Casa da Cultura Brasileira EducArte was thrilled to welcome samba artist and teacher Pablo Guerreiro to DC this past weekend for a wonderful series of workshops and private lessons. Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped create such an engaged, energized learning community.
Our opening workshop on the orixá origins of samba was especially meaningful. We explored how the qualities and characteristic movements associated with different orixás are woven into samba and its many styles. Seeing these connections gave us a deeper appreciation for samba’s Afro-Brazilian roots, cultural memory, and expressive power. The second workshop focused on samba no pé and continued this throughline by showing how contemporary movements are rooted in the Afro-Brazilian tradition. We were given more tools for finding more playfulness and ease in our dancing, whether we are performing Carnival-style samba or enjoying pagode with our friends.
Pablo brought exceptional storytelling to every class—through both his words and his movement. With the fluency of a true master, he demonstrated diverse dance styles with ease while offering attentive, individualized feedback to help each participant grow.
We are grateful to Pablo for sharing his knowledge and artistry, and we are excited to have begun this relationship. We look forward to welcoming him back to DC soon!