Willy Noir Is Realizing His Dream Of Taking AfroHouse And Kuduro Around The World.
- Ken_Ken
- Aug 24
- 10 min read
The meteoric rise of urban Afro dances and music in New York City took shape between 2017 and 2018. I remember my Instagram and YouTube feeds being filled with dancers from the continent and Europe moving to the infectious new beats coming out of Africa. One of the dancers who regularly appeared on my screen was Willy Noir. In those early years, Willy was instrumental in keeping Angolan AfroHouse and Kuduro part of the conversation around urban African music and dance.
In 2019, I took my first Willy Noir class in New York City, offered through Jlynn and her AfroDance NYC platform, which gave visiting artists the chance to share their work with the city. After that first class, I was hooked. Willy’s energy, lightning-fast footwork, and positivity were contagious—and I’ve been following his career ever since.
Over the years, Willy has crisscrossed the globe, spreading Angolan AfroHouse and Kuduro to new audiences. He has traveled across Europe, North and South America, Africa—and in 2024, he added Asia and Australia to the list of continents where he has taught workshops. Willy also launched AfroDrip Dance Camp, held twice a year in Amsterdam and now part of Europe’s growing roster of dance camps centered on African urban dances. In 2024, he expanded the concept into Asia with AfroJam Dance Camp in Thailand. I caught up with Willy to learn more about the man behind the dance and his worldwide movement.
AFROCONEX: Willy, thank you for taking the time to speak with me. I’ve watched you over the years and have seen your steadfast commitment to your art. Many people know you as the AfroHouse dancer with the big hair, but let’s use this opportunity for you to introduce yourself and share a little about who Willy Noir is.
WILLY NOIR: Thank you for having me. Willy Noir is my artist name, and I’m from Amsterdam, Netherlands, with Brazilian roots. My parents are Afro-Brazilian, and I grew up surrounded by Afro-Brazilian culture—the drums, Pagode music, Axé, and Samba. My first exposure to music and dance was through Brazilian culture. My mother was a samba dancer who performed in carnivals during the 80s and 90s. She was a major inspiration for me, and I credit her for introducing me to the drum and to artists like Olodum from Salvador, Brazil. She used to play Brazilian music all the time when I was growing up. At the time, I found it annoying, but looking back, I realize how much it influenced me. My father was a guitarist, and he introduced me to soul music. So my childhood was really a mix of Afro-Brazilian music and R&B.
When I was about 10 years old, I started dancing. My biggest inspiration was Michael Jackson. I would watch his videos—Beat It, Thriller—all the time and copy his moves. Around 12 years old, I started learning House and Hip Hop. In my early teenage years, I went really deep into both. Then, in my later teens around 2002, an Angolan friend of mine, Manutelo, introduced me to Kuduro music. From that moment, I started researching both the music and the dance, and I really fell in love with it. I started with Kuduro and later transitioned into AfroHouse.
Around 2012/2013, I met Blaya from Buraka Som Sistema. She was a huge inspiration for me and for my transition into AfroHouse. She was always posting videos of her dancing, and at the time, she was also traveling the world and performing with Buraka. I remember thinking to myself that one day I wanted to do that—travel the world and teach dance. Later, when Blaya came to the Netherlands, I had the chance to meet her again. We trained together and exchanged AfroHouse movements. By 2014, I had started teaching AfroHouse and Kuduro, with the intention of sharing my knowledge of the dance.
AFROCONEX: My first class with you was in 2019 in New York City—an AfroHouse class through Jlynn’s AfrodanceNYC platform. What’s crazy is that since then, you’ve stayed committed to AfroHouse, and today I think it’s safe to say you’re one of the most well-traveled AfroHouse dancers and instructors, spreading the dance across multiple continents. What is it about AfroHouse that connects you so deeply to the dance? And why have you stayed true to it over the years, instead of switching styles to follow trends?
WILLY NOIR: Around 2002/2003 was the first time I heard Kuduro music—the song was Dança de Chiriri by Magnesia. When I heard it, I was overcome with so much energy, and that’s when I realized Kuduro gave me life. There’s something in my mind that switches whenever I hear Kuduro and AfroHouse beats. That’s why I’ve stayed committed to AfroHouse—it represents my experiences, my upbringing, my training, and my background.
