Kizomba - Peter Varholak

Good evening mr. toastmaster, fellow toastmasters and most welcomed guests. From time to time everyone of us likes to learn about something interesting, new or just broaden knowledge. And what is one of the best ways how to do it? Learn about it from someone that is really enthusiastic about it. I will tell you about one of my most enjoyable activities. Hands up who knows what is kizomba. Couple of years ago I didn´t have slight idea what is it. When I saw it on my own eyes it looked like not very interesting dance. That time I would probably say boring dance. All this changed on one salsa dance class where at the end our instructor said: "I am going to show you something new. It´s like sex on the dance floor." And he showed us Kizomba. And men and women were there like on drugs. They just couldn´t let their partners go. And we stayed dancing one hour more than usual.

So what is kizomba?

It is the dance that origin in Angola in early 1980s. And Angola was Portugal colony so it quickly spread to Portugal and then to Europe and USA. Kizomba in UK appeared around 1991 around various venues. These days I will mention three of them that I consider are the best in London to dance kizomba: Gem bar, 229 The venue and Club Colosseum. Kizomba music emerged as a more modern music genre with a sensual touch mixed with African rhythm, is characterised by a slower and usually very romantic rhythm.

Demonstration

I will show you basic things about kizomba and for that matter I asked one of the women to assist me in demonstration. Welcome on the stage Alena.

I will show you basic holding: men are holding their partners for their shoulder but usually for the second one. Another hand is holding partner´s hand. Usually couple touch with upper part of the body and later when they are comfortable with each other they touch each other with head or face. Women a lot of times close their eyes when they dance with experienced partner so they can be lead better and feel the music.

Basic steps front to back and to the sides are very simple. Just following pattern three steps to the front and three back or one step to the left, one to the right.

In this dance man are leading almost exclusively. Women follow and enjoy music and dance. If man is leading properly it is almost impossible for woman to do other steps than suitable. Men are leading with both hands and or with touch of the body.

Thank you very much for your help Alena. Please applaus for Alena.

What are the benefits of kizomba?

3 main benefits are: it is good exercise, that reduce your level of stress, you of course make new friends and body is releasing hormones of happiness mainly so called hug hormone: oxytocine, because you are almost in constant hug. Once I was on one dance class with my brother and then we wanted to go to the casino. And door supervisor just stopped us and said "Guys just go somewhere, grab some cofee and sit little bit" And we were wondering what is happening. And then we realized. When your body is full of hormones of happiness, you look like drunk.

I hope I enriched your knowledge about dances.

Thank you