The Problem With Learning Zouk in Brazil (And Why I Built Zouk Refugio)

Learning zouk in Brazil should be the dream. It’s the birthplace of the dance, the heart of its evolution, the place where legends live and train. And yet — the reality isn’t so simple.

When I first arrived in São Paulo, I thought I’d be surrounded by options: world-class teachers, endless classes, consistent socials, and an obvious roadmap for how to improve. What I found instead was a fragmented, underfunded, and often frustrating dance ecosystem.

Here’s what no one tells you until you get here:

Teachers Are Underpaid (And Often Burned Out)

Most zouk teachers in Brazil make around R$40 an hour per pair for group classes. That’s about $8 USD — split between two people. So where does the real income come from? Privates. Usually with foreigners. That’s the only place where they can earn a livable wage.

So naturally, that’s where their energy goes. Group classes often become an afterthought — something you do to get privates. And without financial stability, teachers can’t invest deeply in their students’ long-term growth.

The Good Ones Leave

Zouk dancers who are both skilled and ambitious? They usually leave Brazil. Europe, North America, and parts of Asia pay in stronger currencies and offer more professional security. And who can blame them?

But that means the local scene is constantly losing its best — and students are left behind.

Loyalty Over Growth

Some schools in Brazil — not all, but some — discourage students from attending other socials or taking classes elsewhere. There’s a culture of loyalty that can be good for retention, but bad for exploration. It fragments the scene and limits how dancers grow.

In extreme cases, students are told they shouldn’t dance with people from other schools. That might make sense if you’re training for a performance troupe. But if you’re here to learn, connect, and improve? It’s nonsense.

Gringos Fund the Scene — But Don’t Always Know How to Train

Many zouk teachers in Brazil rely on gringo dollars — but the gringos don’t always know how to make the most of their time here. They book tons of privates, often with the first "big name" they find, but never train consistently, record content, or follow up.

It becomes a cycle: money comes in, technique goes nowhere. And teachers (rightfully) get tired.

The Knowledge Isn’t Distributed

There’s a huge gap between the dancers at the top and everyone else. The information is out there — but it’s locked in private lessons, behind language barriers, or simply scattered across Instagram, Telegram groups, and WhatsApp chats.

So What Did I Do?

I didn’t set out to solve all these problems. I was just trying to train, improve, and maybe help a few friends do the same. But slowly, the idea grew:

What if there were a space where teachers actually made money from group classes? Where they were free to teach their style, build their brand, and collaborate openly? Where students — local and international — could train with intention, not just consume content?

That became Zouk Refugio.

We don’t charge teachers rent. We split profits 50/50. We invest in their marketing. We don’t require loyalty. We care about the community, not the clique. And we try to keep class sizes small enough for connection, but large enough to pay fairly.

It’s not perfect. It’s still growing. But it’s something.

If you’re reading this and thinking, "Yeah, I’ve felt this too," check out Zouk Refugio. It’s not just a school. It’s an experiment in doing zouk better.