Shows / ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | Belong
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | Belong
The Brazilian Zouk podcast for dancers who overthink the dance. We overthink it with you. I'm Alisson Sandi — 3x Pro World Champion, Head Judge for the Brazilian Zouk Dance Council (BZDC), and Resident Lecturer for the MAC Project. I'll be honest: I was never a natural. I had to fight for every piece of this dance, and that fight is the reason I can explain it. Every week, Gui Prada and I — plus the occasional guest — talk about what classes don't cover: stalled progress, disappearing leaders…
Episodes
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongTry to Please Everyone and You’ll Please Nobody
"Hey, this is where you start. Because everybody starts here." After my community-building lecture at the MAC in Paris, most questions from the Brazilian Zouk…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongDon’t Split Your Brazilian Zouk Community
"Those are my students." Something I absolutely don't like is when people in a Brazilian Zouk community say that, and not like "Oh, these are my students…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongStarting a Brazilian Zouk Scene From Scratch
Community leaders tell Gui and me they can't grow their Brazilian Zouk scene because they're busy pleasing the people with power, some bosses, some mafia…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongWhat Is Frame in Brazilian Zouk, Really?
I apologised at the top of this one, because I know what the word does to people. "Fix your frame, your frame doesn't work, your frame is this, your frame is…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongHow to Build a Dancer From the Floor Up
We put two people on the floor at a Brazilian Zouk teacher training and asked the room one question. These two are complete beginners, what do you fix first?…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongGreat Technique Won't Get You More Dances
I danced with someone I'd followed online for years, walked off the floor, and went to a dark corner to question every decision I'd ever made in my life…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongStop Blaming Your Dance Students!
"I don't know what to do. My students don't wanna learn the foundations. Please help me." An organizer said that to me years ago, and it is the most common…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongLambada vs Brazilian Zouk: Is It One Dance?
Lambada is like the sun, you know? It spreads the brightness and the energy to everyone around. And I'm sorry to say this, but sometimes, in some places…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongFrom Ballet and Math Class to Lambada Masters with Iago & Vanessa
"I don't believe this person, they can really follow what this guy wants. I think they are guessing." That's Vanessa on why she started Brazilian Zouk, after…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongYes, Dance Teachers Plateau Too!
"Hell yes, hell yes." That's my answer every time someone in the group asks whether teachers hit plateaus too, and I teach Brazilian Zouk for a living. Ours…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongThe Pickiness Curve Every Dancer Climbs
For years the DJ would put on traditional old school Brazilian Zouk and I'd walk off the floor. "Ah, I don't like that type of music, I'm gonna take a break."…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongAre You Wasting Your Private Dance Lessons?
"I know, I've done this already." Every Brazilian Zouk teacher hears that in privates, and I ask the same thing back. "Okay, you've done it. But do you know…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongWhy Do You Dance Like You're Competing? (S06 Ep16)
Why do you dance like you're competing? Because Brazilian Zouk is one dance living as five: the social dance, the performance, the competition, the after-class…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongMost Dance Teachers Are on Autopilot (S06 Ep15)
Why did you leave that amazing Brazilian Zouk class confused? Because the teacher was serving three meals at once. Every dance class teaches one of three…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongHow Dance Becomes Your Safe Space (S06 Ep14)
How does a dance school become your safe space? Before Brazilian Zouk, before teaching, Gui Prada and I were two shy kids who found one safe room. In this…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongZouk Retreat vs Festival: Two Opposite Worlds (S06 Ep13)
What's the difference between a Brazilian Zouk retreat and a Zouk festival? In this ZoukNerds episode, Gui Prada and I go down memory lane to the events that…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongIs Brazilian Zouk a Spiritual Dance? (S06 Ep12)
Is Brazilian Zouk a spiritual dance? Do you have to be spiritual to dance it? In this ZoukNerds episode, Gui Prada and I take the "too hippie" stereotype…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongThe Fear Behind Every Brazilian Zouk Festival (S06 Ep11)
Why is the festival you bought never the event you get? Because most Brazilian Zouk festivals are designed from the fear of not being able to pay for them. Gui…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongIs Brazilian Zouk an Addiction? (S06 Ep10)
Is Brazilian Zouk an addiction? I think for a lot of us it is — and I say that as someone it nearly broke. In this ZoukNerds episode my co-host Gui Prada and I…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongBrazilian Zouk Musicality: Beyond the Beat (S06 Ep09)
