Cologne Zouk Festival 2026 - German Open Championship

💜 Cologne Zouk Festival 2026 - GERMAN OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 💜

08. - 12. April 2026

10 Years Anniversary

We are celebrating a decade of Zouk in Cologne! For our 10th anniversary, we’re going bigger, better, and longer. Experience a new venue, more dance floors, and the same legendary family atmosphere—now leveled up.

💎 The Highlights We Keep
🏆 Win the German Open Championship
🏆 Official BZDC JnJ: 5+ Divisions (Newcomer to All-Stars + new Pro/Am Division).
⚖️ Balanced Follwer Leader Ratio
🎓 Deep Learning: Longer workshops for more progress & training time with daily topics instead of random classes (Connection, Technique, Musicality, Expression)
🎓 ZoukCologne methodology (updated level descriptions with higher levels)
🎥 Professional videographers capturing your best demos and social moments.
🥰 Cologne Family Atmosphere
💪 German Efficiency
🪩⁠ ⁠5 Days of Workshops and Parties
👯 Strong limitation for the masterclasses
🕺 Special JnJ training
🧾 ⁠Safer space guidelines
🧑‍🩰 Solo classes to work on your expression & technique
🩰⁠ ⁠Workshops, Bootcamps & Masterclasses for all levels (Beginners & Headmovement as well)

✨ What’s New for 2026?
🏠 New Main Venue: More space during the weekend to breathe and dance ("Bürgerhaus Hürth")
☀️ Day Socials: More hours to dance during the day! (also during JnJ)
💃 New Tracks: Dedicated Lambada & BachaZouk tracks
🏆 Pro-Am JnJ: A new way to compete and shine
🚪 ⁠One extra room with workshops for up 3 levels at the same time
💃 ⁠BachaZouk track (Beginners bootcamp, Headmovement Intensive, Special Skills Intensives)
🕺⁠ ⁠Lambada track (Sunday Intensives)


🤳 All updates & information also on our Instagram channel: @zoukcologne
https://www.instagram.com/zoukcologne


✨ Artist Line-Up ✨
Alex de Carvalho
Marck & Melyssa
Gui & Paloma
Rau & Isa
Ale & Vic
Allan & Vitoria
Bruno & Fae
Diego & Thieli
Mariana & Ítalo
Ania & Kassio
Laura & Rachel
Carlos de Oliveira
Julinha
Jade
Ilse
Patrycia
Pedro
Wilson
even more to be confirmed

🎧 DJs 🎧
Auler
Alex
Beija-Flor
Denise
Ecco
Hannah
Kel
Kyong
Putou
Sal

🎥 Videographers 🎥
Mondy
PPZ

🎤 MCs 🎤
Ilse
Rebas

📍 --- New Main Venue (Fri-Sun) --- 📍
Bürgerhaus Kulturzentrum Hürth
Friedrich-Ebert-Straße 40
50354 Hürth, Germany
Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/gsW8shBvcjkEbQqp6

🅿️ PARKING OPTIONS
•⁠ ⁠Hürth Park Shopping Center: Free parking is available in garages P1, P2, and P4–P6. (Note: Some areas may require a parking disc/Parkuhr, so please check the signs!).
•⁠ ⁠At the Venue: There are limited short-term parking spaces directly at the Bürgerhaus.
•⁠ ⁠P+R Hermülheim: About 91 spaces available, located only 550 meters (a short walk) from the venue.

✈️ CLOSEST AIRPORTS
•⁠ ⁠Cologne/Bonn (CGN): Only 15 min away! (Best Choice)
•⁠ ⁠Düsseldorf (DUS): ~40 min
•⁠ ⁠Frankfurt (FRA): ~50 min via high-speed train (ICE)
•⁠ ⁠Dortmund (DTM): ~2 hours

🚆 LONG DISTANCE TRAINS & BUSES
•⁠ ⁠Main Train Stations: Cologne Central Station (Köln Hbf) or Bonn Central Station.
•⁠ ⁠Long Distance Bus: Cologne Airport (CGN) or Leverkusen.

🚋 LOCAL PUBLIC TRANSPORT
•⁠ ⁠Tram Line 18: Get off at “Hürth-Hermülheim” (from there it’s a short walk or quick bus ride).
•⁠ ⁠Regional Bus: Get off at “Hürth Rathaus / Bürgerhaus” – it stops right at the venue!

🏨 We recommend H+ Hotel Köln Hürth as closest accommodation possibility

🍕 FOOD & DRINKS 🍻
Please note that the restaurant inside the venue has recently closed. There are many nearby restaurants & cafes but some shut around 20:00, so we recommend planning your dinner early!

