Zouk 'N Thai Workshop and Party

What is Zouk / What is Thai / Why Zouk + Thai together? Brazilian Zouk is a partner dance, evolved from its roots in the “forbidden dance,” Lambada. It is one of the fastest growing styles of partner dancing in the world today, and danced not only to zouk music (which has French Caribbean roots), but also a variety of music genres such as pop, hip-hop, R&B, electronic, etc. Known for its appealing aesthetic from the follower’s hair and hip movements, Brazilian Zouk's beauty flows from connection, proper technique, and musicality. Thai Yoga is performed on a mat on the floor, and is a beautiful healing yoga dance between an active partner and a totally passive receiving partner, a form of bodywork that blends movement and manual pressure along energy (Sen) lines. The result is release of tired or tight muscles, refreshed circulation, deep relaxation, and a calm yet energized state of balance. As taught in in a led sequence, each partner takes a turn to give and receive, guided expertly each time by the experienced teacher. There is magic in “how to move your partner” in Zouk, which you will experience in the delightful and precisely instructed Zouk section of the workshop. Then in our Thai segment, “how to move your partner” adds the element “how to heal your partner.” The listening and connection skills we gained through partner dance translate into healing moves for our partners. The empathy and connection inherent in both Zouk partner dance and Thai partner yoga magnificently impressed everyone present at the Zouk N Play Festival in Atlantic City this July - and so this workshop was conceived. Two delightful, connected partnership gifts that are better together! *You are welcome to register with a partner, but please feel free to come solo as well. In the Zouk portion of this workshop, we will be rotating partners to better feel our partnership skills with everyone we may encounter, in life and in dance! **No shoes inside the studio, so please wear dance-happy socks. Clean, new soft-sole dance slippers only may be worn in studio. Prerequisites: Having a body and having breath. WORKSHOP STUDENTS are invited to that evening's OM FACTORY SOLSTICE PARTY 7:30-10:00 with live kirtan music, socializing, Thai massage, aerial performance, spontaneous flying & dancing, and Zouk dance hour 9-10PM! See Zenzouk-NYC page for more party info! About the Instructors: Vinny (aka the Unicorn’s Apprentice) is a Brazilian Zouk DJ, dancer, and instructor based in New York City. Hailing from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Vinny began dancing with Salsa in 2012. Originally, dance was more of a side passion, until 2014 when he fell into the rabbit hole that is Brazilian Zouk. Training extensively under Henri Velandia and Jessica Lamdon of ZenZouk, in addition to other prominent international instructors, Vinny became deeply immersed in the dance and culture of Brazilian Zouk. Vinny is now an active member of the NYC Zouk community who hosts events and teaches at home, and as DJ Viscious he plays at zouk events and festivals; bringing a healthy blend of different zoukable genres. Armed with an infectious smile and abundant energy, Vinny lights up the dance-floor wherever he goes. Mary has 20 years of yoga and 10 years of AcroYoga in her practice. One of her chief joys is adventurous new learning and fun exploration. For Mary this has included 12 years in the theater and 15 years full-time yoga teaching, adding on new practices constantly including AcroYoga, Yogaslackers, Thai Yoga, Reiki, NVC, and AcroFit. Mary teaches clients, classes, workshops, festivals, immersions, retreats and teacher trainings. For fun, she enjoys the challenge of learning partner dance, at which she is an enthusiastic beginner. Mary’s need for movement and beauty send her wheeling around the world through ever new paths of connection and joyful growth. In 2015 her wheels spun her into the NYC Zouk Fest where she was invited to teach AcroYoga. Since then she has taught AcroYoga and Thai at the 2016 NYC Zouk Fest, and at the first ever Zouk N Play Festival this July in Atlantic City. Just as AcroYoga does, partner dance is teaching Mary partnership skills that she values for life. Tentative Schedule: 3:00 PM - 5:30 PM Enjoy a 2.5 Hour workshop class on Zouk and Acro Yoga with interactive activities on connection, partnering, weight transfer, alignment, and more. Then SURPRISE in the evening OM Factory has invited us to attend the SOLSTICE PARTY where there will be 3 rooms of dance/thai/activity/music. 6:00 PM grab some dinner and then come back to OM FACTORY. 7:30 - 10:00 PM SOLSTICE, THAI, DANCE, AND ZOUK! Snacks and Social Reception Area + Studio 1: ➡️ Snacks and drinks ➡️ Music Playlist with some zouk Songs ➡️ Spontaneous flying/dancing/zouking Studio 2: Thai Lounge (mix of freestyle/ led Thai bodywork): ➡️ 7:30 - 8:00 Bodywork Jamming ➡️ 8:00 - 8:30 Guided Thai #1 ➡️ 8:30 - 9:00 - Pause for Raffle/Announcements ➡️ 9:00 - 9:30 Guided Thai #2 ➡️ 9:30 - 10:00 Bodywork Jamming Studio 3: Kirtan and Zouk as follows: ➡️ 7:30 - 8:30 - Kirtan (Come see if it is ZoukAble!) ➡️ 8:30 - 9:00 - Announcements + Raffle ➡️ 9:00 - 10:00 Zouk and Acro Jamming $45 for the entire day including Party or $80 for 2 people. Register here: http://bit.ly/2fHkYWw Find more information here and SPREAD THE WORD!!! https://www.facebook.com/events/1925562547693916/ #SpreadingZouk #GrowingCommunities #AcroYogaZoukLove #Movement #ShareableModalities FOR PARTY ONLY!!!! $10 for the party. If you are coming to the party only, please send $10.00 to [email protected].