Afro Cuban Body WorkZürich · Winterthur
endees

Courses · Zürich

Dance with us

You can join at any time. The week belongs to the hip, the clave, and a training that brings body and awareness together.

Course overviewTrial class
Dancer in a deep bend, dust falling from her hands

Join

Passes

You can join at any time. The passes are for the 1.5-hour classes.

6 × 1.5 h

Course pass

CHF 245.00

1 course, 6 consecutive weeks

Missed classes can be made up in other courses within 6 weeks.

10 × 1.5 h

Lesson pass

CHF 410.00

3 months

Individual classes from different courses, freely chosen.

20 × 1.5 h

Lesson pass

CHF 815.00

6 months

Individual classes from different courses, freely chosen.

In every course

First the body, then the dance

All of our courses begin with a contemporary-dance training in which we connect the physical level with mental training.

With concentration and awareness of our energies, flowing and powerful movements arise.

We learn to connect our body with the earth and with the essence of the music, in order to create authentic movements and an artistic expression.

In this way we develop and practise movement sequences that we later apply in the dance.

Ana Belkis dancing with her arms raised in the middle of the group

Wednesday

6:00–7:30 p.m.

Intermediate

Lady Style Rumba Cubana

Cuban salsa is a playful, popular Cuban partner dance that is danced all over the world. It is influenced by various Afro-Cuban dances such as rumba, son, mambo, cha-cha-cha and the Afro orishas.

In this solo course, alongside the basic steps and various ladystyle variations, we concentrate above all on the right, flowing movement sequences. Step by step you get to know your body better and are introduced to the sensual Cuban movements, whose origin is the hip. We bring out what is in every woman and concentrate on developing an individual, feminine body language and presence.

Ya vamos!

A couple dancing son in front of the band, she in a white dress, he in a red shirt

Thursday

6:00–7:30 p.m.

Beginners

Ladystyle Son Cubano

Cuban son is the main foundation of salsa. It combines African and Spanish musical elements with a defining cadence on the half-beat. In son, the sounds of the string instruments are mixed with the percussion, which makes it very sensual and romantic. It includes the guitar and the tres, as well as percussion instruments such as bongos, maracas and claves.

In son the couple dances in a closer position. The bodies stay together, the legs intertwine, and the women move their upper body subtly. In our ladystyle course we offer exercises in which the students discover and learn the sensuality of the son cadence, steps and movements against the time, and the syncopated rhythm of the Cuban clave 3/2. We also train the sensual movements of the upper body, as an important detail that accents the tempo.

We also train ourselves to distinguish son musically from salsa and to be able to build it into salsa. One focus is on perfecting the elegant movements of son and mirroring the sensuality of the music in our movements.

Que rico!

Rumba in the studio: Ana Belkis in yellow meeting a dancer

Wednesday

6:00–7:30 p.m.

Ladystyle Rumba Cubana Organico

Rumba cubana is typically Cuban: deeply rooted, flirtatious and spontaneous. The Afro-Cuban complex of dance, song and percussion was added to the list of intangible cultural heritage as a UNESCO World Heritage in 2016.

Rumba cubana portrays the play of attracting and refusing between man and woman. The woman plays an important role with her provocative eroticism, skill and a certain lightness. The man makes advances toward the woman, who protects herself from his impulses with defensive movements. The movements and steps of this dance style are a coordination of harmonious arm, shoulder and hip movements as well as spontaneous pelvic impulses.

Musicality plays a large role in rumba (learning the clave, among other things). The aim of the course is to train the elements that are central to rumba — spontaneity, creativity and improvisation — in order to enrich partner salsa with rumba elements.

Aiaiai!

Dancer as Yemayá in a blue dress by the sea

Sunday

1:00–3:00 p.m.

