Our Brazilian Zouk Partner Dance courses are run Tuesdays and Thursdays in Fitzroy & Abbotsford, Melbourne. We offer a FREE trial class for new students. We also offer private lessons, social events, workshops and more. See you on the dance floor!
Brazilian Zouk is a fun, dynamic modern latin partner dance originating from Brazil. It is best known for smooth fluid movements, mesmerising hair flicks and creative connection. The dance has continued to evolve from it’s origins in Lambada and other Brazilian dances, and has spread quickly and widely across the globe. We now have a huge network of dancers all across the world.
DANCEIM is more than a dance studio, it's a community. A space away from home and work, where you can unleash, express, create, connect, laugh, learn and most importantly, move!
MEET THE TEAM
Izzy Washington and Steve Reilly are highly experienced teachers with over 30 years of experience. Izzy’s education in human movement, background in Ballet and passion for expression and creativity is perfectly balanced with Steve’s street Latin and Ballroom background and Engineering brain. Teaching Zouk since before DanceIM’s inception in 2012, these two are well known in the Australian Zouk scene and highly regarded for their insightful and welcoming classes.
Izzy Washington
In 2009, Izzy Washington discovered Brazilian Zouk as its popularity surged in dance communities across Australia and Europe. Fuelled by passion, she pursued extensive studies in Europe and Brazil, spending most of 2013 immersed in Brazilian culture while pursuing further study in Zouk, Lambada, Tango, and Portuguese. Since then, she has returned to Brazil four times to refine her skills and update DanceIM's curriculum.
With over 20 years of experience in ballet and jazz, Izzy obtained a dance teaching certificate. She delved into Latin dance in 2006, studying Tango, Salsa, Bachata, and Zouk. Starting to teach Brazilian Zouk in 2011, she founded DanceIM in 2012.
In addition to her dance journey, Izzy pursued academic studies, including anatomy and neuroscience, for a career in neurological physiotherapy. Her unique blend of dance skills and interdisciplinary knowledge enriches her classes.
Valued in Melbourne and Australian Zouk communities, Izzy has taught at reputable events nationally and internationally in Brazil and Europe and is recognised as a qualified judge and skilled performer, known for her emotive choreographies.
Passionate about sharing the joy of dance and fostering growth, Izzy is dedicated to creating a supportive and welcoming dance school and community. She strives to empower her students to achieve their goals, whatever they may be.
Steve Reilly
In the streets of Porto Seguro, Brazil, Steve spotted a captivating dance they called “Zouk”, during a tour with other Rio Rhythmics Teachers back in 2000. Determined to share this newfound love back in Australia, Steve flooded local DJs with CDs of Zouk music and started Zouk Sundays in Brisbane, possibly the first Zouk socials in Oz.
Zoom ahead 14 years through marriage and parenthood, Steve walked into his first Zouk lesson at DanceIM. It was a revelation; he describes it as seeing colour for the first time.
With a dance background dating back to the age of 15, spanning through ballroom and various Latin styles, including teaching Salsa with numerous schools, Steve possessed the perfect foundation for his Zouk journey. His passion and commitment propelled him swiftly to excel.
Today, Steve is a respected figure in the Melbourne and Australian Zouk community, and has taught at many events around Australia. He is a qualified judge and known for emotive performances.
Students love Steve’s expertise, his infectious humour and unwavering dedication the their progress. With meticulous attention to detail, Steve ensures that each student feels fully supported on their dance journey, guiding them towards their individual aspirations and goals with boundless enthusiasm and care.
Rhi
Rhi is known for her high energy and playful nature. She’s been dancing Brazilian Zouk since around 2014 and is a dedicated dancer, lifelong learner and part of the wider Zouk community. She also has a background in other creative endeavours and dance styles. Her dance skills and drive have led to several medal placements in national Zouk competitions and she has recently qualified as an official International J&J judge. Rhi has been assisting at DanceIM since 2018 and has moved into the teaching space under her mentors and peers since 2022. Rhi believes that Brazilian Zouk creates a feeling of being completely present in the moment - like meditation in movement, and loves to bring this energy into her teaching.
Martin
In 2019, Martin joined Brazilian Zouk classes at DanceIM, to "see what the deal was" with this dance his girlfriend was into. He never anticipated the intrigue, challenge and sometimes frustration it would deliver, providing a fascinating new focus for the passion and commitment with which he pursues all things. Martin's love for intellectual pursuits, philosophy, behavioural science and testing theories has driven him to pursue engineering, excel in martial arts (as both a practitioner and coach of Muay Thai), and apply his analytical approach to understanding the patterns and structures within dance. As a keen observer and analyst, Martin firmly believes in the efficacy of practice, training, and repetition. Dedicated to both teaching and dancing, he became a valued member of our DanceIM teaching team in 2023.
Aisha
Aisha discovered Brazilian zouk in 2017 while living in rural Canada and started regularly dancing when she moved to Australia shortly thereafter. In Melbourne, Aisha started dancing with DancelM and circled back when she met Martin. Aisha has experience as a university lecturer and enjoys teaching in enthusiastic group settings. She started teaching with us at DancelM in 2023. Aisha was first attracted to Brazilian Zouk by the music and intense self-expression of artists, and now enjoys the playfulness and technical aspects of the dance.
Adam
Adam’s passion for music began at 14 with his first guitar lesson. That lesson would unlock a life-long interest and dedication in musical expression and song structure. Adam’s first exposure to latin dance came 12 years later through a chance encounter while travelling. He was passionate about Tango, and it was not long before musical diversity drew him to Brazilian Zouk. Adam has been a regular fixture in class and dedicated member of the DanceIM team since 2018, and a teacher since 2022. Adam’s musical passion and skill lead him to become a Zouk DJ in 2023. Through his teaching, he hopes to ignite the same creativity and passion for Brazilian Zouk he himself experiences. Through his DJing, he hopes to provide the perfect canvas for dance expression.