FORRÓ SOLO TRAINING
Structured solo practice for developing rhythm, coordination, musicality, movement fluency, body awareness, technique, creativity, and stronger foundations for fluid and musical social dancing.
FORRÓ SOLO TRAINING
120$Every yearStructured solo forró training focused on rhythm, coordination, technique, musicality, creativity, and movement fluency.- 24 classes focused on movement vocabulary & technique
- 24 classes focused on musicality, style & creativity
- BONUS: Access to the Forró Workout page
- BONUS: Access to the Beginners course
Your subscription will automatically renew at the end of each billing cycle so you can continue your learning without interruption. You can cancel at any time before the renewal date, and your access will remain active until the end of your current period.
ABOUT THE COURSE
Forró Solo Training is a long-form online training program designed to help dancers develop the individual skills that support more fluid, musical, coordinated, and expressive social dancing.
Created during the pandemic years as part of the educational platform of Forró New York, the program was structured around the idea that many essential aspects of forró can be deeply developed through individual practice, even without a partner.
Over the course of 24 weeks, students are guided through a progressive training process exploring movement vocabulary, footwork variations, body coordination, technique, rhythm, stylistic development, transitions, turns, improvisation, and musical interpretation.
Rather than focusing on partner combinations or memorized figures, the course emphasizes the development of movement fluency, rhythmic awareness, technical control, and creative adaptability through solo practice.
HOW THE TRAINING IS ORGANIZED
The program is structured around two parallel areas of development explored throughout 24 weeks of guided practice.
MOVEMENT, TECHNIQUE & COORDINATION
Development of movement vocabulary, footwork variations, turns, transitions, posture, balance, coordination, and movement fluency through structured solo practice.
MUSICALITY, STYLE & CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT
Exploration of rhythm, phrasing, syncopation, musical interpretation, stylistic variation, improvisation, expressive movement possibilities, and creative movement organization.
INSIDE THE TRAINING EXPERIENCE
The classes combine explanation, guided practice, movement breakdown, repetition, musical interpretation, and dance-along training sessions developed specifically for solo forró practice.
Many of the classes available inside the program were recorded live during real online sessions with students practicing together in real time.
The structure of the training was designed to recreate the feeling of participating in guided practice sessions alongside the instructor, combining technical explanation with continuous movement practice, repetition, rhythm training, and musical exploration.
SOLO PRACTICE IN FORRÓ TRAINING
This warm-up and guided practice session was recorded during an in-person workshop exploring rhythm, coordination, body awareness, movement organization, and individual development through forró practice.
Exercises like these help dancers strengthen balance, timing, coordination, rhythmic perception, movement fluency, and body control through repetition, structured practice, and musical interaction.
Although forró is a social dance, many of the individual skills that support fluid, musical, and responsive partner dancing can be developed and refined through solo training.
MOVEMENT, MUSICALITY & SOCIAL DANCING
Although forró happens through partner interaction, many of the skills that create fluid, musical, coordinated, and expressive dancing can be deeply developed through individual practice.
This dance demonstrates elements such as rhythmic interpretation, movement fluency, transitions, coordination, stylistic variation, balance, timing, and musical responsiveness - many of which are explored throughout the solo training program.
Rather than separating solo practice from social dancing, the goal of the training is to strengthen the individual movement skills that later become part of more natural, adaptable, musical, and expressive partner dancing.
WHAT STUDENTS EXPLORE THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM
Throughout the 24-week training, students explore a wide range of movement, technical, rhythmic, and creative concepts connected to solo forró practice and social dancing development.
Topics explored throughout the program include:
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Basic step structures and variations
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Walks, backsteps, cross footwork, and directional movement
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Xaxado, xique-xique, repique, and miudinho
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Turns, transitions, flow, and movement continuity
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Weight transfer, balance, posture, and coordination
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Rhythmic interpretation and syncopation
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Musical phrasing and timing
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Improvisation and stylistic variation
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Body awareness and movement quality
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Dynamics, contrast, and expressive movement possibilities
The program includes more than 35 hours of recorded classes, over 80 short recap videos organized movement by movement, and additional bonus material connected to solo training and social dance development.
MEET THE INSTRUCTOR
Rafael Piccolotto de Lima
is the Founder and Educational Director of Forró New York, where he has been teaching forró classes and developing the project’s educational programs since 2017.
He is a Latin Grammy-nominated composer, arranger, and music director, with a teaching approach focused on the techniques that build a strong foundation for connection, creativity, and musicality in dance.
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
Dancers from different countries and backgrounds participate in the Forró New York online learning ecosystem through courses, workshops, guided practice, festivals, and musicality training.