It’s also part of my brand. I market myself as an AfroHouse artist, and I will always be an AfroHouse artist. It’s who I am, and I’m not going to change just because of a trend or whatever is popular at the moment. AfroHouse is who I am, and AfroHouse is me.
AFROCONEX: How did your Afro-Brazilian heritage help you connect with Angolan culture?
WILLY NOIR: As I mentioned before, I grew up with Afro-Brazilian culture. So when I see the ginga—the swing—in Angolan culture and dance, it reminds me of the ginga in Samba. Brazilian Capoeira also has its roots in Angola. And of course, Brazil and Angola are connected through slavery and everything that came with it. So yes, there are many connections and similarities between Brazilian and Angolan culture.
AFROCONEX: Your ability to take AfroHouse to different countries and continents over the years shows there’s a real demand for the dance. What changes have you noticed in how AfroHouse is done, how it is received, and in the types of platforms and spaces where it now exists? And looking ahead, what do you see for the future of AfroHouse, Kuduro, and Afro dances more broadly?
WILLY NOIR: Wow, this is a really good question. I’ve seen AfroHouse change a lot. Ten years ago, the dance was mostly simple steps, and there weren’t many people teaching it. Now, with social media, TikTok, and all that, AfroHouse has evolved a lot—for both the better and the worse. I see a lot of influences now in the dance: Pantsula, Ndombolo flavor, and other styles. That’s a good thing because dance always evolves. Hip Hop 20 years ago is not the same as Hip Hop today. AfroHouse 10–13 years ago was mostly one or two steps, party steps. Nowadays I see more combinations, more experimenting with different styles. To me, it’s still AfroHouse because I see AfroHouse as a legit style that grows and evolves.
The music has also changed. Today we have many new producers, very different from even 5–6 years ago. There are Angolan and Portuguese producers like Vany Vox and Billy G, who create a different kind of AfroHouse from what we had 10 years ago with sounds like Matimba (HomeBoyz), Vote (DJ Nelasta and DJ Romano), and Leo Beats. The sound today is rougher, harder—and the dance evolves with the music.
Some of the biggest influences I see shaping AfroHouse right now, from the community to the worldwide stage, are Telminho from Os Piluka—he influenced the dance a lot. Then there’s Septzilla, who’s more experimental with his footwork and vibe; he’s more underground, and I love that. You also have Marcio Moikano, Braulia, Selma—who’s big in the scene and teaching around the world. Vandro Poster and Manuel Kanza are from the old school, spreading knowledge and information globally, which is important. So the dance is definitely becoming more experimental, but that’s a good thing—dance has to change.
As for the future of AfroHouse, I see a very bright one—but everyone needs to work together. We, as dancers, are indirectly connected to producers and artists. If producers stop creating, there won’t be new dances, because we can’t only dance to old school tracks. If AfroHouse producers in Angola, Portugal, and worldwide stay inspired to make new music, then dancers will keep creating, and recording artists will stay inspired too. It’s a cycle. And of course, you also have the ecosystem of events—the festivals, which I organize myself. If AfroHouse stays present in these festivals, then the culture will stay alive. If any one of these factors breaks, it will be challenged. But right now, I believe the future of AfroHouse is very bright.
AFROCONEX: What have been some of your most memorable moments as a dancer and teaching artist over the years? And what advice would you give to dancers who want to follow in your footsteps?
WILLY NOIR: My most memorable moments as a dancer or teaching artist…hmmm…bro, one of the biggest ones is seeing dancers from all over the world—China, the USA, Brazil, South Africa, India, Russia—dancing to my music. I’m also an artist and producer, and every video they send me is different because they hear the music differently. That blew my mind, like wow, everyone hears music in their own way. It’s so crazy to share a piece of my style and then see people embrace it with both hands. It makes me want to do my best to keep the dance, the culture, the feeling, and the love I have for AfroHouse alive. AfroHouse gives me such a good feeling, and I want to pass that on to others too.
One of the most important pieces of advice I always give my students is: travel. I didn’t spend much time learning in school. My best teacher was travel—meeting people with the same mindset, people who wanted the same things as me and who wanted to create. If I don’t create, I feel depressed. Creators need that drive to keep making more, because there’s always something new to learn.
