Dance Instructors

Kadu Pires
Dance Instructor

WHY I DANCE LATIN:
Quite simply, I’m Brazilian! The reason I became a Latin dance instructor was the music. I grew up listening to this music and have loved it since I was a little boy.

BEST LATIN DANCE MOMENT:
One of my best moments was when I created my first choreography as a professional and performed it to dance professionals in Brazil. It was then that I was discovered by the biggest names in Brazilian dance and my life changed completely.
 
TIME WITH RIO RHYTHMICS:
Since term three, 2007.

RIO RHYTHMICS CAREER HIGHLIGHT:
It’s still too early to say!  Joining the Rio Rhythmics teaching staff has been a highlight and I want to stay for many, many years.

PREVIOUS DANCE EXPERIENCE:
I started Latin dance with an older cousin when I was 15 years old. Following courses in samba rock, lambada, samba no pé, hip hop and ballet with some of the biggest companies in São Paulo, I was accepted into the famous Jimmy de Oliveira’s dance academy. I studied many styles of dancing and began to perform solo in big venues in São Paulo, such as Carioca Club, Bar Avenida and Lamba.  I appeared in some television programs before becoming a permanent dancer for two years in a program called Mulheres, dancing with a company called Axel Danças.

After much success in São Paulo, I moved to Rio de Janeiro where I returned to the Jimmy de Oliveira academy based in Rio de Janeiro.  I danced there for five years and in that time did many courses with famous dancers including Rogério Mendonza (salsa), Jimmy de Oliveira (samba), Rafael Oliveira and Alex de Carvalho (lambada) and Henrique Talmah (contemporary).  I performed in large venues (Sírio-Libanês Canecão, Circo Voador); participated in Brazilian television series (Cubanacan, America, Paginas Da Vida, Programa do Faustão and A Bela e a Fera); danced at major events (Baila Rio and Samba World Congress) and attended parties with big names including Marcelo Chocolate, Sheila Aquino, Carlos Bolacha and Willians Ribeiro.

I have conducted workshops throughout Brazil in the cites of São Paulo, Londrina, Campo Mourão, Curitiba, Forianópolis and Ribeirão Preto.  I also have won dance competitions in Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Australia and in 2005 I was recognized as a professional dance instructor by Jimmy de Oliveira’s academy.

PROFESSION:
Dance instructor, dancer and choreographer.

OTHER CREATIVE PURSUITS:
Dancing, choreography and dancing!

GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT:
Being recognised as one of the biggest names in Brazilian dancing.

GREATEST ASPIRATION:
To be able to share my culture with the world, to do workshops in other countries and be recognised internationally as a dancer and choreographer.