just wants to learn!Kizomba is a term that derives from another Angolan terminology “Kimbundo” which means “party”. Kizomba as we know it today has been built from the merger between various genres of music and dance steps, being a real mixture of dance styles. It is impossible to speak about Kizomba without speaking in the traditional dances that preceded and influenced it: Semba (the predecessor of Samba), Zouk (from the islands Antilles), Coladeira (from Cape Verde), not forgetting the big contribution to the solidification of Kizomba that came from Tango and Merengue.The BOOMWhen hearing the traditional music as Semba and Zouk, the younger generations of Angola felt that something was missing – a modern and sensual touch. The result was the composition of a slower and very sensual pace: Kizomba as we know today. Explosive and contagious, Kizomba conquered the world as a sound that stays in the ear and as a dance that seduces your soul. Currently, Kizomba is very popular in Portugal, England, France, Holland, and spreading fast all around the world.
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