EducArte

EducArte at Levine: Brazilian Bateria Samba Drumming Class
2024-03-14 18:30 - 20:00, 2024-03-07 18:30 - 20:00, 2024-02-29 18:30 - 20:00, 2024-02-22 18:30 - 20:00, 2024-02-15 18:30 - 20:00, 2024-02-08 18:30 - 20:00, 2024-02-01 18:30 - 20:00, 2024-01-25 18:30 - 20:00 (America/New_York) and 1 more date | Levine Music (Silver Spring campus), 900 Wayne Ave 2nd floor, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, United States
Have you been mesmerized by the energy and cohesion of the carnival street percussion groups of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil? Join this weekly Brazilian bateria class to learn the fundamentals of samba percussion technique and repertoire. A bateria is the percussion ensemble driving the groove of the whole samba band.
EducArte’s percussion director and Rio de Janeiro native André Coelho leads the bateria classes. André has played in many carnival groups, such as Carmelitas, Céu na Terra, Cacique de Ramos, Orquestra Voadora, Prata Preta, and Tá Pirando. Classes are also taught by Levine faculty member Christopher Payne, a multi-faceted drummer and percussionist who fuses ethnic hand percussion, orchestral percussion, and drum set to create music across a multitude of genres.
EducArte at Levine welcomes all levels, from beginners to advanced, semi-professionals, and music teachers. No auditions are required. The bateria class meets for 1.5 hours a week to work on technique and repertoire and to rehearse for group performances. All students will have the opportunity to perform periodically if they choose to.
Please see our online bateria demonstration videos here.
Semester tuition and drop-in classes available. Register for the semester ($325) on Levine’s website or purchase a $20 drop-in at the door.
Scholarships are also available to students. Please fill out this form to be considered for a scholarship.
Questions about payments or registration? Contact Levine student services at sservices@levinemusic.org or (202) 686.8000.

EducArte at Levine: Brazilian Samba Dance Class
2024-03-07 20:00 - 21:00, 2024-02-29 20:00 - 21:00, 2024-02-22 20:00 - 21:00, 2024-02-15 20:00 - 21:00, 2024-02-08 20:00 - 21:00, 2024-02-01 20:00 - 21:00, 2024-01-25 20:00 - 21:00, 2024-01-18 20:00 - 21:00 | Levine Music (Silver Spring campus), 900 Wayne Ave 2nd floor, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, United States
Samba is one of Brazil’s most recognized dance styles, full of energy and charisma! Join this weekly in-person samba dance class, which builds up the fundamentals of technique and groove, including samba steps, body isolations, and hip work. This class will prepare you to perform samba with a live music ensemble.
Ilheuma Zezeh is a renowned Brazilian samba teacher, choreographer, and professional performer. Originally from São Paulo, Brazil, Zezeh is a former carnival queen of the Unidos do Peruche samba school located in São Paulo. She has taught and danced professionally for over 30 years in a number of countries including Brazil, the United States, and elsewhere. Zezeh’s teaching philosophy explores mental and physical well-being, self expression, and positivity.
EducArte at Levine welcomes all levels, from beginners to advanced, semi-professionals, and dance instructors. No auditions required. The dance class meets for 1 hour a week to work on technique, repertoire, and performance. All students will have the opportunity to perform periodically with the EducArte at Levine percussion ensemble, if they choose to.
Semester tuition and drop-ins classes available. Register for the semester ($250) on Levine’s websiteor purchase a $20 drop-in at the door.
Scholarships are also available to students. Please fill out this form to be considered for a scholarship.
Questions about payments or registration? Contact Levine student services at sservices@levinemusic.org or (202) 686.8000.

