BUILT FROM
PASSION. SHAPED
BY THE JOURNEY.
KIZBB was not created because the journey was easy. It was created because the journey revealed what was missing — and what could be better.
From Street Dance to Ballroom — And Beyond.
KIZBB was founded by Waylon Hallett with a simple but ambitious purpose: to raise the standard of Kizomba in Barbados, strengthen its visibility, and give dancers access to the kind of instruction, development and international exposure that can take them beyond simply learning steps.
But KIZBB did not begin with a lifelong plan to teach dance.
Waylon’s journey into Kizomba was anything but predictable.
As a teenager, his first experiences with dance came through hip-hop and street dance. Years later, almost by chance, he entered the world of Latin ballroom for a year and a half, training in dances including Cha Cha, Rumba, Samba and Jive.
What initially began as something to pass the time quickly became a lesson in discipline, structure and technique.
After placing third in his first competition, Waylon went on to win his category at a major Latin ballroom competition at the Wildey Gymnasium, competing against more than a dozen couples.
He eventually stepped away from ballroom, but the technical foundation it created would later prove invaluable.
1st Place
Latin Ballroom Competition
Wildey Gymnasium
Not the Dance He Set Out to Learn.
Ironically, Kizomba was not even the dance Waylon originally set out to learn.
Attempts to pursue other styles, including Bachata, repeatedly led to dead ends because the specific styles he wanted to study were simply not available locally at the time.
Then came Kizomba.
The music immediately felt different.
Its connection to R&B, Hip-Hop, Reggae and Afro-influenced rhythms felt familiar. The movement felt closer to the musical culture he already understood.
But learning it was far from easy.
“During his first year, Waylon quit Kizomba twice.”
Despite giving everything he had, months into training he still felt unable to dance an entire song at the standard he expected of himself.
He returned, quit again, and eventually decided to give it one final attempt.
That decision changed everything.
The Breakthrough Came Through International Instruction.
Working with an experienced international instructor gave Waylon access to the technical clarity, structure and understanding he had been missing.
Suddenly, the dance began to make sense.
The fundamentals became clearer. Progress accelerated. Technique improved. Musicality deepened. What once felt frustrating became something he could finally understand rather than simply imitate.
That experience became one of the foundations of KIZBB.
Sometimes a dancer does not need more effort.
They need the right information, the right structure and the right guidance.
More Than Patterns to Memorise.
KIZBB was created to provide dancers with another avenue for learning — particularly those who want to go deeper.
Our mission has always been to raise the standard of Kizomba in Barbados through stronger technique, authentic instruction, international development and meaningful exposure to the wider Kizomba community.
We believe dancers deserve more than patterns to memorise.
TECHNIQUE · RHYTHM · CONNECTION · MUSICALITY · CULTURE · FLAVOUR
The goal is not to diminish what came before KIZBB.
It is to contribute something additional — the kind of structure, relevance and international perspective that helped transform Waylon’s own development as a dancer.
A Pursuit That Continues.
Once the pieces came together, Waylon’s development accelerated rapidly.
He progressed from struggling with the fundamentals to developing strong intermediate and advanced skills, teaching, travelling internationally, training privately with respected instructors and immersing himself in Kizomba communities beyond Barbados.
What began as something casual eventually became a serious pursuit.
Today, that pursuit continues.
There is no point at which KIZBB considers the learning finished. Technique is still refined. New ideas are still explored. International teachers are still sought out. Festivals are still approached as opportunities to train, observe and develop.
The Standard Continues to Move — So We Continue to Move With It.
Built to Endure.
KIZBB began with four key members united by a shared enthusiasm for a new vision of Kizomba in Barbados.
As the organisation evolved, so did life. With each member carrying significant professional and personal responsibilities, it became increasingly difficult for everyone to remain involved at the same level they had been in the beginning.
Their support, however, never disappeared.
KIZBB’s original members continued to contribute where they could, offer support when called upon, and remain part of the foundation that helped the organisation become what it is today.
For founder Waylon Hallett, however, stepping away was never really an option.
The vision had to keep moving.
That meant continuing to teach, train, travel, organise events, develop internationally, manage the marketing and carry the day-to-day responsibility of pushing KIZBB forward.
In many ways, that journey became another reflection of what KIZBB represents:
Passion when it is easy. Commitment when it is not. And the determination to keep building when circumstances change.
KIZBB’s progress belongs not only to the work that continues today, but also to the people who helped lay its foundation.
That contribution remains part of the story — and it is respected.
Five Principles That Shape Everything.
PASSION
Not simply enthusiasm for dance, but a genuine desire to understand it, experience it and share it properly.
DISCIPLINE
Progress requires more than talent. It requires repetition, correction, patience and the willingness to keep learning.
COMMITMENT
KIZBB's progress has been built through consistent work — teaching, training, travelling, organising, studying and continuing even when doing so required sacrifice.
AUTHENTICITY
We respect the dance enough to keep learning before teaching. We believe instructors should understand the technique, rhythm, culture and character behind what they pass on to their students.
GROWTH
There is always another level. KIZBB does not view certification, experience or accomplishment as the finish line. They are simply part of an ongoing process of development.
To raise the standard, visibility and international relevance of Kizomba in Barbados — while giving dancers access to authentic, technically sound and globally informed instruction.
We want dancers in Barbados to have access to the kind of knowledge and development that once required leaving the island to find.
And we want dancers trained here to feel confident wherever Kizomba takes them.
What began as something to pass the time became a passion.
What began as a struggle became a standard.
And what began as one dancer’s search for better instruction became KIZBB.
© 2026 KIZBB · BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS