Gilson Damasco

Gilson started dancing Lambada 34 years ago, when the dance was highly popular. Since then, he has dedicated years of passion and study to Lambada and Brazilian Zouk (which originated from Lambada).

In 1991 he brought Lambada-Zouk to Argentina, turning it into one of the country’s most attractive and sought-after dances. There he appeared on TV shows and performed with famous artists. In 1992, together with his dance partner Fabiola Prestes, he opened a successful nightclub called “Porto Seguro,” where they began teaching various Brazilian dance styles such as Lambada-Zouk, Forró, Samba de Gafieira, and Axé. They also performed at numerous events. In 1997 Gilson began organizing Zouk/Lambada parties at Buenos Aires’ most famous club, “Maluco Beleza,” which continued for eight consecutive years.

In 2004 he was invited to the first LambaZouk Congress in Barcelona, organized by Daniel and Leticia — his first trip to Europe. There he met many European teachers, including Claudia de Vries, who invited him to the second BrasaZouk Congress in 2006, in the Netherlands. From then on, Gilson began traveling the world to expand Brazilian Zouk and Lambada.

From May 5, 2014 to January 18, 2015, Gilson was part of the Brazouka Dance Company, performing in Scotland, the United Kingdom, South Africa, and Australia.

He partnered for eight years with Natasha Terekhina; their dancing inspired countless dancers and became one of the most beautiful references in the history of the art. Gilson has performed in many countries, including: England, Austria, USA, Switzerland, France, Sweden, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Czech Republic, Argentina, Chile, Suriname, Spain, Portugal, Norway, Russia, Romania, Ukraine, Finland, Australia, Poland, Scotland, Turkey, Japan, China, Canada, Greece, Croatia, Italy, Taiwan, Vietnam, South Korea, Mexico, and Israel.

Since 2014 Gilson has been a Director of the Brazilian Zouk Dance Council (BZDC), which supports and promotes all aspects of Brazilian Zouk, encouraging its growth worldwide. And since 2024 he has also been part of the Lambada World Dance Council (LWDC).

Recently, he has been invited to the world’s largest dance festivals, including: Rio Zouk Congress, IZC São Paulo, ZoukMX Mexico, Warsaw Zouk Festival, Canada Zouk Congress, One Zouk Congress, Australia Zouk Festival, Madrid Bachata & Zouk Congress, Zouk Time Croatia, Dallas Zouk & Lambada Festival, among many others.

As part of his European expansion project for Zouk/Lambada, Gilson teaches weekly classes in the Netherlands and is widely recognized for clarity and precision when explaining technique and lead-and-follow, making him a major reference in the dance world. Between 2023 and 2024 he collaborated with partners such as Jessica Lamdon, Ruana Vasquez, and Olaya Loscertales, and supported rising talents like Cibele Guimarães and Sara Bezerra, providing space and visibility for their art.

Gilson is also the organizer of the Brazilian Dance Festival in Amsterdam, an international event uniting Brazilian Zouk and Lambada, bringing together DJs, teachers, and dancers from around the world for over five years.

A pioneer of this beautiful dance, Gilson has witnessed and actively contributed to the evolution of Brazilian Zouk, supporting and inspiring a new generation of dancers to forge their paths and careers.