Viva Brasil! Carnival Dance Party at Creative Alliance
2024-03-02 20:00 - 23:00 | Creative Alliance, The Patterson Building, 3134 Eastern Avenue,, Baltimore, MD, 21224, United States
Creative Alliance’s annual mid-winter Carnival celebration is back, featuring concerts, dancers, capoeira, and more! Carnival dates back to the 1600s and is a celebration of Brazilian life and culture.
Celebrating 10 years of Viva Brasil! Presented in association with EducArte
Pablo’s Baile featuring JP Silva (samba and forró)
Get your groove on with a fantastic group of musicians playing delicious samba and forró music! Move and sing to the songs of beloved Brazilian artists like Seu Jorge, Djavan, Zeca Pagodinho, Alcione, Diogo Nogueira, Jorge Ben, Luiz Gonzaga, Dominguinhos, Falamansa, Chiclete com Banana, and more.
Samba Trovão
Samba Trovão is a Samba reggae percussion group in the traditional style of the Bloco Afros from Brazil. They have been in the Washington, DC, area since 2004, developing programs, workshops, and projects for children and adults interested in the African roots of Brazilian culture. Their sound comes from Bahia, a northeast state of Brazil. ​Samba reggae is a percussive style that characterizes, in conceptual terms, the glorification of Blacks and, in musical terms, the re-foundation of sounds of Afro-Americans. The rhythm was drawn from the dialogue between percussion instruments and vocals. Samba reggae comes together in drums with surdos, repiniques, timbal, and more. The rhythm has been designed with core elements—a band formed by various kinds of drums, where each performer enhances their instruments, the choreography of the drummers, and the themes of the songs that plunge into the joys and pitfalls of the world community.
Rose Moraes
Singer and poet Rose Moraes brings the soul of Brazilian music to the world. Born in the south of Brazil near Sao Paulo, she has performed in Switzerland, Poland, Brazil, and the US, where she now resides. She recorded her first album, Brejeira and launched her show enCANTO do Poema (enchantment of poetry), which is presented in many capitals in Brazil. In the US, she has opened for Diana Ross at BET’s Walk of Fame in Washington, DC, and performed at The Library of Congress, The Chamber of Commerce (Brazil-USA), The National Zoo, Adams Morgan Day Festival, Artscape (Baltimore), Zinc Bar, and The Iridium. She performed in Roots of Brazil and Tribute to Antonio Carlos Jobim at Creative Alliance in Baltimore. She has also opened for Thievery Corporation at Eighteenth Street Lounge in Washington, DC, with her band, Soul Brazil.

Viva Brasil!: Samba dance workshop
2024-03-02 15:30 - 16:30 | The Creativity Center, 3139 Eastern Avenue, Baltimore, MD, 21224, United States
Learn samba from Ilheuma Zezeh, Brazilian dancer, teacher, choreographer, performer, and healer from São Paulo, with a mission to bring more joy to the world through art. Ilheuma Zezeh will demonstrate and teach the basics of samba dance.
Details
Where: Creativity Center, 3137 Eastern Ave. Baltimore MD 21224
When: MAR 2 | 3:30-4:30PM
Age Range: 12+
Cost: $15 standard, $12 members
Materials: Dance, character shoes, or bare feet in dance studio (no street shoes permitted)
Please arrive 10 minutes before the start of class!
Instructor Bio
Zezeh is a Washington, DC, based dancer, teacher, choreographer, and professional performer of Brazilian samba, and she is the founder of ZEZEH BRAZIL Dance Troupe. Originally from São Paulo, Zezeh is a former carnival queen of the Unidos do Peruche samba school located in São Paulo. She has taught and danced professionally for over 15 years in a number of countries including Brazil, the United States, and elsewhere. In 2009, she formed ZEZEH BRAZIL, a dance troupe dedicated to bringing the great beauty, diversity, and vibrancy of Brazilian culture to the United States. ZEZEH BRAZIL performs a number of styles of Brazilian dance—from traditional samba de roda movements of Bahia to the Afro-influenced pulsing samba reggae rhythms of Pelourinho, to the intoxicating carnival batucada styles of Rio de Janeiro.

Viva Brasil!: Frevo dance workshop
2024-03-02 14:00 - 15:00 | The Creativity Center, 3139 Eastern Avenue, Baltimore, MD, 21224, United States
Learn the basics of Recife’s carnival dance, frevo! Frevo (from the Portuguese word ferver, meaning “to boil”) is an effervescent dance and music genre associated with the street carnivals of Recife, the capital of Brasil’s northeastern state of Pernambuco. There are many styles of frevo dance, and our classes focus on street frevo. Dancer and scholar Kate Spanos will demonstrate and teach this fun, high-energy dance using the methodology of Mexe Com Tudo (Otávio Bastos) of Recife, which highlights individual expression and challenges traditional aesthetic standards in dance. This approach to frevo welcomes everyone to dance in the ways that bring them the most pleasure.
Details
Where: Creativity Center, 3137 Eastern Ave. Baltimore MD 21224
When: MAR 2 | 2-3PM
Age Range: 12+
Cost: $15 standard, $12 members
Materials: Dance sneakers or bare feet in dance studio (no street shoes permitted)
Instructor Bio
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.