As a dancer and teacher, yes, you’re teaching—but you’re learning too. It never stops. Stay open to learning new things. You’re never too old to learn—that’s one of the main lessons I share with my students. And travel, because it will completely change your mind and your vision of the world. People might say, “Oh, it’s dangerous, if you go there you’ll die.” And then you go—and end up having the best time of your life.
AFROCONEX: Congratulations on starting your own dance camp, AfroDrip. Can you tell us more about the camp—what led you to create it, and what is your vision and goals for it?
WILLY NOIR: Thank you, brother, thank you. I started AfroDrip about five years ago because I wanted to share my dance with more people. At first, it was just AfroHouse with local artists from the Netherlands, but it grew into something much bigger. I later opened another camp, AfroJam, in Asia—and it’s going really well. The dancers there are so eager to learn.
AFROCONEX: On social media, we often only see the success stories, but rarely the challenges behind them. Can you share some of the obstacles you faced in putting together AfroDrip, and how you managed to overcome them?
WILLY NOIR: It was a tough road. Traveling around the world is very demanding, and setting up an event like AfroDrip is demanding too. When one problem comes, you solve it—and then another one comes, and you have to solve that too. It’s hard work. No sleep. Sleepless nights. Sometimes you go crazy and even end up fighting with people. But I think that’s part of the journey.
One of the hardest parts is trust. You work with people, and sometimes they want things done differently, or they try to take advantage of you. There are a lot of hardships that come with building something of your own. That’s why now I manage it alone. In the past, I worked with someone else, but it was too difficult, so I stopped. Managing it alone can also be challenging, but in the end, it pays off. And for me, consistency is key—it always helps.
AFROCONEX: AfroDrip takes place twice a year. Is there a difference in the offerings between the two editions? How is the camp structured, and what do you want students to take away from the experience?
WILLY NOIR: Yes, AfroDrip takes place twice a year in Amsterdam, and AfroJam also happens twice a year in Bangkok. The lineup is different between the two camps. For me, the most important aspect is the authenticity of the teachers. I really like to work with teachers who are from the culture, or who are very close to the culture.
Mostly, I reach out to colleagues and people I know from the dance scene—teachers who not only know how to teach, but who can also give students something they can carry with them for a long time. It’s not only about the steps. It’s also about culture, and about sharing information on life as a dancer.
AFROCONEX: Congratulations on expanding your camp into Asia! Why was the Asian market important for you, and how has Afro dance been received there?
WILLY NOIR: I’ve traveled around the world, and I’ve seen that the Asian dance community is really hungry to learn. When they commit to something, they go all in—and that’s the kind of energy I want. This energy is a little bit missing in Europe, but I found it in Asia, especially in places like the Philippines and Japan. The dancers there are so talented, and I was like, wow, what is going on out here? So I decided to open AfroJam in Asia, and it turned out to be a really good decision. The reception has been amazing.
I think Asian dancers are very respectful and have a strong work ethic, and I want them to get the information from the right source. Because the truth is, there are people in Asia who have never even met a Black person in their life, and yet they are teaching Afro. How can someone who hasn’t connected with the culture teach it? If I ask someone, what is Hip Hop? and they can’t answer, how can they teach it? I see a lot of this happening in Asia, so I wanted to bring them the authentic experience—so they can see what it really is.
AFROCONEX: What can students and fans look forward to from you in the future? For those who may feel nervous about attending AfroDrip, what advice would you give them? And finally—when can we expect to see Willy Noir in Angola?
WILLY NOIR: This year I’m focused on the two camps and on new music. I want to step back a little from teaching because I haven’t had much time for myself or to keep learning. I’m actually planning to go to Angola and South Africa, probably after the summer. I’m also focusing on new music and diving deeper into Kizomba and Semba. I love those styles, and I feel really drawn to them. So yes—Kizomba and Semba are the future for me.
My advice for anyone thinking about coming to the camp is simple: just come, put your dance shoes on, and enjoy. Don’t be nervous. The community will welcome you with love. We don’t judge and we don’t laugh at anyone—we just dance and enjoy. That’s what we’re here for. AfroDrip is about sharing what we love. It’s about giving and receiving through dance.
Here are some clips of Willy during the early years:
2016
2018
Willy In Asia:
Phillipines
Japan
Singapore
Vietnam
Thailand
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