The EMF team is very excited for this year lineup with a fantastic mixture of fresh faces and old favorites. Check it out!
Julie
Julie started her dance journey 15 years ago when she discovered breakdance and hip-hop.
In 2014, she certifies from professional training in Urban Dances at Flow Dance Academy in Paris and starts teaching different techniques from Hip-Hop to Zouk) as well as authentic movement workshops.
From 2016, she is mentored by Alex de Carvalho & Mathilde Dos Santos in Brazilian Zouk and soon integrates Alex’s teachers’ team in Paris and adds the MAC (Methodology Alex de Carvalho) certification to her teaching degrees.
From 2019, she places in Jack & Jill competitions across Germany, the Netherlands and Canada. Winning first place as a leader in the Jack & Jill of Zouk Cologne Festival, making her the first woman ever to have won the competition as a leader. Til now she has won several placements including 2nd & 5th place in Novice as well as 2nd and 4th twice in Intermediate division.
In 2020, she creates the R’N’B into Zouk methodology to teach students how to mix elements of Hip-Hop and Zouk and unleash their creativity for more playful, fun and musical dances.
She also presents Authentic Zouk as a journey to dive deeper into grounding, connection, consent and freedom of expression. This combination of somatic resources and awareness practices (Chakra work, Eutonia, Visualization…) guides people through exercises to feel from the body and expand their dance, while quieting the mind.
Her teaching pedagogy focuses on creating a more inclusive, sensitive and safer class environment. She aims to support the dancers’ experience into faster growth, greater creativity, and confidence. Thus creating spaces to deepen the partners’ connection, trust and self-expression.
Her background in teaching solo dances such as hip-hop, dancehall, Popping & contemporary has greatly influenced her growth in Zouk and her teaching curriculum.
So far, her Zouk (and Lambada) influences include Alex de Carvalho, Mathilde Dos Santos, William & Paloma, Aline & Saulo, Anderson & Brenda, Pedrinho & Linda, Marck & Melyssa and Ariel & Leticia as well as Leandro & Nayara.
Jona
Jona (they/em/she) is a dancer, teacher and organizer from Leipzig, Germany. They are especially passionate about creating Queer social dance spaces and host regular Queer Fusion events. Jona has over 10 years of experience in the dance scene as a leader, follower and solo dancer with training in a variety of Blues and Jazz dances while also exploring other Black dance forms, Fusion dancing, West African and Latin dances such as Zouk and different Embodiment practices such as Authentic Movement. Jona’s teaching is holistic and value based and has a depth that mirrors their versatile personality and interests. Their aim is to create a sense of community, an environment of exploring and sharing with the whole group, working towards dismantling preconceived ideas such as assigned gender roles and finding your voice as a dancer while creating equal partnerships and comfortable connections.
Amber Dawn
Amber’s applies her education in somatics, neuroscience, and dance technique to help others on their movement journey. She thrives on creating containers to support dancers in finding connection through music and movement. Amber especially values dances rich with story, texture, dynamic range, and emotion to nurture connection on and off the dance floor. She teaches Fusion, Micro, and Ballroom dance styles, is a nuerodivergent advocate and coach, and DJ’s.
Hazel
Dancing begins on the inside. In the heart and the imagination.
Ever since Hazel could walk she was doing it to the beat and making up her own rules. She has been teaching in the physical arts for over 15 years and has been in love with social partner dancing
since 2010. Hazel draws on an eclectic world of influences blending technical disciplines such as contemporary dance and yoga with the improvisation skills that she picked up at clown school.
The clown tries to be present, reactive to its surroundings, and embraces vulnerabilities.
All Hazel’s classes are underpinned by strong values around consent, emotional honesty and a desire to deeply connect to, rather than consume, the art of making music.
Joe
Joe is a movement arts professional, a dance facilitator, and a creativity explorer. He is passionate about collaborating with other artists and communities to spread the beauty and power of fusion partner dance. His love for Fusion has enabled him to teach and perform internationally across Europe and North America.
Joe’s workshops enhance your somatic interactions with other humans, enabling more intentional and mindful relations. Embody your spiritual and emotional energy and dive deeper into the dance with self, the dance of your community, and the dance of life. Feel empowered within a playful, consensual, and safe movement space.
Joe is a lover of Micro Fusion for its depth of connection and its tiny isolation adventures. He believes Micro creates a miniature world of emotional presence and exploration. It is not something easily seen with our eyes, but rather something that must be experienced to be truly felt.
Andy
Andy is a certified Jack-of-all-dances who will nerd out about movement for DAYS if you let them. They started off as a Karate kid, caught the dance bug by way of Lindy Hop around 2014, got a degree in Dance and Drama, on top of travelling to Lindy Hop, Blues, and Fusion events and dabbling in quite a few other dances. Andy loves the utter vulnerability of dance that fosters deep connections and an incredible range of expression.