Brazilian Zouk Pioneers in Canada

Alyona began training in Ballet at age five, later moving into competitive ballroom dancing in her early teens. She ultimately found partner dancing in her early 20s, beginning with Hustle (which she began to teach in her hometown). After she moved to Canada, she found Brazilian Zouk through a chance encounter at a university dance club. Since then, she has grown from Ground 0 to Instructor with dZouk, competes and travels internationally, and performs on the dZouk Troupe in Cirque du Zouk. Most recently, she was featured as an instructor at Canada Zouk Congress - and she also makes time to do some social West Coast Swing dancing on the side! Students appreciate Alyona's strong grasp of technique and ability to identify and solve issues in their dance. She adores expanding her horizons, especially when it comes to power moves like counterbalance, spins, dips, lifts and drops! Alyona achieved her MAC Approved designation in May 2023, and was the first person in the world to score 100% on the practical component of the examination.

Natalia started her dance journey at the age of 13 and has trained and performed professionally in the styles of jazz, hip-hop, Bollywood, tango, salsa, and bachata. She discovered Zouk in 2011 and trained with both national and international instructors. Since 2015, Natalia has taught and performed at various local and international Zouk events, including Canada Zouk Congress, ZoukMX, NY ZoukFestival, DancelifeX, Hawaii Zouk Congress, VancitySBK, DC ZoukHeat, Toronto Zouk Marathon, FutureZouk Chicago, GYZO Montreal, and Canada International Dance Convention. Most recently, Natalia has also taught Zouk classes in Mexico City and Guatemala. Natalia has a passion for teaching and performing and is excited to share it with you all. What she loves most about teaching is seeing a student grow and be inspired by the music and movement, and she is honoured to be a part of that journey. Natalia is a MAC Certified International Instructor.

Shasta came to Brazilian Zouk from Lindy Hop after falling in love with the artistry of Cirque du Zouk at Canada Zouk Congress - and she never looked back, She began attending as many classes as she could, travelling, and learning to DJ from the best in North America. She eventually joined the team she once watched as part of the core Cirque du Zouk team, and then became part of the dZouk teaching team.

Iva started ballet and cheerleading at age 6, and has been a passionate dancer since. The have trained formally in ballet, hip-hop, jazz, contemporary, lyrical, and tap dance. In College, they discovered Bachata and became an avid partner dancer. They found themselves social dancing multiple times a week, performing in Bachata and Kizomba, and ultimately discovered Brazilian Zouk in 2016. They trained with several instructors in Toronto and abroad, including dZouk! In April 2022, they placed 2nd in a Tier 3 BZDC competition at Zouk Heat, and were featured as an instructor at Canada Zouk Congress 2022. Now, they and their partner Eleonora have established Zouk Explosão, perform with dZouk Troupe in Cirque du Zouk, and work as Associate Instructors with dZouk. Iva achieved their MAC Approved designation in May 2023.

Eleonora has had a passion for movement from her formative years. She has trained in ballet and musical theatre, and discovered the world of partner dancing after moving to Canada in 2012. From there, she began training, performing, and avidly social dancing in Brazilian Zouk, Bachata, Salsa, Afro, and Dance Hall. Out of all the dances she tried, Brazilian Zouk spoke to her the most - so she began travelling and training for Zouk, and has been learning and growing with dZouk since 2018 while also working on her skills in Kizomba, Semba, and Urban. She dedicates herself to not only learning the steps and background of each dance, but also their moral etiquette from a performance and social perspective. She has won competitions in both Brazilian Zouk and Kizomba, and is also now learning the art of DJing under the tutelage of some of Brazilian Zouk's best. She also performs as part of the dZouk Troupe in shows like Cirque du Zouk, and was featured as an instructor at Canada Zouk Congress 2022. Together with her partner Iva, she forms one half of Zouk Explosão and also works as an Associate Instructor with dZouk, performing and teaching with them. She achieved her MAC Approved designation in May 2023.

Caitlin started dancing at the age of two with Scottish Highland Dance, ultimately gaining her Associate Certification with the British Association of Teachers of Dance. She later learned Ballet and a number of other dances, achieving the Royal Academy of Dance Intermediate certificate. Her Zouk journey began in 2011, when she stumbled on Brazilian Zouk during a Salsa social. She joined dZouk in 2015, where she has grown into a teacher, performer, and (most recently) a DJ. She enjoys helping new students discover their capabilities, and strives to create an inclusive learning environment for everyone. Her favourite people to teach beginners! She achieved her MAC Approved designation in May 2023.

Colin has been dancing zouk for several years, eventually helping with classes and becoming part of the Cirque du Zouk performance team. Since starting, he has been DJing for local Zouk socials and events in Toronto.