FORRÓ IN NEW JERSEY: PRIVATE LESSONS AND PROJECTS IN JERSEY CITY
Based in Jersey City, Rafael from Forró New York offers private lessons and has developed dance videos, outdoor gatherings, and occasional community activities in the area.
A NEW JERSEY BASE FOR FORRÓ NEW YORK
Jersey City has a different relationship with Forró New York than the other cities documented in this series. It is not primarily a destination Rafael visits for occasional workshops. It is where he is based and where much of the quieter, behind-the-scenes work surrounding the project takes place.
Private lessons, individual practice, video recordings, and collaborations with visiting teachers have all taken place in Jersey City over the years. The waterfront and its view of the Manhattan skyline have also provided a distinctive setting for several videos published through the Forró New York channel.
The city’s proximity to Manhattan makes it part of the wider New York metropolitan area, while its location in New Jersey creates a local point of access for students coming from Jersey City, Newark, Hoboken, and nearby communities.
Forró New York does not currently operate weekly group classes or a permanent event series in New Jersey. The most consistent local activity is private instruction, accompanied by occasional recordings, outdoor gatherings, and special community initiatives.
PRIVATE FORRÓ LESSONS IN JERSEY CITY
Rafael offers private forró lessons in a dedicated teaching space near the Jersey City waterfront and the PATH train.
Lessons are available for individuals and couples and are adapted to each student’s experience, goals, and pace of learning. Beginners can use the sessions to build a clear foundation, while more experienced dancers may focus on technique, movement vocabulary, musical understanding, partner communication, or specific questions that emerge in their dancing.
The private format allows each session to develop around the person taking the lesson. Rather than following a rigid group curriculum, the material can respond directly to what the student needs to understand, practice, or refine.
Lessons are available in English or Portuguese. This can be especially helpful in a region with a significant Brazilian population, as well as for students who are encountering forró through New York’s international dance community.
The location is accessible from Manhattan and other areas connected by PATH. Students coming from elsewhere in New Jersey may also request information about alternative arrangements when booking.
OUTDOOR CLASSES AND COMMUNITY GATHERINGS
Although there is no recurring group program in Jersey City, the waterfront has hosted occasional activities bringing together dancers from New Jersey and New York.
2021 — AN OUTDOOR CLASS WITH KEYTH
On August 29, 2021, Rafael collaborated with New Jersey-based teacher Keyth on an outdoor forró class at J. Owen Grundy Park.
Located directly on the Jersey City waterfront, the park offered an open and accessible setting for people interested in reconnecting through dance during the gradual return of in-person activities.
The gathering was part of an early effort to create opportunities for people interested in forró on both sides of the Hudson to meet, dance, and participate in an activity outside the structure of a regular indoor class.
2021 — THE OPENING OF THE FIRST POST-PANDEMIC FORRÓ NEW YORK WEEKEND
On October 15, 2021, J. Owen Grundy Park hosted an open class and social gathering connected to the Autumn Edition of Forró New York Weekend.
This was the first edition of the festival held after the interruption of in-person activities during the pandemic. The waterfront gathering functioned as an informal opening, allowing participants to register, reconnect, dance outdoors, and begin the weekend in a relaxed public setting.
Later that evening, festival participants continued to a nearby rooftop for the opening after-party. From there, the remainder of the weekend moved into New York City for workshops, parties, and live music.
These two 2021 gatherings remain the clearest examples of public forró activities organized in Jersey City. They do not represent an ongoing weekly program, but they document the city’s role during an important period of reconnection for the wider Forró New York community.
JERSEY CITY AS A SETTING FOR FORRÓ VIDEOS
Jersey City has also become a recurring setting for videos connected to Forró New York.
Some recordings were created as part of collaborations with visiting teachers. Others emerged through personal practice, festival promotion, or the opportunity to use the waterfront and Manhattan skyline as a visual backdrop.
Together, these videos document a less public side of the project: moments of experimentation, collaboration, preparation, and dance created outside formal workshops or festivals.
2018 - A ROOFTOP RECORDING WITH CAROL
In 2018, Rafael and Carol recorded a forró video on a Jersey City rooftop overlooking the Manhattan skyline.