Viva Brasil! Bossa Nova Night with Marcos Ariel at Creative Alliance
2024-03-01 19:30 - 21:30 | Creative Alliance, The Patterson Building, 3134 Eastern Avenue,, Baltimore, MD, 21224, United States
To mark the 10th anniversary, Viva Brasil! expands to a weekend celebration of Brazilian culture! Tonight we celebrate the sound of sunshine! In Brazil, the word bossa is old-fashioned slang for something done with particular charm, natural flair, or innate ability. When it comes to Brazilian music, the first song that might come to mind is “The Girl From Ipanema” penned by songwriter Antônio Carlos Jobim and performed by singer Astrud Gilberto, guitarist João Gilberto, and saxophonist Stan Getz. That song is a flagship in the Brazilian genre bossanova, which translates to “new style” or “new trend.” It emerged in the 1950s and 60s combining elements of samba—a popular music genre in Brazil—with American jazz traditions. We celebrate the great legacy of bossanova this evening, with a debut performance of renowned Brazilian pianist, Marcos Ariel.
Artist Bio
Since the 1970s, Marcos Ariel has dedicated himself to Brazilian instrumental music and jazz, reaching international status throughout the next decade. Ariel studied classical music in his childhood and later took an interest in jazz, including greats like Hermeto Pascoal and Chick Corea. He formed his first band, Grupo Usina, in 1978. His debut album, Bambu, was released in Brazil and France. In Brazil, it was awarded with the Chiquinha Gonzaga prize in 1983. In 1986, Ariel participated in São Paulo’s Free Jazz Festival, and in the next year, along with his participation in Rio’s edition of the same festival, he recorded the memorable Banda Zil with Ricardo Silveira, Zé Renato, and others. But it was Terra do Índio (1988) that projected him in the U.S., a country in which Ariel has been performing regularly ever since.
Nascido em fevereiro durante o Carnaval do Rio, Marcos Ariel tem a típica alma carioca. Esse fato foi fundamental para sua formação profissional: o estilo do músico sempre foi definido pelos críticos como “puramente carioca”. A partir disso, Marcos Ariel teve a ideia para a gravação de seu trigésimo disco, o EP Soul Carioca, um projeto que contou com o apoio de colaboradores através da plataforma Embolacha.

Capoeira demonstration (private event)
2024-02-23 10:00 - 11:00 | MD
Private event. Want to hire us to perform or teach a workshops? Contact us.

Choro performance featuring Pablo Regis and Felipe Garibaldi
2024-02-21 19:30 - 21:00 | Earl and Darielle Linehan Concert Hall (University of Maryland Baltimore County), 1000 Hilltop Cir, Baltimore, MD, 21250, United States
Join us for a special performance of choro, Brazil’s first native music, featuring musicians Pablo Regis (cavaquinho), Felipe Garibaldi (guitar), Andy Connell (saxophone & clarinet), and André Coelho (percussion). Choro is the foundation of globally popular Brazilian music genres like bossa nova, samba, Brazilian jazz, and more. The performance will focus on repertoire from Brazilian musical traditions alongside contemporary innovations by some of Brazil’s most renowned musicians and composers.

Abbie Palmer & Agi Kovacs, Irish Harp & Dance Duo
2024-02-09 20:00 - 22:00 | Brentwood Arts Exchange, 3901 Rhode Island Ave, Brentwood, MD, 20722, United States
Harpist/singer/songwriter Abbie Palmer and dancer/percussive noise maker Agi Kovacs are the new dynamic duo on the Celtic music scene. Pairing percussive dance and cajón with the harp, they create a unique sound that allows them and the listeners to connect and explore music together. This unique sound and interpretation is a show not to be missed.

Use ticket code BAE-SPEC-GA-20240209 when ordering online.
Presented by Brentwood Arts Exchange and EducArte.

