Calling on men to take to the floor

A dance club which runs classes in Poulton is urging more local men to get involved. Kizomba Noroeste is offering free sessions to men until the end of the month.

Kizomba is a partnered dance akin to tango and originates from Angola, incorporating influences from Cape Verde, Mozambique and the French Caribbean. While it has proved a big hit, teacher Abigail Wylie – who runs Kizomba Noroeste with husband Tony – says men seem shy at joining in.

Abigail, who was introduced with Tony, to kizomba through salsa dancing, more than 10 years ago, said: “It’s been taking the country by storm. As a dance school, we not only promote the dance, but also the cultural and health benefits. We’ve been teaching kizomba since 2014. We’ve done teacher training with two leading schools and continue to travel the world, to improve and refresh our teaching skills. It’s an amazing dance.

“As it’s a partnered dance, it captures that feeling of back in the 70s and 80s, when at the end of the night out, you would dance with a partner. We’ve lost that these days. It’s therapeutic and there’s the social aspect too. You meet new people, make friends, it’s a great, cheap alternative night out.

“It’s aerobic, it helps keep you fit and healthy. It’s great for your brain to learn steps and an overall sense of well-being. The music is wonderful.

“In Portugal, France, all over the world, men of all ages dance, but in England, it’s a different story. I don’t know if it’s a macho thing, but men seem a bit shy when it comes to learning to dance. Sometimes we have a 2:1 ratio of women to men. It’s a male-led dance – who wouldn’t want to make a lady feel good for three minutes on the dance floor? We want to encourage more men to try it, to stay fit and meet new people.

“Beginners are welcome. It doesn’t matter if you don’t know anyone, you don’t need to bring a partner.”

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