Workshops: Feel free to bring your own drinks!
Parties: The dance school bar will be open at the weekend venue (Bürgerhaus Hürth). To support their staff, the party is bar-only, and there will be bag checks at the entrance. Every drink you buy helps us keep the event running. Thanks for your understanding! 🙏

(Keep an eye on the schedule for locations/venues of the Pre-Parties and Workshops before Friday)

🤳 All updates & information also on our Instagram channel: @zoukcologne
https://www.instagram.com/zoukcologne


👩‍🏫 --- Schedule Draft --- 👨‍🏫
-- might be subject to changes --

👩‍🏫 Monday: regular Bochum classes with Bruno Prado & Julinha - at Ko-Labor (Stühmeyerstr. 33, Bochum) - included in Fullpass
19:00 JnJ Training with Bruno & Julinha
20:00 -22:00 Pre-Pre-Pre Party

👩‍🏫 Tuesday: Regular ZoukCologne classes with Gabi & Justus - at Tanzraum Nippes (Neusser Str. 216) - included in Fullpass
18:30 Level 1
19:30 Practica 15 min
19:45 Level 2

👩‍🏫 Wednesday: Regular ZoukCologne classes - at Tanzraum Nippes (Neusser Str. 216) - included in Fullpass
18:45 Lambada with Pedro & Sonja
19:45 Practica 30 min small room
20:45 Welcome Class to the festival with Pedro & Julinha
21:45 Pre-Pre-Party (Topic: ZoukCologne Uniform - beige shirt & black sweatpants)

👩‍🏫 Thursday:
19:00-22:00 Beginners Bootcamp - at Tanzraum Nippes (Neusser Str. 216) included in Fullpass
with Anna, Gabi, Julinha, Justus, Lea, Marcel, Melanie, Stefaan, Viktor & Viktoria
22:00-02:00 Preparty (Topic - Tropical Vibes)
Preparty will very probably take place at Tanzraum Nippes (Neusser Str.216) but we still try to find an affordable bigger venue

⬇️ Main Venue (Hürth) ⬇️ Friday - Sunday

👩‍🏫 Friday: Topic Connection & Teamwork
Main Venue (Hürth)
15:00-18:00 Headmovement Intensive with Julinha & Pedro
19:00-22:00 Regular Workshops
22:00-04:00 Party (Topic: ZoukCologne Colours - blue, pink, purple)
00:30 Happy Hour

Additionally:
20:00-22:00 👉 Marck & Melyssa Masterclass: Foundation & Advanced Options of Counterbalance (Suitable for Brazilian Zouk and BachaZouk)

👩‍🏫 Saturday: Topic Technique
Main Venue (Hürth)
12:00-19:00 Regular Workshops
17:15-22:00 Day Social
17:15-18:45 JnJ Training with Alex & Julinha
18:45 Omar Mental Prep JnJ
19:00-22:00 Jack and Jill (Newcomer, Novice, Intermediate Prelims & Finals)
22:00-04:00 Party (Topic: Dress up as your favourite artist)
00:30 Shows

Additionally:
+ 13:30-17:30 Masterclass Special Skills (Suitable for Bachazouk and Brazilian Zouk) ⤵️
+ 13:00-15:00 👉 Raú & Isa Masterclass: Foundation & Advanced Options of One-Foot-Spins (Suitable for Brazilian Zouk and BachaZouk)
+ 15:15-17:15 👉 Gui & Paloma Masterclass: Dancing in Close Embrace - Enhancing, Refining & Traveling

👩‍🏫 Sunday: TopicMusicality & Expression
Main Venue (Hürth)
12:00-19:00 Regular Workshops
17:15-22:00 Day Social
18:45 Omar Mental Prep JnJ
19:00-22:00 Jack and Jill (Pro-Am, Advanced, All-Stars, Prelims & Finals)
22:00-04:00 Party (Topic: Birthday Party)
00:30 Awards & Special Honours

Additionally:
+ 13:00-17:30 Masterclass Special Skills Lambada ⤵️
+ 13:00-15:00 👉 Jade & Pedro Masterclass: Lambada Dynamics
+ 15:15-17:15 👉 Alê & Victoria Masterclass: Lambada Foundation & Advanced Options of Boneca Desprezada


🎫 --- Tickets & Prices --- 💸

Fullpass:
All regular workshops, all day socials and night parties, beginners bootcamp + Discounts on Intensives & JNJ 

