Conexão - Forró Dance School Brussels

About

Conexão is a forró dance school and community based in Brussels, Belgium, rooted in a passion for dance, connection and Brazilian culture.

The story of Conexão began on 29 October 2014, when Sarah Collings welcomed 15 people to her very first forró class at Casa de América Latina in Brussels. What started as a single weekly class gradually grew into a thriving forró community, with weekly classes, regular Forró Práticas and a growing network of dancers, teachers and cultural initiatives.

Over the years, Sarah travelled extensively to learn from teachers and dancers in Brazil and beyond, while sharing her knowledge with the growing Brussels community. She also co-founded Be Forró ASBL and collaborated with Ai Que Bom on an annual forró festival in Brussels between 2015 and 2018. Together, these initiatives helped lay the foundations for a lasting forró scene in Brussels.

In 2022, Conexão was created as a new chapter in this journey. From the beginning, the school was built around the idea that it should be bigger than one person. A “monitores” project was developed, allowing experienced students to assist in classes, learn how to teach and gradually take on more responsibility. What began as a small group grew into a team of teachers and collaborators involved not only in teaching, but also in the organisation and development of the school.

Today, Conexão is a team-driven school with a strong focus on learning, sharing and growing together. The team continues to develop its teaching practice, welcome new teachers and create opportunities for dancers to deepen their connection with forró.

At the heart of Conexão is the belief that dancing is about more than learning steps. It is about connection: with the music, with your partner, with yourself and with the wider community. Conexão aims to create a welcoming environment where everyone can learn, explore, take risks, have fun and become the best dancer they can be.

From its beginnings with 15 dancers in 2014, Conexão has grown into an active forró community in Brussels — while keeping the same spirit that started it all: a desire to dance, to connect and to share the joy of forró.