Ikiaqqik Between Embraces and Ancestors: When the Arctic Meets the North of Brazil

Some songs don’t just play, they pass through you.
"Ikiaqqik (Levitating)", performed by Riit, is a spiritual and ancestral reimagining of the original song "Levitating" by Dua Lipa. In Inuktitut, ikiaqqik means “to travel through space and time.”
And that’s exactly what happened when I heard this version (not with my ears, but with my heart).
This song moved through me like Arctic wind cuts through white silence.
But I come from heat, from the forest, from the riverbanks.
From dances born of drums, from bare feet on warm ground, from the embrace of Lambada and Brazilian Zouk. And still (or maybe because of it) I recognized myself in it.
This remix is more than rhythm.
It is an act of reverence.
Reverence for a people who sing with their throats what we express with our bodies.
Who survive the ice just as we survive the jungle.
Who turn pain into art, cold into voice, memory into music.
Lambada and Brazilian Zouk were born of mixing: of struggle, joy, and resistance.
Just as Ikiaqqik blends the sacred with the electronic, the ancestral with the now.
In this remix, the Brazilian beat dances with the Inuit soul.
And in that meeting, there are no borders. Only honor.
This is my tribute.
To Riit, who carries her people’s strength in her voice.
To Dua Lipa, who created the original song that sparked this journey.
To the Canada Zouk Congress, on the eve of its 10th anniversary, for being a space of culture, celebration, and human connection.
And to all Indigenous peoples (of ice or of forest) who still dance as a way to exist.

Where I come from, to dance is to remember.
And to remember is to resist.

May this sonic bridge carry us forward, with love, rhythm, and deep respect.

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Ikiaqqik entre abraços e ancestrais: quando o Ártico encontra o Norte do Brasil

Algumas músicas não tocam apenas...atravessam.
"Ikiaqqik (Levitating)", interpretada por Riit, é uma releitura espiritual e ancestral da canção original “Levitating”, de Dua Lipa.
Na língua inuktitut, ikiaqqik significa “viajar através do espaço e do tempo”.
E foi exatamente isso que aconteceu quando ouvi essa versão — não com os ouvidos, mas com o coração.
Essa canção me cortou como o vento gelado do Ártico corta o silêncio branco.
Mas eu sou do calor, da floresta, da beira dos rios.
Sou das festas que nascem do tambor, dos pés descalços, do abraço apertado da Lambada e do Zouk Brasileiro.
E mesmo assim (ou talvez por isso) eu me reconheci.
Este remix não é só ritmo.
É um gesto de reverência.
Reverência a um povo que canta com a "garganta" o que nós dizemos com o corpo.
Que resiste no gelo como nós resistimos nas matas.
Que transforma a dor em arte, o frio em voz, a memória em música.
A Lambada e o Zouk Brasileiro nasceram da mistura: da dor, da alegria e da sobrevivência.
Assim como Ikiaqqik mistura o sagrado com o eletrônico, o ancestral com o agora.
Neste remix, o compasso brasileiro dança com a alma Inuit.
E nesse encontro, não há fronteiras. Só honra.
Esta é minha homenagem.
À Riit, que carrega na voz a força de seu povo.
À Dua Lipa, que criou a canção original que inspirou este movimento.
Ao Canada Zouk Congress, na véspera de seus 10 anos, por ser espaço de celebração, cultura e encontro.
E a todos os povos originários (do gelo ou da floresta) que ainda dançam como forma de existir.

De onde eu venho, dançar é lembrar.
E lembrar é resistir.

Que essa ponte sonora nos leve adiante com amor, ritmo e respeito.

Ikiaqqik (Levitating) - Riit - When the Arctic meets the North of Brazil (Remix DJ Raffro)

OneZouk: Liquid Emotion

Aniversário Lá na Dança

Mind Movement Magic 2025(Set 1 Thursday)

Sul in Zouk and Lambada - Domingo

One more Casa do Zouk to the account! A event with a special place in my heart for all it has done for the Brazilian Zouk scene in Australia and the world. This set was the last one on Saturday night, excited I got to play with all the feels <3   Enjoy!

Casa do Zouk 2025 - Closing set on Saturday Night

3. BACH’S REVENGE

I always say I’m not a big fan of closing parties, because I’m torn between two camps - the ones who want to hug and chill to end the night, and the ones who want to go wild and get completely worn out before heading home to rest.

This time, I had no plan and no clear vision for my set. Yet somehow, it turned out to be my favourite one of the whole event - the moment I felt the most natural behind the decks 😌

Since I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do, I started by doing what I usually do - following the vibe of the previous DJ to keep the transition smooth. Then it felt like the dancefloor was leaning towards a more chilled mood. But after a while, I felt we needed one last burst of energy before sliding fully into the huggy, emotional part. So I went for what I love most - energizing, well-known tracks that make you want to get up and dance (or sing, in Britney’s case 😅). After that, I eased into some more laid-back traditional tunes, leading towards a calm finish.

The result? A little surprise in the second half 🤣 something you wouldn’t normally expect from a closing set, but I loved it. Now it’s your turn to enjoy it too! 

Mind Movement Magic 2025(Set 1 Thursday)

DJ Tom

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