Master Class

Afro-Cuban Orishas Contemporary

The orishas are Afro-Cuban deities who represent various symbolic functions with corresponding characteristics. Their movements draw on a rich history with African and Spanish roots. They are inspired by the elements water, air, fire, earth and metal, by spiritual legends and by everyday movements. This course is culturally interesting as well as physically intense.

In this course the participants learn to create a movement that is both dance-like and pantomimic and expressive. The characteristic rhythms and very complex movement sequences with African influences are trained, and the ear for music is schooled.

  • Oyá

    Goddess of the wind and the storm

  • Yemayá

    Goddess of the sea, the mother goddess

  • Oshun

    Goddess of love, coquetry and sensuality, of the river

  • Chango

    God of the drums, of lightning, of masculinity

  • Elegua

    The god who opens paths and closes them again

  • Ogun

    God of weapons and tools

  • Obtala

    God of peace, purity and wisdom

Agua!

Dancer on stage, black and white, in a white top

Not currently running

Ladystyle Salsa Cubana

Cuban salsa is a playful, popular Cuban partner dance that is danced all over the world. It is influenced by various Afro-Cuban dances such as rumba, son, mambo, cha-cha-cha and the Afro orishas.

In this solo course, alongside the basic steps and variations, we concentrate above all on the right, flowing movement sequences. Step by step you get to know your body better and are introduced to the sensual Cuban movements, whose origin is the hip. We bring out what is in every woman and concentrate on developing an individual, feminine body language and presence.

Agua!

Ana Belkis on stage between a guitarist and a dancer

Wednesday

8:30–10:10 p.m.

All levels

100 min · CHF 55.00

Intensive Training Danza Contemporanea cubana con elementos Afro Cubano

Concept

Observation and strengthening of awareness for inner sequences and movement patterns.

Aim

The dancers are able to use awareness in interplay with organic stability: through anticipation and intention, but also the right impulses and the sequence of movement patterns, emotions are awakened and individual expression is strengthened.

Red feathers and dance shoes on the parquet

Thursday

6:45–8:15 p.m.

Advanced

Timba Despelote

Timba cubana lives from many improvised, assembled elements. It is self-assured, danced quickly, feminine and sexy. The best preparation for a Cuban-style fiesta, then!

Vamos guapas!

Ana Belkis in a white dress leading a dancer in front of the son band

Monday

8:00–9:30 p.m.

Beginners

Son Cubano

Cuban son is the main foundation of salsa. It combines African and Spanish musical elements with a defining cadence on the half-beat. In son, the sounds of the string instruments are mixed with the percussion, which makes it very sensual and romantic. It includes the guitar and the tres, as well as percussion instruments such as bongos, maracas and claves.

In son the couple dances in a closer position. The bodies stay together, the legs intertwine, and the women move their upper body subtly. In our ladystyle course we offer exercises in which the students discover and learn the sensuality of the son cadence, steps and movements against the time, and the syncopated rhythm of the Cuban clave 3/2. We also train the sensual movements of the upper body, as an important detail that accents the tempo.

We also train ourselves to distinguish son musically from salsa and to be able to build it into salsa. One focus is on perfecting the elegant movements of son and mirroring the sensuality of the music in our movements.

Que rico!

The class group laughing together in the studio

Possible in any course class

Trial class

Not sure whether our movements are exactly what will take you further? Come in with no obligation and see whether our way of teaching suits you. You do not need any previous experience. Come as you are, and together we will see how we can awaken the dancer in you even more. We look forward to meeting you!

CHF 30 / 90 min.

Payment on site, by IBAN or Twint

Come by

Enrolment

By enrolling you also confirm the terms. All courses take place in the studio.

Studio

ACBW Studio

Militärstrasse 84

8004 Zürich

Payment and contact

IBAN CH34 0900 0000 8708 6737 7

A. Belkis, 8005 Zürich / Twint

Ana Belkis Zamora, +41 77 432 54 02afrocubanbodywork@gmail.comTrial class: info@afrocubanbodywork.com