District Zouk Team Auditions

Name: District Zouk Team Auditions
Start: 2025-01-23T19:30:00-05:00
End: 2025-01-23T21:00:00-05:00
Location: Dance Loft on 14

Schedule

Thu Jan 23 2025 at 07:30 pm to 09:00 pm

UTC-05:00

Location

Dance Loft on 14 | Washington, DC

We're excited to start a new season of our District Zouk training and performance teams!
These teams are a great way to challenge yourself and learn with a consistent group and focus. This audition will be for three different teams:
- Training Team with Tori & Kuna
- Partner Performance Team with Elena & Brenda
- Followers Training Team with Elena

TRAINING TEAM w/ Tori & Kuna
If you’re ready to level up your zouk game and don’t mind sweating a little, Tori and Kuna would love to have you on their training team. Fair warning: it’s going to be intense—but also a ton of fun!
They’ll kick things off with solo drills designed to whip your movement technique into shape —think agility, balance, mobility, and that magical thing called flow. You may hate them a little at first, but your body will thank them later (probably).
Next, they’ll break down a movement concept into bite-sized pieces, then piece it back together with partnered drills. It’s like a dance Lego set, but cooler.
Finally, they’ll dive into the “lab” where you’ll experiment with the evening’s concepts and discover your own unique moves. Don’t worry—no lab coats required, but creative brainpower is a must.
By the end, you won’t just have new skills to show off—you’ll also become a dance detective, cracking the code to analyze and improve your own moves anytime, anywhere. (Yes, even in the kitchen.)
Join this training team and level up!
SCHEDULE
Wednesdays, 8:50-10:30pm
DanceSport Dupont Circle (2201 P St NW, Washington, DC)
February 5 - March 26

PARTNER PERFORMANCE TEAM w/ Elena & Brenda
Join Elena and Brenda for a glorious moment onstage! If you saw last year’s epic performance at Zouk Heat, you know we don’t play when it comes to the slay.
This performance will feature drama, sass, and be chock-full of challenging Brazilian zouk technique. No performance experience? No problem! We will also give you coaching on performance concepts that you can use to spice up your social dancing!
No need to have a partner - you’ll sign up by role and practice with different partners when learning. We will partner people permanently the last two weeks of rehearsals. Success in this team will require weekly attendance and self-motivated catch-up if you do need to miss a class.
We’ll have the opportunity to perform at various local events, including potentially at the Zouk Heat festival in April. Performance is not required but is highly encouraged.
Challenge yourself and sign up today!
SCHEDULE
Thursdays, 7:30-9:00pm
Dance Loft on 14 (4618 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20011)
February 6 - April 3

FOLLOWERS TRAINING TEAM w/ Elena
Come improve your dance skills, performance chops, and zouk repertoire with all star Elena in this new season of the District Zouk Followers Team!
The first half of the class will work on various dance techniques and zouk followers’ technique. During the second half, you’ll learn and perfect a zouk choreography—working on presentation, performance, and lines, which can also be useful in Jack & Jill and other contexts. This choreography will be performed at various local events. Participating in the performance section is not required but is highly encouraged. If you want to participate but not perform, that is also okay.
This 8-week season will be a fast-paced learning environment. It’s intended to get interested dancers ready for a Brazilian Zouk Worlds competition team that will start in April. You do not need to compete or want to compete to participate this season. If you like being challenged in a supportive setting, this experience will be perfect for you!
SCHEDULE
Thursdays, 9:00-10:30pm
Dance Loft on 14 (4618 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20011)
February 6 - April 3

WHO SHOULD AUDITION?
Anyone interested in joining one or more of these teams!
- Our training team with Tori and Kuna is for students who have been dancing zouk for 2+ years and are comfortable with Brazilian zouk fundamentals and head movement.
- The partner performance team is for dancers who are comfortable with fundamentals and basic head movement (Head Movement 1).
- Elena’s District Zouk Followers Team is open to dancers of all genders, bodies, backgrounds, and roles who would like to challenge themselves.
- All team members should be respectful, adaptable, reliable, accountable, and have a supportive attitude.
If you’re not sure about your level but still want to join, attend our auditions or reach out to the team directors for an individual evaluation!

AUDITIONS FORMAT AND EXPECTATIONS
Where and When?
Thursday, January 23
Dance Loft on 14 (4618 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20011)
7:30 - 9:00pm
What to expect:
The audition will be a ‘workshop style’ session that’s similar to one of our team trainings. You'll get a sense of how the team works and whether it's a good fit.
Audition cost: $25

TEAM DETAILS
Following the auditions, we’ll send invitations to join the teams with additional details.
Team members get:
- Discounts for progressive classes, workshops, and socials
- Free entry to Monday partner classes and practicas
- Discounted dues for joining multiple teams (if invited)

TO SIGN UP:
1. Purchase a ticket here: https://www.danceplace.com/ticket/buy/14609
2. Complete our survey before the audition: https://forms.gle/Cy2GUXv1vapSLwWw9

ABOUT THE DIRECTORS
Tori and Kuna both discovered Brazilian Zouk through different paths, but their shared love for the dance has taken them around the world and into the hearts of Zouk communities everywhere. While they’ve shared countless hours dancing together socially, they each bring their own unique perspective and passion to teaching.
Tori began partner dancing in 2009 with salsa and bachata before falling in love with Zouk in 2015. Without formal dance training, she spent hundreds of hours learning through exploration and practice, focusing on connection, flow, and making every dance feel deeply enjoyable for both partners. Her social dancing experience spans North America, South America, Europe, and Australia, always prioritizing the social dance experience over performance or aesthetics.
Kuna was first introduced to Brazilian Zouk through his work as a videographer. After filming several Zouk events, he quickly became captivated by the dance itself. His journey has taken him across the globe, learning from some of the most renowned Zouk instructors, and he has logged over 8,000 social dancing hours. He’s trained with instructors such as Kim Rottier, Bruno Galhardo, Ry’El & Jessica, and Brenda & Anderson, and has danced with nearly a hundred different Zouk communities worldwide. His deep passion for the dance has made him one of the most recognizable names in Zouk, both for his social dancing and his teaching.
Together, they’ve danced socially across the world and are passionate about sharing the joy of Zouk with others. With their individual experiences and approaches, they aim to help dancers connect to the essence of Zouk: creating meaningful, flowing, and enjoyable social dance experiences. Whether you take a class with Tori, Kuna, or both, you’ll leave with a stronger understanding of what makes Zouk a truly special dance.
Elena has been a student of various movement arts for most of her life. After 13 years of competitive gymnastics, she briefly explored ballet, modern, and contemporary. While in college, she decided to try Latin ballroom. This began a love of partner dancing that brought her to salsa, bachata, and finally Brazilian zouk. She has been dancing and teaching Brazilian zouk for 7 years. She loves performing and competing with a passion. Most recently she became the first person in the world to advance to the All-Star division of the BZDC Jack & Jill competitions. She strongly believes in helping dancers of all types feel empowered and find their inner fire!