5 dance styles to spice up your summer

More and more music festivals are coming your way as summer cracks into high gear. That means days of dancing, dancing, and more dancing in the sun. Time to get your groove on and learn some new dance steps.

If you like to move it, move it but you’re too shy to shake it, shake it in party events, solo disco sessions in the shower are not your only alternative. You can take the middle ground and join a dance class. That way, you can enjoy learning how to wiggle it with fellow students and aficionados.

Ready to upgrade your moves? Here are some of the hippest dance styles brewing around Brussels this summer and where you can sign up for classes.

Kizomba

Both a dance style and a music genre, Kizomba is an art form that comes from Angola and means “party” in the Kimbundu language. It is a slow, smooth, and sensual dance for two. Frequent hip rotations are coordinated between partners who can dance extremely close to one another depending on their level of intimacy. Highly recommended for couples.

Kizomba was officially introduced in Belgium by José N’dongala who developed the Kizombalove Methodology. According to Sarah Amaro of Kizombalove Academy, this teaching method highlights the proper way of dancing Kizomba so that “two people become one emotionally and move as one body on the dance floor.” This summer, you can try out some Kizombalove dancing every Saturday evening in Site Bar – After Work at Quai des Péniches.

Salsa

Still considered the king of Latin dances, salsa is a social dance that has its roots in cha-cha, mambo, and other earlier Latin dance styles. The basic footwork consists of three steps or two quick steps and a pause. Just like salsa music which accompanies it, the dance is fast-paced, vigorous, and exciting.

You can discover salsa paso a paso at Cartagena Salsa Bar every Saturday night starting on August 4. You will be led on the dance floor by Belgian instructor Uriel Gbaguidi who describes salsa as a dialogue without words where each dance is a brief exchange and a way of reconnection between you and your partner. He also teaches Bachata, a slower type of Latin social dance. So if you want to take it a step further, you can take back-to-back classes.

Pop Dance

Channel your inner Beyoncé, Madonna, Michael Jackson, or Justin Timberlake. Learn the signature moves of your favourite music and dance artists. It will definitely get you bright and ready for those music festivals and parties this summer.

Starting August 19, Fred Academy is offering a series of dance classes called “everyone can dance” where you can study and copy the moves of one popular artist every Sunday. The sessions are taught by Briana Ashley Stuart, American choreographer and founder of STU Arts Dance in Brussels. She will show you how to groove and grind like a rock star.

Tap Dancing

If you have a taste for the classics, perhaps learning how to hop and stamp à la Fred Astaire or Gene Kelly is something you’ll enjoy. Put on a pair of tap shoes and explore the art of shuffling and scuffling while using your feet as a form of percussion. No need for partners here. You can strike the floor solo or with a group in line fashion.

Interested? You can join a class at Brussels’ premier tap dance school, Fred Academy and learn straight from Belgian tap master Grégoire Vandersmissen. Workshops will be offered this August for those who already have some knowledge of tap dancing. Ultimate beginners are invited to a trial class on August 23 by award-winning Hungarian tap dancer Katalin Roman of Tap-In Brussels. If you end up liking it, you can take regular classes which will begin this September.

Ladies’ Styling

Slip on your high heels and sway like The Pussycat Dolls. Girls, you’re in for a glorious ride. In ladies’ style dancing, you will know how to use your arms, hips, and whole body to make every dance move look as feminine as possible. You will also work on posture, balance, and coordination while learning step combinations to different types of music. It’s all about dancing with an attitude and exploring your personal style.

Ladies’ style classes for all levels are offered at Woluwe Sports Center every Tuesday at 7:30 pm onwards. Czech dance instructor Eva Manouskova, who is trained in ballet, ballroom dancing, and salsa, will teach you how to swing gracefully and dance like a diva.