Heidi started learning Brazilian Rio Zouk in Sydney, at Step Up Dance Studios in 2010 and completely fell in love. Her passion motivated her to travel to Europe to attend multiple Zouk Congresses and events to learn from international instructors in her first year as a student of Zouk. During these events, she was also introduced to Lamba Zouk, Gafiera, and Forro. Shortly after returning to Sydney, she was invited to become a Zouk Instructor in training for Step Up Dance Studio.
Two years later she joined Step Up Dance Studio and Rio Zouk Sydney on a permanent basis and became the teaching partner to Claudio Gomes and taught regular weekly classes in Sydney. She also delivered workshops with Claudio at Brazil Central 2012, Brazil Central 2013, Sydney International Bachata Festival 2013.
As well as teaching with Claudio, Heidi has made significant contributions to the development of the Zouk scene in Sydney. She coordinated the community participation in the International Zouk Flashmob in 2012 and 2013 as well as introduced a regular weekly Zouk Friday Night Practice that has become a staple Zouk social for the Sydney Zouk community. She had started her own Zouk company in 2014 – Zouk Ink – when Rio Zouk Sydney ceased their operations.
She has also had training in martial arts (Taido) and other dance styles including Bolero, Gafiera, Bachata, Salsa, Burlesque, Samba, Argentinian Tango, Ballet 101, Body Awareness and West Coast Swing and has performed in some of these styles.
Currently she teaches regular classes at A Touch Of Salsa studios in Sydney, as well as regular weekly coaching.
Sunny has been dancing Zouk for over 7 years and begun training with Claudio Gomes and Heidi Anastasia at Rio Zouk Sydney. After 1.5 years of training, Sunny participated in a 6 week intensive teachers training course, facilitated in Sydney by Claudio Gomes, and run by Lidio Freitas & Monique Marculano and Renata Pecanha & Jorge Peres. For the past 5.5 years Sunny assisted Heidi Anastasia during his first 1.5 years of teaching. For the last 4 years he has held the primary leader Zouk instructor role at two prominent Sydney dance studios, Latin Dance Australia, and A Touch of Salsa. Sunny has taught at the Sydney Zouk Festival 2019 and coordinated the Sydney Zouk Paradise Weekender event in 2018. He has won Sydney's Best Social Dancer competition for Zouk in 2015, 2016 and 2017. He has undertaken limited courses in other dance styles of interest, Ballet, Lyrical Jazz, Contact Improvisation and Argentinean Tango.
SUNNY & HEIDI
ZOUK UNITY
