About the Dances
What is Kizomba?
Kizomba is a partner dance and musical genre originating from Angola (Southern Africa) in the early 1980s. Emerging from it's predecessor Semba, Kizomba music was heavily influenced by Zouk from the French Caribbean. In the last 15 years, the music's prominent bass beat and beautiful melodies, as well as the dance's connected and grounded style, have won over dancers across the world.
Kizomba, however, is much more than just a dance or a music genre; it’s a true celebration of Angolan culture & history. The word "Kizomba" means "party" in the Kimbundu language, and it lives up to it's name!
Whether you are brand new to partner dancing, or have years of experience, learning Kizomba offers a unique opportunity to connect with others and explore the dance's rich cultural tradition.
What is Urban Kiz?
After the phenomenon of Kizomba spread across the globe, dancers started to alter the dance by fusing it with movements from other dance styles like Salsa, Tango, and Hip Hop. They also started to dance on musical genres that were more familiar and recognizable to them, rather than traditional Kizomba music. This evolution caused a new dance style to emerge, called Urban Kiz.
Urban Kiz is a very new dance (only ten years old), so the style continues to develop rapidly, but is characterized by a linear style, and movements sourced from other styles like turns, leg lifts, and upper body movements. Urban Kiz is danced to a lot of different kinds of music, so the style can be soft and connected or more technical/playful depending on the dancer.
Join us at a class or social and experience the magic of Kizomba and the intrigue of Urban Kiz for yourself!
SasKiz is a cornerstone in the dance community, providing vibrant Kizomba and Urban Kiz classes, while fostering community connections through dance socials and events.
SasKiz emerged out of a desperate need for consistent Kizomba and Urban Kiz classes and dance socials in Saskatoon. Created in January 2019, SasKiz sought to foster the love of these dances, and provide members with opportunities to learn excellent dance technique, practice their skills, and spend time together to create a tight-knit and supportive community.
For us, it's more than about dance. Kizomba comes from a rich tradition of live music, sharing food, and spending time with family and friends. In Angola where Kizomba originates, dance just happens naturally as part of people coming together to celebrate daily life. SasKiz aims to honor that tradition by not only providing world-class instruction, and hosting dance socials with live DJs, but also creating opportunities to celebrate like our Festas Da Contribuição (literally "Contribution Parties" aka potlucks), holiday celebrations, and group dance travel.
Newcomers are always supported in their learning journey by our welcoming community, and they can participate in "extra-curricular" activities as much or as little as they would like!
About the Instructor
At SasKiz's foundation is our instructor, Leah Frei. After finding Kizomba 10 years ago, she quickly fell in love with the dance. The process of learning and perfecting her skills really filled her cup, and she enjoyed the opportunity to develop deeper connections with fellow dancers.
A perpetual student herself, Leah travels often to keep her perspective current, and to continue to fuel her passion for dance. In the past few years she has even travelled to the SOURCE of both Kizomba (Angola), and Urban Kiz (France & The Netherlands).
Known for her playful style and joyful energy on the dance floor, Leah brings a fresh and engaging approach to her classes. Her teaching style highlights:
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Clear, bite-sized breakdowns you can apply instantly
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Strong insight into both lead and follow roles
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Focus on connection, musicality, and smooth partnerwork
Whether it’s your first Kizomba step or you’re refining your flow, Leah’s class will have you dancing with confidence and joy!
Leah Frei
Kizomba and Urban Kiz Instructor