MUSICALITY
FORRÓ ONLINE COURSE
Stop guessing rhythms. Start understanding music.
Learn how forró music works and how it shapes your dance.
UNDERSTAND THE MUSIC BEHIND THE DANCE
Most dancers learn steps.
Very few understand the music they are dancing to.
This course teaches you how forró is structured and how that structure directly connects to movement.
WHAT THIS COURSE BUILDS IN YOU
If rhythm feels unclear, or if you struggle to connect basic steps to the music, this course helps you build the tools to change that.
Through guided exercises, you start to develop a clearer sense of rhythm and learn how to organize your movement in relation to what you hear. The focus is not on memorizing patterns, but on understanding how the music is structured and how your body can respond to it with more awareness.
For dancers who already have a good sense of rhythm, the course goes deeper. It refines your musical listening and expands how you use timing, accents, and structure in your dancing.
Step patterns stop being something you repeat. They become choices you make based on what you hear in real time.
The result is a more conscious, connected, and musical way of dancing.
WHAT CHANGES AFTER THIS COURSE
Before:
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you count steps without understanding
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you imitate others instead of feeling the music
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you repeat patterns without context
After:
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you recognize rhythms in real time
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you understand what you hear
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you connect steps to music consciously
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you make decisions based on listening
The change is perceptual. And it transforms everything else.
WHO THIS COURSE IS FOR
This course is for you if:
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you already dance forró but feel disconnected from the music
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you want clarity in rhythm and timing
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you feel your dancing is repetitive or automatic
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you want to understand what is actually happening in the music
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It also works for early-stage dancers who want to build this foundation from the beginning.
FORRÓ MUSICALITY
60$Every year+$35 Joining feeUnderstand forró rhythms and transform the way you dance.- 4h+ of studio classes (musicality theory)
- 5h+ of workshops recorded at festivals and events
- 1h+ of guided practice sessions
- Additional content (playlists, practice tools, and charts)
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.
MEET THE INSTRUCTOR
Rafael Piccolotto de Lima is a forró dancer, musician, and educator from Campinas (São Paulo, Brazil) with over 20 years of experience in forró dance.
He is a Latin Grammy-nominated composer, conductor, and Doctor of Musical Arts, bringing a strong musical foundation to his approach to dance education, with a focus on rhythm, phrasing, and musicality.
Rafael teaches weekly in New York City and has led workshops and classes at forró festivals and events across North America and internationally.
He is also the creator of Forró New York’s online learning program, developing structured online forró courses for English-speaking dancers worldwide.
Within the English-language space for forró education, Rafael is one of the most established instructors and content creators, with one of the most widely recognized YouTube channels dedicated specifically to teaching forró and discussing its technique, musicality, and practice in English.
ESSENTIAL MUSICALITY TIPS FOR FORRÓ DANCERS
To give you a clearer sense of how musicality can improve your dance, I recorded a short video with essential tips that you can start applying right away in your forró.
This is a small glimpse into the way I approach musicality in the course: simple principles that, when understood, can significantly change the way you experience and express forró on the dance floor.
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN (IN DETAIL)
A course focused on developing dance musicality through a clear understanding of forró rhythms. No partner needed.
Tempo and rhythm fundamentals
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Beat
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Strong beat
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Offbeat
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Subdivisions
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Bars / measures
Forró rhythms
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Xote
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Arrasta-pé
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Baião
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Xaxado
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Forró
Musical application in your dance
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Understand how step counting relates to musical counting
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Understand the relationship between your steps and the musical beat
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Learn how to use syncopation in your steps
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Learn how to make rhythmic choices in your movement
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Bonus workshops recorded at festivals and major events (5+ hours)
More than 10 hours of classes, including studio sessions and classes/workshops recorded during major events in NYC and abroad.
You don’t need more steps.
You need to understand and play with the music behind them.
TESTIMONIALS
(see more on google)
I’ve been taking dancing classes my whole life and nothing compares to what I’ve been learning with Rafael. I believe that because he’s a composer and a conductor and his approach to music and rhythm is completely different to what is out there and it has changed the way I dance forever. Not only the way I dance forró, but everything. It changed my perspective. On top of the an amazing classes, the environment is fun, people are awesome. You learn a skill at the same time you make friends for life. Highly recommended!
Lívia Silva (New York)
Forró online has been the silver lining of the pandemics! Each class is filled with creativity, musicality and a lot of fun. Rafa is extremely innovative and attentive (and very organized!).
Anne L. (Ottawa - Canada)
“Rafael's creativity and musicality classes are always pushing me out from the comfort zone in a positive way. I’ve learned that with any song, you can make it your own and experiment new things with your body if you’re up for it. And if your dance partner is up for it. There’s just limitless opportunities to express yourself through a song. Thanks, Rafa, for helping to build this foundation during the pandemic.”
Tuomas Ranta (San Francisco)
"Taking forró online has brought me so much joy for the past months. Not only have I loved the community we’re creating, I’m also recognizing the value of dancing alone! Practicing challenging moves, working on balance, and learning from a diversity of teachers have really helped grow my skills and confidence, preparing me for when we can get out there in person!"
Carey Dufey (New York)
I didn’t know what to expect when I started taking online classes with Rafael. It was hard to imagine how to learn a couple’s dance virtually. I can tell it has been a beautiful experience. Rafael knows how to explain complex concepts in a simple way, and in every class he gives us elements to build new vocabulary in our dance. I think that because he is a musician, he understands the dance from the inside out. It feels like he is teaching us how to perform individual notes and, then it is to us to put them together and create new “music” with our bodies and feet.
Rafael makes the classes interactive and fun. We can always ask questions and get feedback. Thank you so much Rafael. I love your classes!
Angelica Vargas Prada (San Franscisco)
I really enjoy Rafa's classes because he teaches different techniques and different steps in a way that is very easy to understand. And because of his background as a musician, he is great at teaching musicality and how to express ourselves with our bodies. I fully recommend this class, 100%!
Elaine Simon (Ottawa - Canada)
"Coming back to dance after stopping for the first many months of the pandemic felt like a new discovery. It is an entirely separate feeling to dance alone--to deeply understand basic concepts and learn the way you move and express yourself without the influence of others. It's been a gift. And, it's at the core of dancing forró. Until the day we can all dance together in community, I'll be here in my living room dancing with myself."
Mariana Pugliese (New York)
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
Join our international community of forrozeiros.
This is a map of our online visitors and participants from these past months.
FORRÓ MUSICALITY
60$Every year+$35 Joining feeUnderstand forró rhythms and transform the way you dance.- 4h+ of studio classes (musicality theory)
- 5h+ of workshops recorded at festivals and events
- 1h+ of guided practice sessions
- Additional content (playlists, practice tools, and charts)
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.