This map reflects part of the international reach of the project throughout these past years.
STUDENT EXPERIENCES
Dancers from different countries and backgrounds use Forró Solo Training to develop rhythm, coordination, movement fluency, body awareness, musicality, creativity, technique, and greater confidence through structured individual practice.
Rather than depending exclusively on partner combinations or memorized figures, the program helps students strengthen the individual movement skills that support more fluid, adaptable, musical, and expressive social dancing.
“Taking forró online has brought me so much joy. Practicing challenging moves, working on balance, and learning from a diversity of teachers have really helped grow my skills and confidence.”
Carey Dufey (New York)
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“The online class helped a lot because the course breaks down the steps so you can really learn the technique well.”
Barbara Montedori (Philadelphia)
“With any song, you can make it your own and experiment with new things through your body.”
Tuomas Ranta (San Francisco)
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the difference between solo training and social dancing?
Although forró happens through partner interaction, many of the skills that support fluid and expressive social dancing can be developed individually.
Solo practice helps dancers strengthen rhythm, coordination, balance, posture, movement fluency, body awareness, musicality, timing, and technical control before applying those skills inside partner dancing situations.
→ Read more: Why Practicing Alone Can Deepen Your Partner Dancing in Forró
Do I need a partner to participate in the program?
No.
The entire training program is designed around individual practice and can be done without a partner.
The goal is to strengthen the individual movement skills that later support social dancing, including coordination, rhythm, balance, body control, transitions, musicality, and movement fluency.
Is this course focused on choreography or memorizing sequences?
No.
While some classes explore movement combinations and structured practice sequences, the broader goal of the program is developing movement understanding, coordination, rhythm, musicality, technique, and creative adaptability.
Rather than simply memorizing figures, the training focuses on helping dancers become more comfortable, responsive, and fluent with movement itself.
→ Read more: Learning Forró as a Dance Language - Beyond Steps and Patterns
Is this course only for advanced dancers?
No.
The program includes material ranging from fundamental movement structures and rhythm development to more complex variations, transitions, musical interpretation, and stylistic exploration.
Different dancers often benefit from the training in different ways depending on their previous experience and goals.
How can practicing fundamentals improve dancing?
Fundamental movements are not just beginner material. They are the foundation that supports timing, coordination, balance, rhythm, movement quality, transitions, musicality, and adaptability throughout the dance.
Many experienced dancers continue refining basic movements for years as part of developing greater fluidity, efficiency, and expressive control.
→ Read more: Basics, Basics, Basics: How Practicing Forró Fundamentals Changed My Dancing
What kinds of movements and techniques are explored throughout the training?
The program explores topics such as footwork variations, walks, transitions, turns, rhythmic interpretation, syncopation, xaxado, xique-xique, repique, miudinho, posture, balance, coordination, body awareness, musical phrasing, stylistic variation, and expressive movement possibilities.
What does body awareness mean in dance training?
Body awareness involves developing a clearer perception of posture, balance, tension, weight transfer, coordination, rhythm, movement pathways, and physical responsiveness while dancing.
This kind of awareness often helps dancers move more efficiently, comfortably, musically, and naturally.
→ Read more: Body Awareness and Connection Tips Forró Dancers
What does it mean to feel “light” or “heavy” while dancing?
The sensation of feeling “light” or “heavy” in partner dancing is often connected to balance, posture, timing, coordination, weight transfer, tension, movement organization, and responsiveness.
Improving individual movement control and body awareness frequently helps dancers create more comfortable and fluid movement interactions with partners.
→ Read more: What Makes Someone Feel “Heavy” or “Light” in Partner Dancing?
How does solo practice influence creativity and expression in dancing?
As dancers develop greater movement familiarity, coordination, rhythmic control, body awareness, and musical understanding, they often become more comfortable experimenting with timing, dynamics, transitions, musical interpretation, and stylistic variation.
Rather than creativity depending only on learning more figures, it often emerges through deeper comfort, fluency, and responsiveness with movement and music itself.
→ Read more: Corporeality in Partner Dance: Rediscovering the Body Through Forró
→ Read more: Musicality in Dance - Beyond Steps and Choreography
FORRÓ SOLO TRAINING
120$Every yearStructured solo forró training focused on rhythm, coordination, technique, musicality, creativity, and movement fluency.- 24 classes focused on movement vocabulary & technique
- 24 classes focused on musicality, style & creativity
- BONUS: Access to the Forró Workout page
- BONUS: Access to the Beginners course
Your subscription will automatically renew at the end of each billing cycle so you can continue your learning without interruption. You can cancel at any time before the renewal date, and your access will remain active until the end of your current period.