I'll put my hands up here. A lot of the time, dancing Brazilian Zouk, I'm just listening to the tum, ta, chick and going for it. "Oh, good BPM, I can dance to…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongWhere Are the Brazilians in Brazilian Zouk? (S06 Ep08)
Where are the Brazilians in Brazilian Zouk? Gui Prada went looking in Sydney and found them at the Forró social, not at our Zouk Social. Gui was three weeks in…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongWhy Do You Pick Who to Dance With? (S06 Ep07)
I'll be honest. I walk into a social and I pick who to dance with in about three seconds, and most of the time I don't even decide it. My body decides for me…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongWhat Brazilian Zouk Actually Costs You (S06 Ep06)
Brazilian Zouk costs me sleep. I'm in Taiwan right now and I've finally built a schedule that lets me rest. The rest of the year? Time zones, late socials…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongWhy Brazilian Zouk Has a Leader Shortage Problem (S06 Ep05)
Brazilian Zouk has a leader shortage problem at every social — and no organizer has solved it, including me. I've run BraZouky with strict ratio control for…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongMost Zouk Scenes Don't Need More Socials! (S06 Ep04)
Most Brazilian Zouk scenes don't need more socials. They need more Practicas. And the reason most Practicas fail comes down to the DJ: songs that don't end. In…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongStyle vs Technique: Finding What Fits Your Body (S06 Ep03)
What If Your Teacher’s Style Isn't For You? Ever taken a class and thought, "Man, this technique just doesn't feel right for my body"? Gui and I are hanging…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongWhy Dance Reveals Your Deepest Insecurities (S06 Ep02)
Does Dance Reveal Your Inner World? Do you feel like the way you interact with your dance partner reflects your inner world? In this episode, Gui Prada and I…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongIs Social Dancing Storytelling? (S06 Ep01)
A leader once told my co-host Gui, "I'm not off time, I'm just being musical." I've been that guy. So when Amit asked if Brazilian Zouk social dancing is…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongHow DJs Can Make or Break a Party (S05 Ep84)
‘The Music That Moves Us’ What music makes you sprint to the dance floor? In this episode, Gui Prada and I geek out over our favorite styles—from high-energy…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongZouk Social Etiquette: The DJ Booth Dilemma (S05 Ep83)
'The DJ Booth Dilemma—Why Artists Stick Together' Ever wonder why the pros and "cool kids" always huddle right by the DJ booth? Is it an exclusive secret club…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongPaloma Alves on How to Make Dances Unforgettable (S05 Ep82)
‘What Followers Actually Want?’ Leaders, are you stressing out trying to pull off the flashiest moves? In this episode, Gui Prada, Paloma Alves, and I talk…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongUs vs Them: Bridging the Community Divide with Paloma Alves (S05 Ep81)
‘Beyond the Divide’ Why is there so much "us vs. them" in the dance world lately? In this episode, Gui Prada, Paloma Alves, and I dive into the growing gaps in…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongStop the Plateau: How to Know You’re Improving (S05 Ep80)
‘Finding Happiness in Your Progress’ Are you improving or just repeating the same mistakes? In this episode, Gui Prada and I dig into the "stuck" feeling every…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongDo You Belong? Finding Your Place in Zouk (S05 Ep79)
Is Brazilian Zouk for You? Ever feel like you don’t quite fit into the Zouk world? In this episode, Gui Prada and I get real about the deep doubt so many of us…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongStop Overthinking: Finding Freedom on the Floor (S05 Ep78)
'Freedom in the Bubble—Respecting Boundaries' How do you express yourself freely on the dance floor without worrying about who is watching? In this episode…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongHow We’d Teach if Time Didn’t Matter (S05 Ep77)
'Zouk Nerds: The Dream World—Learning Without Pressure' What if you could learn to dance without the rush to the social floor? Gui Prada and I design our Zouk…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongTraditional vs Modern: Preserving the Roots of the Dance (S05 Ep76)
What Are We Truly Preserving? Is Brazilian Zouk just a list of steps, or is it a culture of belonging? In this episode, Gui Prada and I dig into the soul of…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongDouble Standards: What Are We Actually Protecting? (S05 Ep75)
'Double Standards—Art vs. Oversexualization' Ever wondered where the line is between an artistic dance and something that feels a bit over-the-top? In this…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongThe Dancer’s Guide to Self Worth (S05 Ep74)
'Reclaiming Your Self-Worth in Dance' How much of your happiness as a dancer depends on your partner’s approval? In this episode, Gui Prada and I tackle the…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongThe Chameleon Mindset: Connecting to Any Partner or Style (S05 Ep73)
