Badi Riovana

Don't forget... Casa is on a break for a few weeks while we move to our new venue. While we're gone, please support the other Kizomba events in Perth

Badi Riovana is now on WhatsApp.

Badi Riovana updated their phone number.

Badi Riovana updated their business hours.

Badi Riovana updated their website address.

Unfortunately, we are having to postpone this week's class, and Casa Kizomba party as the venue will be unavailable

With a number of the venues staff and patrons coming down with COVID, they have closed the venue to perform a deep clean of the venue today and tomorrow, and will reopen Friday

Unfortunately this means that Casa Kizomba Outdoor Dancing and Term 2 of Classes will be postponed until next week

Our new Secret workshop that start this weekend will still go ahead as planned, as the venue will be open again

Thank you for your patience and understanding

The Riovana Crew

Badi Riovana updated their information in their About section.

Badi Riovana

Biography

Badi is the is an accomplished dancer, teacher and performer. Starting dance in 1990, Badi switched to afro-latin dance styles in 1999, and expanded his repertoire in the years since. Badi started teaching private lessons of Salsa and Bachata in 2005 and currently teaches Kizomba, Bachata, Salsa and Brazilian Zouk. Badi specialises in Kizomba and Bachata, and their various sub genres

Badi is known for his teaching of technique, connection, musicality and body isolation. He prides himself on helping students becoming clean, connected, technical leaders and followers, while simultaneously finding their own style of expression

He teaches, travels, trains, and innovates with leading instructors and artists across Australia, Asia, South America and Europe, improving and honing his craft. Badi has taught and performed at numerous workshops and festivals, and has trained a number of dancers to teach, who have gone on to start their own schools

He is the principal and founder of Riovana Dance Company, based in Perth, Australia

History

He started his dancing Hip Hop at the age of 10, and was introduced to the Latin Dance world in Caracas, Venezuela a decade later in 1999. Over four trips to Venezuela and Peru, Badi expanded his knowledge and understanding of Merengue, Salsa and Bachata. He also continued his training in Australia, studying under multiple schools, and instructors.

Badi started teaching privately in 2005, and in 2010 was invited to join Mudhra Dance Company, where he expanded his repertoire to include Brazilian Zouk, and became an instructor. When Mudhra's Principal, Premala, decided to hang up her teaching shoes, she encouraged Badi to form his own school and take over her students. So in February 2013, Riovana Dance Company was born

RDC expanded to include Bachata and Kizomba following intensive training with leading instructors and artists in each genre, in both dance, methodology and teacher training.

Bachata

Badi started his bachata technique training with Juan “El Bachatero” Ruiz (Principal, Tropical Soul, Sydney) in 2011. Juan was also instrumental in developing RDC's first Bachata curriculums, with teacher training and support. Further training was taken with Edwin and Dakota, Nestor and Katrina, and the Attaca and Allemana. Badi has taken his training further to learn, develop, differentiate and teach Bachata Moderna, Dominican Bachata, Urban Bachata, and Bachata Sensual

Badi has taught at numerous Bachata and Latin Festivals, some of them repeatedly, including Sydney international Bachata Festival, Sydney Latin Festival, Shanghai Bachata Festival, Bailando Sensual, DouDouLe, and the Byron Bay Latin Festival

Kizomba

Badi originally disliked Kizomba, but his Kizomba conversion exploded in February 2014 with Helio Santos. Here he learned the history, culture, music and the dance from the Cape Verdean influence. Training continued with Tamas Nagy, Armand Sant Salvy and Lucas Encisco before travelling interstate and overseas to continue advanced training, privates and masterclasses with leading artists and instructors in Kizomba and Semba. These included: Petchu and Vanessa, Miguel Pentachon, Ricardo and Paula, Bruno and Caterina, Miguel and Susana, Paulo and Lana, Joao Rocha, Antonio Bandera, Avelino, Wati, Thomas Keita, and Eddie Vents.

His training also continued in Urban Kiz and Kizomba Fusion with advanced training, privates and masterclasses with Curtis and Carola, Laurent, Adeline, Ronnie Saleh, Albir, Enah, Greg and Tania, Felicien and Isabelle, Marta and Yami

Badi currently teaches Authentic Kizomba, Urban Kiz and Kizomba Fusion. Badi specialises in clean technique in each style, as well as defining differences and similarities in the different dances, both within Australia, and overseas since 2014

Badi's extensive teacher training includes; Semba and Kizomba Teacher training with Petchu and Vanessa (2015), Urban Kiz teacher training with Curtis and Carola (2017 – the first ever Urban Kiz teacher training worldwide) Kizomba teacher training with Eddie Vents (2018), Kizomba teacher training Levels 1, 2 & 3 with Ricardo and Paula from Afro Latin Connection (2019)

Badi has taught Kizomba at multiple festivals, some multiple times including; Australian Kizomba Festival, Shanghai Kizomba Festival, AWAKE Festival, Sydney Latin Festival, Bailar Kizomba Festival, Beijing Afro Kizomba Festival, Sydney International Bachata Festival, DouDouLe Festival, Byron Bay Latin Festival, Bailando Sensual Festival