While I also enjoy Salsa, Bachata, and Kizomba festivals, this post will focus on Brazilian Zouk. A lot of what I talk about below also applies to other dance genres.
Brazilian Zouk is a relatively new dance genre compared to Salsa and Bachata. There are many small pockets of communities all over the world, but the dance isn’t as well known or popular as Salsa/Bachata. The biggest festivals (Elevation Zouk Festival and Warsaw Zouk Festival) used to draw 500-900 dancers together.
It’s been two months since quarantine started and I now have a better idea of what to expect over the next two years regarding the Brazilian Zouk dance scene.
Here are some changes I expect to happen:
Festivals - Some festivals will not return in 2021. Certain festivals will not have the budget due to a smaller pool of willing dancers to attend. Even the biggest festivals will probably see at least a 50% reduction in dancers. I don’t expect Brazilian Zouk festivals to be back to pre-COVID numbers for at least 3 years.
Privates gatherings - Private or invite only gatherings will grow. Brazilian Zouk is a dance that can be fun in a festival setting, but the same goes for an intimate setting with one or two other couples. With the right location, music, ambiance, and company - a small gathering of 2-5 couples can make for a very enjoyable night of dancing.
Private Lessons - I think private lessons will stabilize over the coming months. Once normal every day live resumes, more people will feel comfortable booking privates. Certain dancers who are afraid of risking large festivals or small dance events will opt for maintaining their dance through private lessons.
Dance is a high-risk activity, period. It will be interesting to see how the next two years unfolds. However, as far as nightlife/dancing/going out is concerned - we won’t be seeing this return for the rest of 2020.