Nelly Caldeira is a passionate, fun, and energetic Brazilian Zouk Instructor, as well as a Transformation & Communication Coach from Brazil. With a background in philosophy, Nelly is dedicated to creating and contributing to dance communities that value connection, authenticity, growth and transformation. She is known for creating projects that includes dance, communication and self-development and for collaborating with other organizers and artists in order to grow the Brazilian Zouk community in quantity and quality by focusing on the PERSON and the SOCIAL dancer first. She makes use of tools such as Neuro-linguistic Programming, Mental & Emotional Release, Non-Violent Communication, Enneagram, Huna and other modalities to assist her students and coaching clients to become more confident on themselves, realize their true desires, pursue their genuine interests, and achieve their most significant goals.
Since June 2018, Nelly has been living and teaching in the Bay Area, California. She has also taught at various congresses, projects and events in the USA, Brazil and Mexico. Her journey into dance began in 2014 when she fell in love with zouk and with all the possibilities this dance brought into her life. While her baby steps into zouk started through Renata’s Peçanha’s school, her most significant influences and mentors over the years have been Paloma Alves & William Teixeira and Val Clemente & Vanessa Bonilha. Joining the Zouk Needs You team and moving to the USA was a pivotal step that helped her to go from a “simple” social dancer to a dedicated Brazilian Zouk instructor. Nelly has competed and placed in Jack & Jill competitions a few times and has performed on stage with Boneca Baddies, Zouk SF, and Kadu & Larissa followers team. Since 2020, she’s been the director of the Zouk Babes Bay Area team (follower’s choreography team created by Christina Montoya) and has hosted her own dance & self-development projects in the USA.
Nelly deeply believes that achieving our goals and leading a healthier and more fulfilling life, both on and off the dance floor is only truly possible when we have the courage to embrace our authentic selves and our truest path. The best way to give to others is to give your own best to yourSELF.