Get familiar with the Luso African culture, learn Cuban Rumba or/and get your kids to try a  Kuduro workshop! Scroll down for a brief history of Angola and its culture. Enjoy!

Kizomba & Semba

Kizomba: Originally from Angola. The word means "Party" in Kimbundu (traditional Angolan language). Its a dance that fuses caribbean Zouk & Angolan Semba.

Semba:Angolan Ballroom dance. More traditional instruments. Semba de Roda: Taught in a circle and changing partner. Loads of fun.

Cuban Rumba

Afro Cuban couple dance with high African influences.
There are generally three types of Rumba danced today: Yambu, Guanguanco and Columbia which is traditionally only danced by men.

Attitude, personality and flair are a must!

Afro Fusion

Using vocabulary from contemporary styles of Graham and Cunnigham, this class is an open level class providing an opportunity for adult learners to develop in expression and technique.

 Street Kuduro

Fusion of African beat and house music. Dancers use complex footwork, and various break dance moves.Learn a new"family dance".
Kuduro is now a world phenomenon and is a true evolution of how the new generation of Angolans view themselves.

Brief History...

In 1482, when the Portuguese first landed in what is now northern Angola, they encountered the Kingdom of the Kongo, which stretched from modern Gabon in the north to the Kwanza River in the south. Mbanza Kongo, the capital, had a population of 50,000 people. South of this kingdom were various important states, of which the Kingdom of Ndongo, ruled by the ngola (king), was most significant. Modern Angola derives its name from the king of Ndongo. Later taken over by the famous Queen N’zinga.
Portugal's primary interest in Angola quickly turned to slavery. The slaving system began early in the 16th century with the purchase from African chiefs of people to work on sugar plantations in São Tomé, Principé, and Brazil. Many scholars agree that by the 19th century, Angola was the largest source of slaves not only for Brazil, but also for the Americas, including the United States

Culture and music influences...

Slavery exported the general and musical culture to both North and South America. The meeting between the Portuguese, Angola and Brazil, in the sea voyages of the seventeenth century, set up an exchange between people from the Iberian peninsula and the Amerindians, which gave rise to the fandango, a popular Spanish dance which first came into light around 1769.
  Evidence suggests that the Spaniards learned a dance from the Amerindians in Fandango of Seville, where Eastern music had already made its mark, thanks to the Moors and the Gypsies.
In the Eighteenth century, the fandango met the Brazilian dances fofa and lundu, in Lisbon; the outcome of which was fado.
It is also worth noting that the Brazilian dance lundu, which originated in Baia in the eighteenth century, turned up again in Lisbon in the late 1770's. This dance is connected to Kaduke de Mbaka (Angola), and gave rise to one of the most popular dances in Luanda, which goes by the name of massemba "belly-dances", (the plural of semba). A feature of which is for partners to touch by thrusting their navels forward. It is an erotic dance which the slaves took to Brazil, Cuba and which was adapted to social and economic conditions there.


Well done! you've managed to scroll all the way down! Below is a present for you, watch, enjoy and join us in class soon!

What is Kizomba?

Kizomba is a partner dance native of the African country of Angola, with influences from other Lusofone countries.
It was first known as “Passada” (meaning “stepping” a reference to the movement flow) and for having a sensuous rhythm.
Kizomba means party in the Kimbundu dialect of Angola.

Kizomba Dance: In Angola in the 50's the expression "Kizombadas' referred to a party.There was no association of the word to a Dance genre or a musical genre.But the dance known as "Semba","Rebita", "Kabetula", "Maringa", already existed in the 50's and 60's. Other dances coming from Europe like Tango, practiced by the Portuguese colonials. The "Plena" from Puerto Rico and Merengue are thought to be brought by the Cuban influence in Angola during the war. The style of Kizomba is now emphasizes a very smooth way of dancing with heavy influences of Tango steps, but one of the main differences is that the lower body, the hip, does forward/backwards and circle movements.People dance on the tempo, as well as playing on the off beat and only sometimes using syncopated steps.
In the modern Semba dance, it is easy to observe how so many of the steps have been influenced by Cuban dance and perhaps vice versa, as you can find high similarities in both genres. Studio Afro Latino in London led by Iris De Brito has been a major association in promoting further understanding of this dance genre.
This performance was the first public performance in London showcasing Kizomba to the Salsa and Lambada community, therefore opening doors to a larger audience to learn about this dance.