Music From The Sole: I Didn't Come to Stay at The Clarice
2024-02-08 19:30 - 21:30 | The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, College Park, MD, 20742, United States
A tap dance and live music company that blurs the line between concert dance and music performance, Music From The Sole celebrates tap’s roots in the African diaspora, particularly its connections to Afro-Brazilian dance and music and its lineage to forms like house dance and passinho (Brazilian funk). The New Yorker notes that the group’s “dancers, whose bodies also provide percussion, are in a constant give-and-take with musicians on piano, sax and bass. The feeling is that of being at a family reunion, in which every family member has something to say.”
Tap, percussive dance, samba, house and live music come together in I Didn’t Come to Stay. The work explores tap’s lineage and connections to other Afro-diasporic forms. Together, the ensemble embraces shared roots across the diaspora to reflect on what shapes their cultural and artistic identity and to celebrate the joy, depth and virtuosity of Black dance and music.
Led by Brazilian choreographer Leonardo Sandoval and composer Gregory Richardson, Music from the Sole’s work embraces tap’s unique nature as a blend of sound and movement, incorporating wide-ranging influences like samba, passinho, Afro-Cuban, jazz and house.
I Didn’t Come to Stay is a commission from Works & Process at the Guggenheim and was created with the support of a summer 2020 Works & Process bubble residency at Kaatsbaan Cultural Park, as well as residency support in March 2021 from The Yard, an April 2021 Pillow Lab residency at Jacob’s Pillow, a February 2022 Creative residency at Chelsea Factory, and a March 2022 Works & Process LaunchPAD “Process as Destination” residency at Catskill Mountain Foundation. Additional rehearsal support was provided by the American Tap Dance Foundation.
FUNDING
This presentation of Music From the Sole is made possible by the New England Foundation for the Arts’ National Dance Project, with lead funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and the Mellon Foundation. The performance is also supported in part by the Maryland State Arts Council and The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation. I Didn’t Come to Stay is a commission from Works & Process at the Guggenheim.
Co-presented by The Clarice and EducArte.

Percussive Dance Workshop with Music from the Sole
2024-02-05 19:30 - 21:00 | Dance Place – Edgewood Arts Center, 3415 8th St NE, Washington, DC, 20017, United States
Join us for a special Afro-Brazilian and percussive dance community engagement event with Music from the Sole on Monday, February 5 at 7:30 PM at Dance Place in Brookland, Washington DC!
Ahead of their performance at The Clarice on Thursday, February 8, Music from the Sole company members will offer a rhythm-focused movement workshop for DC’s capoeira and percussive dance communities. They will work with participants to explore Afro-Brazilian rhythms in samba, capoeira, Brazilian funk, jazz, and more through body movement and percussion. Don’t miss this exciting opportunity for cultural exchange with Brazilian movement and rhythm specialists!
A co-presentation of The Clarice and EducArte, the community workshop takes place on Monday, February 5 at 7:30 p.m. at Dance Place’s Edgewood Arts Center at 3415 8th Street NE, Washington, DC, 20017.
Space is limited; free registration is required at www.educarteinc.org/tapcap.
About Music from the Sole
A tap dance and live music company that blurs the line between concert dance and music performance, Music From The Sole celebrates tap’s roots in the African diaspora, particularly its connections to Afro-Brazilian dance and music and its lineage to forms like house dance and passinho (Brazilian funk). The New Yorker notes that the group’s “dancers, whose bodies also provide percussion, are in a constant give-and-take with musicians on piano, sax and bass. The feeling is that of being at a family reunion, in which every family member has something to say.”
Led by Brazilian choreographer Leonardo Sandoval and composer Gregory Richardson, Music from the Sole’s work embraces tap’s unique nature as a blend of sound and movement, incorporating wide-ranging influences like samba, passinho, Afro-Cuban, jazz and house.

