New designs, new shirts!

While I'm still working on getting back on track with my writing & photos from the summer adventures I've had some time to finalize another project of mine: zouk t-shirts! I wanted to create a print for promoting zouk - something that is original, looks fun & sexy and says "ZOUK" as big as possible so you can see it from a distance!!

Welcome to my shop to get your own!!
http://dancetheworld.spreadshirt.fi/

There are lots of different colours and models for both guys and girls (in the picture below are "some" of the options for girls)!

In case you want to make a group order for your team and want the graphics in some special color or with a custom text on the back of the shirt/hoodie that can be arranged, just comment on this post and I'll get back to you.

The shirts, printing, delivery & payment is done by Spreadshirt so if you have questions about them look up their Help section. Prices are pretty reasonable and I've liked the quality of the shirts before so can recommend them. Deliveries are available to all over Europe, US and Japan.

Welcome to the northernmost samba capital of the world!!?

Helsinki is quite the samba city even though you may have a hard time imagining it. Every year, now for over 20 years, there is a big samba carnival right in the center of Helsinki - held following the same traditions and rules as in the all-mighty Rio de Janeiro. With the small exception that the Helsinki Samba Carnival (HSC) is held the second Saturday of June, as it would be quite too cold to do it in February-March!

International Zouk Flash Mob 2013 - dancing for love & peace all around the world

Now is the time to jump on board the IZFM - International Zouk Flash Mob! After the success of the last year's event the international team has been working hard all summer preparing for the grand event for this fall. The flash mob will take on September 21st, the international day of peace, in well over 150 cities in about 50 countries. That means we'll have double the number of cities as was last year! It will be a fun day with thousands of zouk dancers - from new beginners to professionals - dancing to the same melody all around the world.

This year the song is by a well-know Brazilian zouk vocalist Paulo Mac. "Dance of Love" is a song specially made for this event (and I like the song actually, nice work!). In an international choreography competition zouk dancers around the world could send in their choreo suggestions for the song and a piece by Henri Velandia & Claudia Palestini from the U.S. got chosen. This is the choreo (note that the choreo may be adapted in your home to best suit the group's skill set).

Looking for the world's best beach

My search for the world's best beach is endless... In my travels I keep looking for and stumbling upon amazing beaches but I just can't get enough!

CNN recently came out with their list of 100 best beaches. I love their introduction by the way:

Is it possible to rank the world's best beaches?
- Of course it is. This is the Internet.
Will everyone agree with our ranking, murmuring respectfully among themselves about how perfectly accurate every placement is?
- Maybe not. This is the Internet.

You'd think people love the same things about such a simple thing as beaches but probably not... Some like it hot, some shady. Some love to people watch, some want utmost privacy. Some like that it's isolated and hard to reach, some like the convenience & the amenities. Some want pristine sand or lounge chairs, some want playgrounds and beach volley fields. Some want to snorkel, some surf, some swim, some won't put their toes in the water.

I've been to beaches in as north as Iceland, as south as Tierra del Fuego and traveled to world famous beaches in Brazil and Australia... and still looking for my favourite one! But I put together some of my favourites, only for you my friend! ;) I've tried to be "fair" and list lots of different types of beaches to make it interesting...!

* By the way: if you're looking for the ultimate beach to dance zouk then you definitely need to head to Porto Seguro, Brazil!

My top ten beaches (so far)

10. Kata Yai, Phuket island, Thailand. There are surely many many more beautiful, quiet, idyllic, beaches in Thailand and South-East Asia but as I'm a freak for sunsets I have to say I've enjoyed some of the most beautiful ones here. Lots of snorkeling places right off the beach and some more secluded beaches can be found closeby. Rent a motorcycle and tour the island!

Wake up! It's time to zouk!

This week one enthusiastic zouker, Markus, organised a morning zouk session in our summer dance venue in Helsinki, the stage behind the Opera house at Töölönlahti. What way to wake up to a Thursday morning!! It was super sunny & very warm already at 8 am when we started. The ten dancers that made it to this pretty spontaneous event danced in the morning sun for one hour... and for sure started their days more energized than usual :)

How I became a zouk dancer - and how can others too?

In the spring of 2011 I walked into a club in Helsinki through a recommendation by a friend of mine "to check out some Brazilian couples dance". I wasn't so sure why I'd be interested but I thought why not. What I walked into was the closing party of the first Helsinki Zouk Festival. I fell in love with the music instantly. I got to learn my first zouk steps and even had one dance, with one of the teachers. To me zouk looked something out of this world, out of my reach and out of my elements. But it got me curious. The next week I went to my first zouk class with a friend of mine. Two years later I'm still on this road of no return. And I couldn't be happier! (But, hey.. What is zouk? )


Dance like everybody is watching!