'Misaligned Stars—Handling Difficult Social Dances' What do you do when the connection with your partner or the music just isn't there? In this episode, Gui…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongTrust the Process: Training Teams vs Study Groups (S05 Ep72)
'The Study Group Transformation—Fast-Track Your Growth' Are you stuck in a loop of repetitive classes? In this episode, Gui Prada and I explore the Study Group…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongThe Missing Link: Turning Studio Time into Mastery (S05 Ep71)
'Mastering the "Práctica"—The Bridge to True Integration' Why do so many dancers plateau despite taking classes? In this episode, Gui Prada and I explore the…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongThe Topics We Were Excited or Afraid to Publish (S05 Ep70)
'2025 Review—What You Loved & What's Next' In this retrospective, Gui Prada and I dive into our 2025 data to reveal what the Zouk community truly craves. We…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongBeard to Beard: Breaking the Taboo of Male Intimacy (S05 Ep69)
'Redefining Masculinity through Movement and Vulnerability' In this deeply personal episode, Gui Prada and I explore the male experience in the dance…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongHow Slow is Too Slow? Mastering the Pace of Learning (S05 Ep68)
'The Pace of Progress: Balancing Patterns and Soft Skills' Are you worried you’re falling behind, or is your community moving so fast that the "feel" is…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongThe Anxiety Trap: Why You’re "Dancing in Your Head" (S05 Ep67)
'Mastering Body Connection—Internal Feeling vs. External Expectation' Stop trying to please your partner. Discover how getting out of your head and into your…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | Belong"Good Intentions" Aren't a Substitute for Consent! with Paloma Alves (S05 Ep66)
'Uninvited Touch and the Myth of Assumption' In this episode, Gui and I, joined by Paloma Alves, tackle the controversial topic of uninvited massage…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongSilence is Not Consent: Setting Boundaries in Dance, with Paloma Alves (S05 Ep65)
Intimacy, Boundaries, and the Power of "No" In this critical episode, Gui and I, joined by Paloma Alves, dive into intimacy, boundaries, and physical comfort…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongAre You Dancing for Validation or for Joy? (S05 Ep64)
'The Social Dancing Paradox—Beyond the Obligation' This episode tackles the highly requested and emotionally charged topic of social dancing expectations and…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongHow to Turn Comparison into Powerful, Aligned Inspiration (S05 Ep63)
'Comparison vs. Inspiration — The Path to Authentic Growth' In this deep dive, Gui and I, along with Paloma Alves, explore the thin, often-crossed line between…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongFrom Anxiety to Flow: Embracing Self-Awareness with Paloma Alves (S05 Ep62)
'Dance as a Mirror—Movement, Mental Health, and Self-Care' In this vulnerable episode, Gui and I, joined by the radiant Paloma Alves, explore the unexpected…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongLongevity vs. Tradition: Why Dance Changes (S05 Ep61)
Why your "Old Technique" is now "Wrong" In this episode, Gui and I take a deep dive into the constantly evolving journey of Zouk and dance techniques. We…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongShould Artists be Paid for Social Dancing? (S05 Ep60)
'Should Artists Be Paid for Social Dancing? The Service vs. Obligation Debate' This episode tackles a persistent and controversial question: Should artists be…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongZouk Musicality: The Lifelong Training (S05 Ep59)
'Decoding Musicality—Beyond the Beat' In this episode, Gui and I attempt the seemingly impossible: defining and decoding musicality in dance. We share our…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongHow to Become a Great Dancer? (S05 Ep58)
'The Journey to Becoming a Great Dancer' In this episode, Gui and I define the true meaning of a Great Dancer and outline the path to mastery, which is often…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongWhy Organizers are Losing Money? (S05 Ep57)
'The Financial Health of Our Dance Community' In this crucial episode, Gui and I tackle the difficult financial reality of the dance industry: the mismatch…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongIs Your "Advanced" Class Really Advanced? (S05 Ep56)
'Beyond the Basics—Is Your "Advanced" Class Really Advanced?' If you've ever paid for an "advanced" class and felt confused or underwhelmed, this episode is…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongFrom Basics to Mastery: Your Dance Guide (S05 Ep55)
'Designing the Ultimate Dance Curriculum' In this episode, Gui and I offer a concise guide to designing an effective dance curriculum, focusing on concepts and…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongWhen to say 'Yes' or 'No' in Social Dancing? (S05 Ep54)
Saying 'Yes' and 'No' in Social Dancing In this episode, Gui and I tackle the highly sensitive and personal topic of social dance invitations. We confront the…
ZoukNerds • Learn | Build | BelongThe Qualities of a Great Dance Teacher (S05 Ep53)
The Qualities of a Great Dance Teacher In this highly requested episode, Alisson Sandi and Gui Prada delve into what truly makes a great dance teacher. They…