Overview

Frevo, from the Portuguese word “ferver,” is an effervescent dance and music genre associated with the street carnivals of Recife, the capital of Brazil’s northeastern state of Pernambuco.

There are many styles of frevo dance, and our classes focus on street frevo. Educarte’s frevo dance classes are taught by Kate Spanos under the mentorship of Otávio Bastos (founder of Mexe Com Tudo) from Recife, Brazil. Mexe Com Tudo is a frevo dance group, methodology, and philosophy developed by Otávio with a focus on individual expression and challenging traditional aesthetic standards in dance. This approach to frevo welcomes everyone to dance in the ways that bring them the most pleasure.

See the videos below to get a sense of frevo during carnival in Recife and Olinda, a hilly colonial town outside of Recife.

Kate studied frevo dance in Recife through a postdoctoral Fulbright grant in 2018. She continues her study virtually through Mexe Com Tudo’s online program for students and teachers, as well as in-person in Maryland and the DMV.