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.
Nici
Nici has been studying Brazilian Zouk in Melbourne for over 10 years, and has been a long term student at DanceIM. She is a qualified Yoga Teacher and has just completed a 200 hour Zouk Teacher Training in Bali with Layssa. She has recently come on board at DanceIM as part of the teaching and assisting team and is excited for further opportunities in teaching and sharing her love for dance and movement.
Viv
Viv has danced most of her life, predominantly in ballet and contemporary and discovered Brazilian Zouk in Washington DC several years ago. She moved to Australia and joined the DanceIM team early in 2023 with social media, marketing, videos and all the rest. Recently coming on board to help teach, sadly Viv will be moving back overseas, and will be greatly missed! Come back soon Viv!
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.