In other words, how to get rid of those first mental hurdles in partner dancing?

Dancing seems to be a daunting idea for some. How many times have I seen the "Dance like nobody is watching" poster, as if dancing would be something you would need to hide or be ashamed of!?! Many people say they simply can't dance or that they have no rhythm. But everybody can dance: find music you like and move to it! In essence you're just walking to the beat of the music or to the changes in the melody - it can be as simple as that. People seem to always worry most about stepping out of their comfort zone and forget all the positive things that come with it. Dancing is good for your health, it improves your memory (it's a fact!), builds your confidence and it's a great way to meet new people!

Vappu!

Vappu is a fun time of the year to be in Finland - especially in Helsinki. If you're ever around on the first of May here's what you need to do:
1) Pack your picnic brunch
2) Pray for decent weather
3) Head to the nearest park

The most popular park for Vappu brunch is Kaivopuisto, on the south tip of Helsinki (bottom pictures). It can get a little crazy there!

Prague zouk congress lives up to the hype!

The Prague zouk congress came to its 4th year in 2013. Boldly dubbed by the organisers as "the most anticipated zouk congress of the year" I certainly booked my ticket early, back in last November(!!). This year the congress took place during the Easter holidays and the Prague - as pretty much all of Europe - was experiencing unseasonably cold weathers. But even the cold & grey Prague was as beautiful as ever with festive Easter decorations and people were enjoying the cheap but tasty food & drinks!

But we weren't feeling the cold as the temperatures climb in the zouk congress atmosphere. Right in the center of Prague Old Town – next to shopping center Palladium on the top floor of department store Kotva was the location of the Prague zouk congress.

View from the top floor of the congress site

24 hours in Rio

Before returning home from Brazil last January I stopped for one day in Rio. Now you could say "what sense  does it make to stay only one day in Rio?". Well almost no sense at all, but since I had spent there 2 weeks one year ago I thought I could spare the few extra non-dancing-tourist days visiting some new place (=Paraty).

But I got surprisingly much done in 24 hours in Rio. I went back to Ipanema and Copacabana, did some shopping in Botafogo, walked around in Lapa and Santa Teresa, and had my last açaí and other local treats. After another long, lovely trip to Brazil is was ready to come back home.

The picturesque Paraty

Paraty (or Parati) is an old Portuguese colonial town on the Costa Verde (Green Coast) of Brazil. One of the beach towns between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, it's a great place to stop if you're traveling on the coastline. Just arriving to the coast over the mountains is quite stunning! I really fell in love with Paraty... The old town is a sight in itself with the rough cobbled streets and beautiful old buildings. It's easy to spend a day just walking around and exploring, shopping and sitting in cafés and enjoy the laid back atmosphere.

Street view from Paraty - one pretty white house after another

Can't stay away from São Paulo!

In January I went back to São Paulo - for zouk, obviously! I wrote a more comprehensive report last year but below are some updates on where to find zouk in São Paulo. Some new clubs have surfaced and teachers have new schedules...

Burn the floor in São Paulo

First about the zouk nights. There's a massive zouk scene in São Paulo and you will find many big parties every week. People like to dress up, go dance & socialize and new-comers are always most welcome! on a usual week night there can be easily 200 people dancing zouk in one club - on special nights 1000.... You'll feel like going to a congress party! The zouk club's prices may vary depending on special visitors (artists such a Paulo Mac and Kaysha are no strangers to São Paulo clubs) or promotions (often free nights for ladies) but the entry is generally around R$20. The parties usually start around 9-10pm and go on to 2-4am with a free zouk class at the start of the night with local teachers such as Philip Miha, Dadinho, Renato Veronezi, Ricardo Ferrari etc.

One of those zouk-filled nights in Capital Bar

Videos from Berg's Congress 2013 - you have to see it to believe it

I compiled some lists for videos of the 5th Berg's Congress - you can find the links to the videos below! The lists are in no way complete as there were about 80 workshops and about the same number of show and competition performances. But I've tried to make sure I've looked up the most interesting and popular ones!

Below is the playlist of videos of the workshops and demos. The first one on the list, Ricardo's & Graziella's demo with guest star Braz was perhaps my favourite as it shows the wonderful, fun spirit that lives in the lambazouk community. There's also lots of collaboration among the various zouk styles that you find in São Paulo, which you can also see in this Renato & Babi's demo!