Zouk Classes

We are excited to offer a November beginner zouk series taught by Peri Oxford. Classes will cover fundamental patterns of Brazilian zouk like basico, lateral, viradinha, simple turn, soltinho and io-io. This series is appropriate for total beginners to start their zouk journey off with a solid foundation or anyone looking to refine their basics and increase dance floor proficiency.

Tuesdays Nov 4, 11, 18 & 25 from 7-8pm at The Ox - private home.

Peri started dancing 24 years ago and hasn't stopped since. She has studied over 30 styles of dance, from ballet to ballroom to Latin and now—her current focus—Brazilian zouk and lambada. She enjoys social dancing as well as teaching, performing, and competing. She has been the owner and director Charlottesville Zouk since 2021 where she teaches Brazilian zouk and lambada weekly and organizes community events.

$75 for the 4-week series (a limited number of discounted earlybird enrollments are offered at $65). Fee includes admission for DJ'ed weekly Kizzouk practice social (a $24 value) immediately following class 8-10pm. We encourage all students to plan to attend the social to practice what you are learning and build muscle memory and confidence - competence comes from training and repetition, confidence comes from competence!

All students are required to join the DE WhatsApp Hub - if you are new to our community you will be emailed a link to join after enrolling in the series and then added to the chat for your class to receive updates from the organizer and your instructor. The address for classes will be shared there.

This series is lead/follow role balanced and subject to class-size minimum. If a class does not reach its minimum enrollment number, classes will be cancelled and refunds issued. No refunds will be given for any other reason.

A note on roles: Lead/Leader role generally initiates and guides movement in the dance; whereas Follow/Follower role generally interprets and executes movements signaled/initiated by the Lead. Lead and Follow roles can be danced by any and all genders and this fluidity is particularly common in Brazilian Zouk.

This 2nd edition of Zouk Night (and weekend) School gives you the extraordinary opportunity to train 4 consecutive days in early November, 8 hours total, with world class instructors Kuna & Julissa.

Night School runs Wednesday - Friday November 5th-7th 7-9pm, with the final Weekend session on Saturday November 8th 2-4pm. All classes held at The Ox - a private home.

Series price is $210. We are prioritizing full series enrollments first; if there is space, single class drop-ins will be offered with organizer approval required to enroll.

Over four progressive sessions, Julissa and Kuna will guide you through the mechanics of continuous flow. We’ll break down how movement travels through the body — from head to torso to hips and legs — and how to connect these pathways into continuous motion. Through structured drills, partner exercises, and progressive transitions, you’ll develop smoother head movements, more controlled isolations, and a stronger sense of directional flow.

This is Level 2+ training for advanced beginner, intermediate and advanced dancers who have been dancing over a year, have completed foundational zouk training (Basico + Lateral or equivalent training elsewhere) and/or a passed a Level assessment in the role you wish to train with one of our instructors. Students who participated in the 1st edition of Zouk Night School with William are pre-cleared for enrollment.

All students are required to join the DE WhatsApp Hub - if you are new to our community, you will receive a link to join via email after enrolling in the series and then added to the chat for your class to receive updates from the organizer and instructors. The address for classes will be shared there. For the safety of our community, you must have your name associated with your number in the Hub.

This series is lead/follow role balanced and subject to class-size minimum. If we do not reach a minimum of 16 students enrolled by October 29th, the series will be cancelled and refunds issued. No refunds will be given for any other reason.

Meet your instructors:

Kuna Malik Hamad’s journey into Brazilian Zouk started in an unexpected way—behind the camera. A decade ago, he was already an established videographer and photographer when he was invited to film his first Zouk event. Little did he know, that experience would change everything.

As he captured the beauty and energy of Zouk, event organizers worldwide took notice, and soon, he was traveling the globe to document major Zouk congresses. But being immersed in the dance community sparked something deeper—an irresistible pull toward the dance itself.

Kuna didn’t just learn Zouk; he became obsessed with it. Studying with some of the world’s top instructors (including Kim Rottier, Bruno Galhardo, Ry’El & Jessica, and Brenda & Anderson), he developed a deep passion for technique, musicality, and the art of connection in social dancing. Over the years, he has logged more than 8,000 hours of social dancing and visited nearly 100 dance communities worldwide, always looking to refine his skills and better understand movement.

His rapid growth didn’t go unnoticed. Once known for capturing the best dancers on film, he soon became one of the most sought-after social dancers himself. Now an instructor, Kuna loves breaking things down in a way that makes complex movements feel approachable and intuitive. While he teaches at congresses worldwide, he’s just as passionate about sharing his knowledge locally at District Zouk in Washington, D.C.

Above all, Kuna cares deeply about social dancing. For him, Zouk isn’t just about steps and patterns—it’s about feeling, adaptability, and genuine connection. Whether through his teaching, videography, or time on the dance floor, he continues to inspire and contribute to the global Zouk community—both in front of and behind the lens.

Julissa Ju is also a Washington D.C.-based Zouk dancer and instructor.

With a classical ballet and modern dance background (Alexander Horton technique), Julissa discovered Zouk in 2012 at New York Zouk Festival after being invited to a social.

Since then, she has traveled globally as a solo artist, collaborating with artists in Zouk and Lambada.

Through extensive training and teaching, Julissa refines her craft, bringing unique expression and passion to the Zouk community.

As a dedicated dancer and instructor, she aims to empower followers through dance, emphasizing self-expression and personal power within partner work.