First 10 Tickets 125€
Lot 1: 155€
Lot 2: 175€
Lot 3: 195€
ATD: 215€

Couple Fullpass
Lot 2: 350€
Lot 3: 390€

BachaZouk Pass: 150€
Includes Beginners Bootcamp + Headmovement Bootcamp + Marck Melyssa Masterclass (you need another BachZouk partner for this MasterClass) + Raú Isa Masterclass (you need another BachZouk partner for this MasterClass) + Friday Zouk Party

Day Pass (also available as Couple Pass to have a great Leader/Follower balance)
Regular workshops, day social and night party of that day
Friday: 90€
Saturday: 110€
Sunday: 110€

2 Hour Intensives / Masterclasses
🎫 Couple Ticket (Leader + Follower): 80€ 
🤑 If you have a Fullpass you get a 50% discount = only 40€ per Couple
(If only one of you has a Fullpass, come to check-in desk, then we'll figure out a partial discount 👍)

If you have a BachaZouk Pass, the 2 Masterclasses Marck & Melyssa + Raú & Isa are included in your pass! However, you need to find another BachaZouk partner for this classes to form a couple!

Partypass: All preparties, day socials, all main parties
70€

Couple Partypass
140€

— Parties At The Door information —
Entrance only for Couples of 1 Leader & 1 Follower (or solo leader) to maintain follower/leader balance:
Wednesday Preparty: 5€ pP
Thursday Preparty: 15€ pP
Friday Main Party: 25€ pP
Saturday Main Party: 25€ pP
Sunday Main Party: 25€ pP

Beginners Bootcamp Thursday
•⁠ ⁠40€ as stand alone ticket
•⁠ ⁠already included in Fullpass & BachaZouk Pass

Headmovement Bootcamp Friday
•⁠ ⁠60€ as stand alone ticket
•⁠ ⁠included in Fullpass & BachaZouk Pass

🎫 https://buytickets.at/zoukcologne

JnJ & Pro-Am Registration (Discount for Fullpass Holders)
🎫 https://www.danceplace.com/book/it/16764

Bürgerhaus Event Venue, Restuarants and Hotel

🤑 --- Discounts --- 🤑
All discount codes are applicable to the Fullpass and cannot be combined.

10€ Group Discounts:
•⁠ ⁠Gather a group of at least 6 people and send all 6 names + email address to zoukcologne@gmail.com and we will send your discount code so each of you can book your individual ticket with 10€ discount with the code

10€ Community Leader / Teacher Discount
•⁠ ⁠If you are a Brazilian Zouk teacher and want to build a group with your students: ⁠Participants who use your code will receive a €10 discount on the full pass. Please send an email address to zoukcologne@gmail.com and we will send your discount code so each of your students can book their individual ticket with 10€ discount with your code
•⁠ ⁠As the Community Leader you will receive a party pass for yourself free of charge if you bring 5 participants to the Cologne Zouk Festival (or the applicable amount for the partypass refunded to your own ticket). If you bring 10 or more participants, you will receive a free full passes for yourself instead (here the same, so if you already bought a ticket, you will get the applicable amount for the pass refunded to your own ticket).
•⁠ ⁠⁠So the easiest way to get your discount is to buy your own ticket that you want, and if 5/10 of your students baught a ticket with your code, we will refund you the partypass/fullpass amount when you come to the event. Like this you don’t have to wait before getting your own ticket.

10€ MAC Discount:
•⁠ ⁠If you are an approved MAC instructor please send an email with proof (screenshot of your profile on the MAC homepage) to zoukcologne@gmail.com and we will send your fullpass discount code.

10€ Intermediate Discount:
•⁠ ⁠If you are BZDC intermediate please send an email with proof (screenshot of your profile on the BZDC homepage) to zoukcologne@gmail.com and we will send your fullpass discount code.

20€ Advanced Discount
•⁠ ⁠If you are BZDC Advanced please send an email with proof (screenshot of your profile on the BZDC homepage) to zoukcologne@gmail.com and we will send your fullpass discount code.

Teacher
•⁠ ⁠If you have ever taught on any ZoukCologne event please send an email to zoukcologne@gmail.com and we can see what we can do for your discount.

📩--- Questions & Communication --- 📩

If you have any questions, these are the 3 fastest ways to get your answer, because we have a team that helps answering all of these channels:
•⁠ ⁠email to zoukcologne@gmail.com
•⁠ ⁠message inside our WhatsApp group "ZoukCologne Events"
•⁠ ⁠message to our instagram "ZoukCologne