The video was created during the promotion of a Boston forró festival in which they participated. The rooftop setting connected the dance visually to the New York metropolitan area while establishing Jersey City as the actual location of the recording.
2019 - A STUDIO PRACTICE WITH MILENA MORAIS
Another video was recorded with Brazilian guest teacher Milena Morais in a Jersey City training space used by Rafael for personal practice and some private lessons.
2023 - A JERSEY CITY VIDEO WITH GIOVANNA SILVEIRA
On July 8, 2023, Rafael recorded a dance video in Jersey City with visiting teacher Giovanna Silveira.
The video later became one of the most popular recent recordings on the Forró New York YouTube channel, connecting a local Jersey City setting with the wider international audience that follows the project online.
2025 - A ROOFTOP RECORDING WITH ALICE RODRIGUES
During Alice Rodrigues’ 2025 visit, Rafael and Alice recorded a forró video on a Jersey City rooftop overlooking the Manhattan skyline.
The dance incorporated movements and techniques explored during her time with Forró New York, including activities connected to the Autumn 2025 edition of Forró New York Weekend and the project’s weekly classes in New York City. Filmed outside the formal class setting, the video became another record of their educational collaboration and of the ways workshop material can continue developing through social dancing.
These recordings show how Jersey City contributes to Forró New York not only as a place for teaching, but also as a setting for documenting collaborations and sharing forró through digital media.
LOCAL PRESENCE WITHOUT A WEEKLY GROUP PROGRAM
Forró New York does not currently offer weekly group classes, recurring social dances, or a permanent community schedule in Jersey City or elsewhere in New Jersey.
The local presence is instead centered on private lessons, individual practice, video production, and occasional projects that become possible when there is sufficient interest and an appropriate setting.
This distinction is important. The page does not represent a separate New Jersey branch of Forró New York or claim to provide a complete guide to every forró activity in the state. It documents Rafael’s actual connection to Jersey City and provides a direct path for people in the region who want to study forró privately.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - FAQ
DOES FORRÓ NEW YORK OFFER WEEKLY CLASSES IN JERSEY CITY?
No. Forró New York does not currently operate weekly group classes in Jersey City or elsewhere in New Jersey.
Private lessons are available by appointment, and occasional local activities may be announced when a suitable opportunity arises.
WHERE DO THE PRIVATE LESSONS TAKE PLACE?
Private lessons are generally held in a dedicated teaching space near the Jersey City waterfront and the PATH train.
The precise location and access information are provided during the booking process.
CAN I TAKE A PRIVATE LESSON WITHOUT A PARTNER?
Yes. Private lessons are available for individuals as well as couples. The structure of the lesson is adapted to the student’s format, experience, and goals.
ARE PRIVATE LESSONS APPROPRIATE FOR BEGINNERS?
Yes. Beginners can use private lessons to learn the basic rhythm, movement, technique, and partner-dance principles at an individualized pace.
More experienced dancers can use the same format to address specific technical questions and expand their understanding of the dance.
ARE LESSONS AVAILABLE IN PORTUGUESE?
Yes. Private lessons can be taught in English or Portuguese.
CAN SOMEONE FROM NEWARK OR ANOTHER PART OF NEW JERSEY BOOK A LESSON?
Yes. Students from Newark, Hoboken, other parts of New Jersey, Manhattan, and the surrounding region can request a private lesson in Jersey City.
Alternative locations may also be discussed during the booking process, depending on availability and the practical requirements of the session.
HOW CAN I FIND OUT ABOUT FUTURE NEW JERSEY ACTIVITIES?
Join the newsletter at the bottom of this page. Updates will be shared if a future outdoor class, community gathering, or special collaboration in New Jersey is confirmed.
LEARN FORRÓ IN JERSEY CITY
For people looking for forró instruction in New Jersey, private lessons provide the most direct way to study with Rafael locally.
The sessions offer individual attention, flexible content, and a location near the Jersey City waterfront with convenient PATH access. Whether you are beginning forró, returning after time away, or looking for focused guidance on a specific part of your dancing, the lesson can be structured around your needs.