Beyond Local Habits: Rebuilding Local BrZouk scene with updated technique

This topic started with some of my students who moved to another city—actually, an island—and are now teaching there. The local students have been dancing BrZouk for years, but with a very specific technique. So my students asked me how they could show their students that this technique isn’t necessarily what we use nowadays.thsi was my answer:“So, of course, you have a tough job—these students have been in their safety bubble for years.

They need to feel the difference so they can realize for themselves that something is off.What you're already doing is wonderful in helping them break out of this bubble. But if they’re not stepping out on their own, you may need to bring the influence into the bubble—by inviting different dancers and teachers. With time, they will hopefully begin to understand.

Besides that, here are some ideas that came to mind:

1 - Theory / Video Analysis DayCarefully select demo videos from different teachers. The goal is to help them understand that, even though BrZouk has a variety of styles, we all share a common technique.

2 - Online TutorialsTry to achieve the same goal by watching and discussing tutorials from different teachers. Show them that, although each teacher may explain things differently, we’re all speaking the same dance language.

There are many resources available:

• Free short tutorials on Instagram

• YouTube videos (free)

• Full online courses (paid, if you have access)

3 - Make Them Feel the Difference (Patterns)

Practice a foundational pattern first without head movements, then with them.We use this approach often to help students feel the importance of strong foundations and proper head movement technique.

4- Contrast

Make them feel the difference even more without judging their technique,try to do the same pattern but once with “x” technique and then with “y” technique

5-  worldwide conversation.

Try to Explain that having a common technique is like learning a language with proper grammar. You can have your local accent, your personal style — but if you skip the basics, others won’t understand you.

When they learn internationally accepted concepts they become part of this borderless conversation. And this w ill for sure prevent frustrations and feeling of non acceptance on the dance floor” what are your opinions about that? how would you adviced them?

___________________________ *I use chta GPT to correct my grammar, since this is not my first language, but NOT to create the content =)

By Tiago Movimentus