Meet The Team
Adam & Gabrielle
Adam has led the Zouk community in Wellington since 2012, when he began teaching for Salsa Therapy – taking over with his dance partner Leona for previous teachers Robert and Robyn. In late 2021 he began teaching with long-time student Gabrielle, and in 2024 with Marcelly.
Adam began dancing Salsa and Bachata in 2007, and discovered Brazilian Zouk in 2010. Since then, he has learnt from the world's top Zouk teachers, both in New Zealand and abroad. He has been teaching regular classes in Salsa, Bachata and Brasilian Zouk with Salsa Therapy since 2012, and more recently under the WeZouk brand. He has extensive experience in dancing, teaching, choreographing, and performing these styles, as well as familiarity with Merengue, Bolero, Forro, Samba de Gafieira, Tango, Flamenco, and even Polish folk dancing. His diverse experience gives Adam an excellent understanding of the fundamentals of partner dance and the techniques specific to each style.
With an extensive background in Ballet (18 years) and Jazz (5 years), Gabrielle discovered Zouk in 2018 after a 6-year break from dance. She attended regular classes with WeZouk and soon began travelling regularly to domestic and trans-Tasman festivals to further her development and training. Gabrielle joined the WeZouk teaching team in 2020 as a supporting teacher – assisting with fundamentals classes and teaching intermittent workshops – and is passionate about further fostering the kind and inclusive WeZouk community in Wellington. Gabrielle is also a talented pole dancer, competing regularly and teaching a variety of classes at Wellington’s Body Electric pole studio.
Callum
Callum started Brazilian Zouk in late 2016. He had been dancing Modern Jive for 6 months, through which he met a couple of Zouk dancers who encouraged him to give it a try. Callum found Zouk a little intimidating at first due to its closeness and sensuality. However, Callum now values Zouk for its connectivity and potential for creativity, which makes every dance unique and exciting. He also appreciates the community throughout New Zealand and Australia that he has become a part of through Zouk.
As well as teaching, Callum heads up the running of our fortnightly socials with the help of several of our more advanced students.
Yohan
Yohan began his dance journey back in 2015 with Modern Jive, through which he discovered a love for moving to music. Seeking new horizons, he decided to try Brazillian Zouk and was instantly hooked. Under the tutelage of Adam and Leona he grew as a dancer and was invited to teach the fundamentals course with Nicola in 2017 in response to the growing demand for Zouk in Wellington.
He continued to grow and learn Zouk from local and international teachers and is now an accomplished Zouk dancer who brings his enthusiasm and love of dance to every class he teaches or attends.
Katerina
Katerina has been dancing for as long as she can remember. Growing up in the Czech Republic, she began with ballet and Czech folk dancing as a child and soon expanded into a wide range of styles including ballroom, latin, disco show, hip hop, contemporary, new style hustle, salsa and later in New Zealand also samba no pé.
While she spent many years in competitive dance, she now prefers losing herself for hours on a social dancefloor. Her journey with Brazilian zouk began in 2018, when she found herself at a zouk party. Initially afraid of all the head movements but captivated by the connection and the flow. Since then, zouk has become her passion and WeZouk whānau foundational part of her life.
As a teacher, Katerina would like to bring to the classes playful energy, self-expression and authenticity, musicality and dancing with presence and awareness. For Katerina, rhythm and dance are a way of expression and life and she finds deep fulfillment in sharing this passion with others.
Marcelly
Marcelly (she/her) is a passionate yoga teacher with a degree in Physical Education. Originally from Brazil, her love for dance began at a young age during family gatherings at her grandma's house, where dancing was a joyful tradition. That's when she was introduced to forró. Since the age of 17, she immersed herself in the vibrant social dance scene of São Paulo exploring various styles, but her heart remained with forró.
It wasn’t until Marcelly moved to New Zealand that she realized just how essential dance was to her life. In 2019, in an effort to reconnect with her Brazilian roots, she tried Brazilian Zouk and instantly fell in love. For Marcelly, dancing is a true expression of joy and a deep connection to her creative energy and soul. Partner dancing, to her, is about sharing that joy and connection with another person.