Hi Olaya, you have been nominated by Dana from Dresden as the next special zouker. I recently discovered you at the Brno congress of 2014. I originally thought you were a professional presenter of the show because the way you spoke was hilarious. Please forgive me that I did not know you were actually there to teach and perform zouk! I laughed so much when I saw you danced with Renato at the Jack and Jill dance. That was my favourite moment of the congress!! So, would you tell us how you entertain the audience so well? Is that natural for you or have you been trained to interest people in some way?
Hahahaha omg... No I haven’t been trained for entertain people at all, also didn’t reherse the presentations for them to be funny, I had my formal four lines about what I had to say about each couple and the rest was improvising!
I don’t consider myself funny, but I do have sometime a particular way of seeing things and I am not shy to talk about most of things, I think that is what leads to people finding me funny! Also I love to laugh and have fun of course.
I heard you are still a student learning latin, jazz and comtemporary dance at university? Is that correct? What is your dream after graduation as you have already begun to teach dance worldwide.
Not exactly, I finished my university last year, so I have degree in Business. And I did my pre-university degree in Dance (in Barcelona there is only one school that is equivalent for university in dance, very difficult to get in and very specific for choreography or pedagogy).
Now a days I continue going to Contemporary and Ballet class, as much as I can, it’s very important to always be a student, especially if you are a teacher!
Now I am working in a dance school in Barcelona, there I can train myself, teach some jazz classes and build better a Lambazouk scene, giving several classes every day, training students for choreographies, training other new teachers... that is already a dream come true. And continue to travel worldwide to workshops and congresses also!
Who taught you zouk and inspired you to become a zouk dancer? When did you start to dance zouk? How did you find your partner?
I started dancing Lambada in 2000 when I met my current dancing partner Gabriel, we use to dance in Brazilian Bars with Brazilian friends, as we were in a Capoeira group, but there were no teachers, one learnt from another just by dancing. We use to do shows with Capoeira, Samba and Lambada.
One year later I met Hernán, he was a student from Gilson in Argentina. I had trained in dance classes since very little, so while we danced I could feel he really knew what he was doing, he had technique. He explained to me the Lambazouk scene they had in Buenos Aires, talked about Gilson, the classes they did. Gabriel use to put some Brazilian music in a local bar and entertain dancing Axé, so he thought it would be a good idea if I trained with Hernán and we could give some classes. And so we did, and in 2002 we gave our first classes, we thought of doing a three month course to start with. That three year course never ended and is still going!
In 2004 Daniel and Leticia from Majorca came to live in Barcelona, they danced a very different style from us, and they organized the first Congress in Europe. There I met Gilson, which I had heard so much and had watched in VHS video over and over (no youtube or facebook at that time!), and I also met the teachers in London, Amsterdam... Berg, Solange, Claudio Gomes, Claudia de Vries, and a long etc.
That congress impressed me so much, it was a mind opener. Having contact with other teachers and zouk scenes, also my dance evolved each day.
In 2005 Hernán had to go back to Argentina because of a health problem, so I started to train with Gabriel and we became dance partners until today!
How do you know Dana from Dresden who has nominated you?
I don’t remember where I met her for the first time, so many people and places I get confused. But I do remember having a good time with her in some privates I gave her in DansaBrasil Congress, her dedication and effort make her learn so fast, I liked that.
After that she invited Gabriel and I to Dresden, she hosted us and organized some workshops. We had a great time teaching and sharing the weekend with all of them, I have nice memories from that!
Do you have any other passions apart from zouk? If you have, let us know more about it.
Dancing in general is my passion, Ballet, Contemporary, Flamenco, Samba... Not only performing but also training, I love to be a student!
I love nature, mountains, beaches, waterfalls, forests, hiking and visiting new places. And I love animals of all kinds.
Are there any particular moments during your zouk life that have stood out and we may find interesting?
I can think of a lot of little moments while teaching, performing, at the dance school, in congresses... moments that made me laugh a lot, or not at all but that I laugh now.
Also big moments, like when I met Gilson, I was 18 years old, very shy, afraid to speak and to dance. In the congress 2004 I had to perform the same night as him and his partner, also Berg and Solange, I remember wanting to disappear from earth, I was so nervous and afraid, thinking what am I doing here. I remember Solange spinning with her head to the side, I said to Hernán - don’t even think about it, it’s just impossible that I can ever do that!
Another big moment, when we were invited to USA for the first time, to LA Congress. Gabriel was so excited, I was very serious thinking all I had to organize, so many things could make that travel not happen, as it was in the middle of another journey to Holland and Surinam. Gabriel always trying to calm me and that I celebrated the news, I said “not until I have the flights”, when I had them, I said “not until I’m in the plain”. Still when I arrived I couldn’t believe all that was happening, and Gabriel shouted at me “stop not believing, we are in Los Angeles!”
That was interesting episode. Lastly, Any particular messages or advice for other zoukers?
My advice is to study, practice and have fun!
A lot of people focus on experimenting, but you need to know and master the technique to experiment, so it’s important to take time and be patient to learn. And also sometimes it seems like people take dancing as it was something so serious, and they forget that you need to enjoy!
Please nominate a male friend with an interesting profile as well as being a great zouker, but from a different city to zoukers who have previously featured in Zouk? ( London, Amsterdam, Paris, Brazil and Dubai, Barcelona, Dresden) Would you tell us the reason why he deserves to be a special zouker?
Yuval from Israel is my great zouker!
He is special as a person, has a big heart, and is special as a dancer, he has perfect technique, great energy and special connection and interpretation of the music. One of my favourites of the whole world!
Apart from these questions, please feel free to describe something important to feature about you.
Always up for learning, organized and perfectionist. Also very sensible, accurate but always prepared for laughs and fun times, not very girly like -they say!
_All are great tips and aspirations to us, thank you so much for taking your time and agreeing to be featured in Kazouk.
I am sure many people will be interested in getting to know you more so your connection worldwide can expand.
Kazouk