Kizomba Dancing in Rovinj, Croatia!
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Welcome To Kizomba – Your Ultimate Guide To Kizomba Dancing For Dancers!
This is a resource for information about Kizomba. In it, I will cover the history, music, dance basic steps, and also the most popular styles of Kizomba Dancing.
Kizomba is a popular genre of music and dance originating in Angola circa 1984. It means party in Kimbundu, a Bantu language spoken by the Ambundu or Mbundu of Angola.
Kizomba music was developed by musicians who were influenced by semba music and also by zouk music, such as the band Kassav, a French Caribbean band formed in Guadeloupe in 1979, in addition to others from the Caribbean French Antilles.
The dance roots come from Semba. It was traditionally danced in a circular pattern, whereas Urban Kiz is danced in a straight line. Kizomba Fusion has more flexible rules and includes moves and techniques from other dance styles such as Salsa, Bachata, Tango, and Hip Hop.
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Kizomba Music
Eduardo Paim is internationally recognized as the “father/creator of Kizomba music”. Back in 1979, he, along with his band SOS was responsible for a significant role in the development of the music style. This music emerged as a fusion of Semba, Angolan Merengue, and other Angolan music styles.
Kizomba music continues to evolve. Today, the most popular YouTube video for Kizomba Dancing (Kizomba Fusion) is Lento by Daniel Santacruz. This video featuring Sarah Lopez and Marc Brewer has over 269 million views.
Additionally, some of the most popular artists are Mika Mendes, Nelson Freitas, Anselmo Ralph, Jennifer Dias, Johnny Ramos, Loony Johnson, Matias Damásio, C4 Pedro, Djodje, Daniel Santacruz, Denis Graça as well as Soraia Ramos.
Many songs are sung in Portuguese, however, more songs are being released in French, English, and Spanish. This is mainly due to the growing popularity of Kizomba Music and Dancing, especially in Europe, the United States of America, and Asia.
Dance Genre Kizomba
Kizomba Dancing (also known as Traditional Kizomba) comes from Semba, which has been danced in Angola since the 1950s. It is a couple’s dance in which there is a strong connection to the ground. This is also sometimes referred to as earth-centered, as in many other African-style dances.
In it, the leader will guide the follower using his body and right arm. The couple will also express themselves through footwork and body movements in order to demonstrate a high level of musicality. Here is a good example of the traditional style by Black Cherry & Oncle Kani.
Besides the traditional style, several other newer Styles also fall under the Kizomba Umbrella. Here are the main ones!
Kizomba Fusion
Kizomba Fusion takes the basics to include the connection and weight transfer from foot to foot and adds in other moves from other dance styles, hence the name Kizomba Fusion. It allows dancers to have a lot of freedom and also use moves from Salsa, Bachata, Tango, and Hip Hop.
The popularity of Fusion dance videos on YouTube has resulted in a huge increase for Fusion Artists & Dance Festivals around the world including in Asia.
Additionally, Fusion dance videos on YouTube currently have the highest number of views and outnumber the traditional style videos by millions of views.
Moreover, many of the most popular Kizomba singers are writing songs specifically for this style of dance as it has a very high commercial value. The video below is a good example of Fusion by Isabelle & Felicien.
Urban Kiz
Urban Kiz is another couple’s dance that came from Kizomba. It was created in Paris, France, somewhere between 2012 and 2014 by Enah, Moun & Curtis.
This new style originally had several different names, such as Kizomba 2.0, French Style Kizomba Dancing, and New Style Kizomba Dancing until it was finally named Urban Kiz.
This new dance style was heavily influenced by Ghettozouk and R&B remixes. It is very popular in Europe and is growing in both the United States of America and Asia. On YouTube, these videos are second only to fusion dance videos with view counts in the millions.
One major difference between Kizomba & Urban Kiz dancers is that they usually keep a little more distance between them. They normally won’t have the same chest-to-chest connection as is common with Kizomba.
Additionally, it is danced in straight lines whereas Kizomba is danced circularly. The below video with Jojo & Victoria is a good example of Urban Kiz.
Why should I go Kizomba Dancing?
This is a dance of connection. It can help improve your social life by meeting new friends. It can also help you reduce stress, develop muscles, lose weight, tone your body, improve your circulation, improve your posture, and improve your balance and coordination.
What are the basic steps of Kizomba Dancing?
Here are the basic steps. Remember, regardless of the style that you dance, the most important thing is the connection! Additionally, the below video by the Messina Dance Company will show you the connection and the basic steps.
Basic 1
The first dance step that everyone learns in is the Basic 1. This involves transferring the weight from one foot to the other. Normally the guy starts on his left foot and the lady starts on her right foot. This is done on either the 4 count, 2 count, or on tempo.
Basic 2
The second dance step is Basic 2, also known as the sidestep. This step is pretty easy for most beginner dancers. It involves leading from side to side via the body connection.
Basic 3
The third dance step is Basic 3 which involves walking forward and backward in a sequence of three steps. Moreover, the last step involves putting the feet together in a closed position.
Where Can I Take Kizomba Dancing Classes?
Firstly, it’s important to determine what style you would like to learn. Start by watching some videos online to see who your favorite teachers are and their style.
Once you have this figured out the next step would be to see if you have any good teachers or groups in your area. If you live in an area without any instructors, then learn the basic steps from YouTube videos.
Afterward, see where the next closest festival is going to be. You can see many of the popular festivals on our Calendar.
By traveling to a weekend festival, you will be able to get expert-level training from several experts, such as the ones listed here as our Ambassadors.
These intense, nonstop weekend festivals will also allow you to social dance with many others and improve your dance level.
Lastly, remember that Dance is an Art form. An Art form is intuitive, imprecise, and also subjective. It can also be a skill developed through practice and imagination. “Science” on the other hand means something that is objective.
If you enjoyed this article, then please share it with your friends and colleagues! Feel free to leave a comment below! Also, don’t forget to join our Facebook Group and email list to keep up to date on future news!
Brian Moran
CEO of Kizomba Embassy
Brian Moran is a Salsa, Bachata & Kizomba dancer from New York City. He has been fortunate to live and work abroad in Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean for over 13 years.
While living overseas, he has attended hundreds of international dance festivals and events and has taken classes with some of the top professional Salsa, Bachata, and Kizomba Instructors worldwide.
About US
We were founded in the Washington, DC Metro Area with Team Members from all over the globe! Indeed, we are passionate about Kizomba!
We are also dedicated to growing the community by highlighting all styles of professional dance instructors, artists, festivals, news, and events worldwide!
This includes Semba, Urban Kiz, and Fusion. We are also a multilingual website.
To see the latest Festivals around the world, check out our Events Calendar here! If you are an Organizer, then add your Festival here!
You can also join our Facebook Group here!
Furthermore, follow us on Instagram here! Likewise, catch up on our latest blog posts here! Also, check out our new sister site, Bachata Embassy!
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