Zouk is a style of rhythmic music originating from the islands of Guadeloupe, Martinique, Haiti, and Dominica. Zouk means "party" or "festival" in the local creole of French with English influences. In Africa, it is popular in franco- and lusophone countries. In Europe it is particularly popular in France, and in North America the Canadian province of Quebec.

Origins
The zouk music style was adapted in the early 1980s when many different styles were fused, such as compas, balakadri, cadence and bal granmoun, mazurka and biguine, French and American pop, and kadans, gwo ka and other indigenous styles.

Kassav
The leading band to emerge from this period was the band Kassav' who came from Guadeloupe and Martinique. They gave the style a pan-Caribbean sound by taking elements from compas, reggae and salsa, and became the most famous Zouk band in the world. Kassav' was formed in 1979 by Pierre-Edouard Décimus, a long-time professional musician who worked with Freddy Marshall. Together, they decided to take carnival music and make it more modern and polished. With their first album, Love and Ka Dance (1979), "zouk" music was born. They continued to grow more popular, both as a group and with several members' solo careers, finally peaking in 1985 with Yélélé, which featured the international hit "Zouk la sé sèl médikaman nou ni."

With this hit, zouk rapidly became the most widespread dance craze to hit Latin American in some time, and was wildly popular even as far afield as Europe and Asia. Zouk became known for wildly theatrical concerts featuring special effects spectacles, colorful costumes and outrageous antics.

Other zouk musicians include Jocelyne Labylle from Guadeloupe.

Zouk-love
A special style within the zouk is called zouk-love, where the music is slower and more dramatic. Zouk-love has its origins in a slow tempo form of cadence sang by Ophelia Marie of Dominica. The music kizomba from Angola and Cola-zouk from Cape Verde are also a derivatives of zouk which sounds similar, although there are differences noticeable to those more familiar with these genres.

Popular zouk-love artists include French West Indian artists like Patrick Saint-Eloi the precursor of zouk love, Edith Lefel, Nichols, Harry Diboula or Haitian artists like Ayenn, Alan Cavé, and Daan Junior. Netherlands based Suzanna Lubrano and Gil Semedo, as well as African artist Philipe Monteiro e uma dança chata.

Zouk dancing
There are four ways to dance to zouk music:
1. Zouk Love (Original way)
1. French Caribbean way (Antilles/Haiti).
2. French-speaking Africa way.
2. Zouk-Lambada style. The Lambada dance (or an evolved version of Lambada) danced to Zouk rhythm music.
1. Brazilian zouk. A dance style evolved from Lambada and danced to Zouk rhythm music.
2. Lambazouk or Lambada. Lambada dance style (or a variation of it) danced to Zouk music.
3. Angolan Kizomba, and Cape Verdean Cola-zouk dance style. The music was developed directly from zouk.

Zouk in the Caribbean (Original way)
Caribbean zouk, is a dance performed in the Caribbean, most often in the islands of Haiti, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Dominica and St. Lucia. As merengue, it is danced basically by changing the weight from one leg to the other in the music, which many teachers of dance simply call the time. The choreography is simple and little elaborated.

The dance steps of Caribbean zouk dance style differ significantly from the Brazilian zouk-lambada dance style. In Caribbean zouk two steps are performed on the music ("1-2, 1-2, etc"), where in Brazilian zouk three steps are performed on the music ("1-3-4, 1-3-4, etc"). This changes the dynamics of the dance.

Zouk in Brazil
In Brazil, the zouk rhythm is used to dance a Brazilian style derived from the Lambada, however, with movements more suited to the music. The Lambada is usually very fast and frantic. Unlike that, the zouk in Brazil is often slow and sensual, enabling many steps and turns.

For a description of several (sometimes more individual) styles in zouk, see the lemma Zouk-Lambada.

Soulzouk
Soulzouk was created in 2005 by China a teacher from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Soulzouk, or zouk "freestyle" is a new way of dancing zouk that is from Brazil. More contemporary, it differs from traditional Brazilian Zouk by a new way to connect with the music. This way of dancing is not based only on the pace, but on the melody of the song, which means it can, not only be danced with zouk music but also with a variety of musical genres like rap or R 'n'B. The gentlemen leads not only his hands and arms, but also with his legs, shoulders and head.

Famous zouk artists and DJ's
* Kassav
* Exile One
* Francky Vincent
* St. Vincent
* Alan Cavé
* Face á Face
* Experience 7
* Eric Virgal
* Daan Junior
* Zouk Machine
* Dj iET
* Dj Double F
* DJ JAM
* Mafie Zouker
* Kaysha
* DJ John Gee
* Cyrielle
* Ali angel
* II Ways
* Marvin
* Princesse Lover
* Boss Tweed NYHC
* My Sister In 1994
* DJ O.K