ZEM Festival 2025: Brazilian Zouk Festival in Montreal
Dates & Key Information
ZEM Festival 2025 will take place from Friday, August 29 to Monday, September 1, 2025. Mark your calendar for a full immersion in the world of Brazilian Zouk.
DISCOVER OUR ARTISTS
International Guest Artists
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Monika and Dominik started their dance adventure at the age of 12 and are now considered pioneers of Brazilian Zouk in Poland, and among the few Polish international teachers traveling around the world.
They began working together and teaching Zouk in 2015, starting with local regular classes in Katowice and building a community there. Over time, they expanded to teaching in other cities across Poland and eventually began sharing their passion internationally.
In 2021, they became the first certified Brazilian Zouk instructors in Southern Poland through the MAC Project, a teaching methodology course created by Alex de Carvalho in Paris, and since then, they have taught across five continents - South America, North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.
In 2022, they broke another barrier by becoming the first Polish couple in the history of Brazilian Zouk to teach fully in Portuguese in Brazil, coming back to teach there every year since then. They also became the first European couple to teach Brazilian Zouk in Vietnam, Canada, and Australia.
In 2023, they were honored to create a choreography for the International Zouk Flashmob Day as representatives of Europe, being one of just three couples worldwide chosen for this task.
In 2024, they both passed the exam to become judges of the Jack and Jill competition, organized by the Brazilian Zouk Dance Council. That same year, they made history again by becoming the first Polish couple to teach Brazilian Zouk in the United States (Washington, DC).
Besides Brazil, Vietnam, Canada, Australia, and the United States, they have taught in countries such as the United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Scotland, Portugal, Iceland, Lithuania, Denmark, France, Romania, Croatia and the Czech Republic.
In Poland, Monika and Dominik organize the Katowice Zouk Meetup, passionately promoting Brazilian Zouk. Their teaching focuses on technique, musicality, movement possibilities, and the joy of dancing, with the ultimate goal of inspiring others to fall in love with Brazilian Zouk.
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Luan and Adriana have been working in ballroom dancing for more than 15 years. They are now recognized Zouk teachers at National and International Congresses, and have received the following titles:
• two-time World Lambada champions
• two-time Brazilian Latin Dance champions
• two-time Regional Ballroom Dancing champions (Santos)
In addition to their dance background, they are also coaches, speakers and Emotional Intelligence trainers at the Lyouman Institute in São Paulo, Brazil.
Luan and Adriana are also the creators and directors of:
• Musical Training - The Hero's Journey
• Arte ao Encantar (Training for speakers and teachers)
• Immersion Feel When you Dance (Emotional intelligence using the dance tool)
They will bring all this experience with them to share their passion for Brazilian zouk with us at the ZEM Festival!
National Guest Artists
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Get ready to experience the energy and passion of Carla & Javi, two dynamic forces behind Zouk Vancouver! Originally from Brazil, Carla brings her deep-rooted connection to Brazilian Zouk, while Javi, born in Chile, brings his diverse dance influences and smooth style. Together, they have cultivated a vibrant and inclusive Zouk community in Vancouver.
As MAC Certified instructors and experienced teachers, they have trained and taught hundreds of students both locally and as traveling artists, sharing their expertise and love for Brazilian Zouk everywhere they go. Their teaching is not only effective but also fun, making learning an enjoyable and engaging experience for dancers of all levels.
Known for their ability to break down technique in a way that makes it accessible to all dancers, Carla & Javi are passionate about helping students understand movement in a clear and effective way. They also prioritize connection and safety, both within the dance and the community, creating an environment where dancers feel comfortable, engaged, and inspired.
With diverse dance backgrounds spanning multiple styles, Carla & Javi bring a unique approach to Zouk, blending technique, creativity, and musicality. Their dedication has revitalized the Zouk scene in Vancouver, making it one of the most welcoming dance communities in Canada.
At ZEM Festival, they will share their passion through engaging workshops, social dancing, and their signature energy. Don’t miss the chance to learn, dance, and connect with Carla & Javi as they bring the spirit of Zouk Vancouver to the festival!
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Dance enthusiast since childhood, Josiane discovered in 2017 the enchanting world of Brazilian zouk, a dance that speaks to her heart. Not only does Brazilian zouk allow her to explore the beauty and subtilities of connection and letting go, but this dance also allows her to get to know herself better and flourish!
On his part, Sébastien, a sportive with a scientific mind, discovered Brazilian zouk in 2012 while casually strolling through Montreal's streets, proving that it's never too late to start dancing! Hi curiosity led him to explore different sub-styles of Brazilian zouk, notably R&B, that you'll most likely recognize in his dancing.
MAC-certified instructors since 2023, Josiane and Sébastien combine their experience in pedagogy and coaching to form a dynamic duo known for their clear, precise and progressive explanations, their capacity for rigorous and detailed observation, and their agility to adapt to students, brilliantly combining their scientific and intuitive touch.
Their goal: share their passion for Brazilian zouk with as many people as possible by creating an inclusive, safe, stimulating and fun learning environment! It's for that reason that they are investing for a 3rd year in a row their time and energy in the organization of a Brazilian zouk festival in Montreal, where they invite zoukers from Montreal and surrounding communities to share an unforgettable weekend of learning, new encounters and discoveries and sharing. We hope you will be joining us!
Featured DJs
Performing live
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My immense love for music and dance has led me in this DJ journey since 2017. While first starting in the Brazilian zouk community in Ottawa, this beautiful adventure brought me to play not only for Brazilian zouk parties, but also many other social dancing styles in Ottawa.
In Canada, I've had the honour to play at events in Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, Kitchener, Calgary, and Vancouver. Internationally, I've played in New York, Washington, DC, Boston, Atlanta, Moscow, Ibiza, Barcelona, Playa del Carmen, and São Paulo.
I cannot wait to return to the ZEM Festival in 2025 ❤️!!
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DJ Vitório is Brazilian and has taught dance for the past 14 years and has been DJing for the past 11 years. Brazilian zouk is his main music and dance style.
He has worked as a DJ in many of the main events and congresses of his birth city, Brasilia/DF, the capital of Brazil. He has also worked for events in various regions of Brazil and has some international experiences, such as ZoukMx (Mexico), Ibiza Zouk Festival (Spain), and online, for I Heart Zouk Radio (IHZR) and at an event in Moscow (Russia).
Beyond his work as a DJ, he has also produced many Brazilian zouk remixes. For this work, he has developed partnerships with recognized musical producers such as Paulo Mac and M&N Pro, among others.
He is currently also offering training for new and upcoming Brazilian zouk DJs and DJs working in other dance scenes.
His remixes and recorded sets can be listened to on three different social media platforms, as follows:
https://soundcloud.com/dj-vit;
https://www.mixcloud.com/DjVitorio
https://www.youtube.com/@djvitorio414
We hope you will all be able to discover and/or enjoy DJ Vitório’s work at ZEM Festival!
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Passionate about music and the different dances of the world since always, DJ K-Litchy started Djing during the quiet days of pandemic isolation, transforming this period into an opportunity for musical creation.
Inspired by diverse styles such as reggaeton, house, Afro, R&B, and more recently, Brazilian zouk, he enjoys fusing genres to create unique and catchy vibes.
Having fallen under the spell of the Brazilian zouk community, he’s actively involved in the Montreal scene, playing at social events and delivering carefully curated sets to get dancers moving.
He is very happy to participate for the first time in this edition of ZEM Festival. And so are we!
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DJ Caïpi is originally from Brazil and has a background as a piano/keyboard musician.
He discovered ballroom dancing in Brazil and especially Brazilian zouk after 2017. He studied different dance styles such as forró, sertanejo, kizomba, lambada, bachata, and WCS.
He began his DJ career in early 2024 directly as a bzouk DJ, but he has also played several other Latin rhythms such as: forró, samba, sertanejo and bachata. He also took a DJ course with DJ Vitório.
As a DJ, he has participated in several events in Quebec where he lives, including: Zouk o Fogo, St-Jean Weekend, Agarradin and Quebec Sensual, Bootcamp Zouk in Sherbrooke and has also participated in several events in Montreal including: La Onda, Ritmo do Abraço and ZEM Social.
Start Your Zouk Journey
Tickets for ZEM Festival 2025 are now on sale!
Book your spot today on DancePlace and get ready for an unforgettable Brazilian Zouk experience in Montreal.
Spots are limited—don’t wait!