Zouk Nation - "Zouk is the dance of the 21st Century"

For the last Featured Instructor of this year, we thought it might be nice to cast the light on a Zouk instructor who is teaching within the United States. L.A. Zouk’s Shani Mayer instantly came to mind for all the amazing work she has been doing out on the West Coast, having a hand in creating not only a Zouk community in Los Angeles, but in San Francisco and Sacramento as well. Her endless energy and boundless enthusiasm for Zouk has resulted in her often being compared to an “energizer bunny” by her colleagues. Join me as I sit down with Shani to talk about her career as a dancer, how she first became enamored with Zouk, and some of the challenges she’s faced in starting a Zouk scene in the United States. Click here to read full interview.

He is one of the biggest names in the Zouk recording industry with a long list of hit singles under his belt including, “Deeper” and “Rebound Chick.” He is also the owner and producer of Ghetto Zouk Music, one of the most successful Zouk record lables around today.  Join me as I sit down and talk with the legendary Nelson Freitas.

Click here to read the full interview.

In a few weeks the “Buenos Aires Zouk Lambada Congress 2011,” the first Zouk Congress to be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, is scheduled to take place. In honor of the occasion, Zouk Nation has selected Romina Hidalgo to be the site’s newest Featured Instructor. Join me as I talk to her about her career in dance and and what staging a congress in Buenos Aires means to the local community.

Click here to read the full interview.

Claudio Gomes was among the first supporters of Zouk Nation when it first started out a few years ago. So when it came time to decide who would be the first Featured Instructor on the site, he seemed like a natural choice. The following is an interview I did with Claudio a while back, one in which he talks about life growing up in Brazil, the early days, when he first came to Holland, and some of the challenges he faced when trying to establish a Brazilian dance scene there.

Click here to read the full interview.

He’s recorded songs with some of the biggest names in Zouk, including, Nelson Freitas, Nilton Ramalho and Marcia. His song, “Don’t Keep Me Waiting,” has been a monster hit in the Brazilian Zouk dance scene, but odds are you don’t know his name. Join me as I sit down with Zouk/Rap artist D. Lopes, the self-appointed “Ambassador of Cape Verdean Culture” from Broxton, Massachusetts for a very special interview.

Click here to read the full interview.

He is probably the Zouk artist I’ve received the most questions about. For months now you people have written me suggesting I interview the man. As they say, your wish is my command. So join me as I sit down with Nilton Ramalho and talk about growing up in Holland, being a member of the award winning band Quatro+, and some of the challenges one faces when making the transition to a solo career.

Click here to read the full article.

The first time I encountered Festo DJ’s music was when I heard his stunning remix of Chris Issak’s, “Wicked Game.” I liked it so much I ended up adding it to the third episode of the Zouk Nation Podcast. I have since become familiar with a lot of his music and many of his songs are now among the most requested in the New York Brazilian Zouk dance scene. I recently sat down with Festo DJ to talk about his career, how he finds his music, and the challenges one faces in being a DJ.

The second part of my interview with Greg Miller, the Founder and Executive Director of Dance Parade in which we discuss some of the logistical problems in staging such a massive event, along with some of the financial challenges, and the group’s long term goal.

Part 2

This Saturday, May 22nd, 2010, is the 4th annual Dance Parade. I recently sat down with Greg Miller, the Parade’s Founder and Executive Director, to talk about his own involvement in dance, the personal epiphany that led to the creation of the largest annual dance event in New York City, and the Parade’s connection to the city’s controversial Cabaret Law.

Part I

She has a critically acclaimed album and is responsible for two of the largest hits in the Brazilian Zouk dance scene, “Um Chance,” and “Vida,” in the past several years, and yet very few people would seem to know her name. But with the release of her upcoming new album, “Reloaded,” it would appear that is all about to change. Join me as I sit down with Marcia, one of Zouk’s hottest rising stars, to talk about her life growing up in Germany, the challenges one faces breaking into the music scene, and her new album. Click here to read the full interview.