Frevo + Brazilian carnival dance classes at The REACH at the Kennedy Center
2024-01-27 10:30 - 15:00 | Kennedy Center, 2700 F St NW, Washington, DC, 20566, United States
Esquenta de Carnaval – Warm up for Brazilian Carnaval
Join the Brazilian—American Cultural Center (bacc dc.org) in this warmup for February’s Carnaval! Whether you are going to Carnaval or not this is a fun opportunity to immerse yourselves in the dances of Brazilian Carnaval. Through dance we will make a journey from the north to the south of Brazil exploring the signature dances of Carnaval. We start in Recife, a city in the Northeast of Brazil with frevo, the highly energetic dance that features the signature multi colored umbrella. Next stop is Salvador da Bahia where we will explore Dança Afro—the dance of the Bahian Carnaval Afro-Blocos like Olodum and Ilê Aiyê. Our final stop is Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, known for their Carnaval parades that feature samba. As a big treat, DC’s own Vava United Samba School, in residence at the Brazilian—American Cultural Center, will play live both for the samba class and the final post class roundup.
Frevo
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Instructor: Kate Spanos
Dance frevo and experience Recife’s effervescent and high-energy street carnival! Kate Spanos of EducArte will teach you easy and fun frevo steps with a focus on musicality and improvisation. Using the Mexe Com Tudo frevo teaching method, this class is designed for beginners. Wear comfortable shoes. All ages and experience levels are welcome!
Dança Afro
11:45 AM – 12:45 PM
Instructor: Flávia Nascimento
Afro-Brazilian Dance is a rhythmic embodiment of African oral traditions. It expresses ritual drama and homage to the gods and to nature. The classes incorporate Orixás, Samba de Roda, Samba Reggae,Samba Afro. Afro Brazilian -Contemporary and exposure to Brazilian culture and a means of self-expression and physical exercise. The Afro Brazilian Dance also highlights the day to day experience African people’s lives, representing moments such as harvesting, cutting cane, preparing flour, and hunting; or rites and traditions such as the arrival of a king, the crowning of a leader, and death. Agility and release of head, shoulders, arms, torso and hips are common points of movements that range in intensity of energy, slowness and sensuality. Knees bent and feet strongly beating time show the connection to the land. Participants may dance without shoes.
Rio Style Samba
1:00 – 2:00 PM
Instructor: Dee Hale
Samba is an energetic Brazilian dance that is recognized around the world from Rio de Janeiro to Washington DC. This class will be geared toward beginners but can be enjoyed by all levels. We will cover the basic steps of samba for the less experienced; while more advanced dancers can explore variations to help them dive into their samba. Foundational footwork, hip work, and arm movements will be covered, and we’ll make some fun combinations of movements. We work at varying musical tempos, some fast and some slower. Samba helps to lift stamina, improve coordination, and give participants a way to explore Brazilian culture through music. More experienced dancers can also increase the variety of movements they play with during samba. There is no partnering in this technique. Samba is a social dance made to share with others so let’s have fun together.
Carnaval Roundup!
2:00 – 3:00 PM
Carnaval roundup—join the Carnaval party! Vava United School of Samba will bring Rio style Carnaval to us live so that you can practice your moves. There will also be a Bahian touch with Afro bloco rhythms. Join the fun!

Holiday performance (private event)
2023-12-24 16:00 - 20:00 | MD
Private event. Want to hire us to perform or teach a workshop? Contact us.

Pablo's Baile at Bossa Bistro
2023-12-21 21:00 - 23:30 | Bossa Bistro, 2463 18th Street NW, Washington, DC, 20009, United States
Pablo Regis
Pablo’s Baile happens every month at Bossa Bistro! An electrifying mix of percussion, passion, and Brazilian Portuguese, Pablo’s Baile showcases the best of live Brazilian dance music, including samba and forró.
The evening will start with a samba dance class with Ilheuma Zezeh (downstairs) at 9PM. Live music by Pablo’s Baile will start at 10PM.
Pablo’s Baile was featured in Washington City Paper! Check it out: City Lights—Pablo’s Baile Brings Brazil to Adams Morgan.
$10 at the door

Brazilian Carnival Dance Class: Frevo & Samba
2023-12-16 13:00 - 15:00 | Old Parish House of College Park, 4711 Knox Rd, College Park, MD, 20740, United States
Join us for our two-part Brazilian carnival dance class, featuring frevo and samba! You are welcome to come to one or both parts. Also, stay for our bateria (samba percussion ensemble) rehearsal with André Coelho at 3PM! This event is open to the public. All levels are welcome to participate.
Frevo with Kate: 1-2PM
Learn the basics of Recife’s carnival dance, frevo! Dancer and dance scholar Kate Spanos will demonstrate and teach frevo dance using the methodology of Mexe Com Tudo (Otávio Bastos) of Recife. Learn more about frevo and Mexe Com Tudo here.
Samba with Ilheuma Zezeh: 2-3PM
Learn samba from Ilheuma Zezeh, Brazilian dancer, teacher, choreographer, performer, and healer from São Paulo with a mission to bring more joy to the world through art. Ilheuma will demonstrate and teach the basics of samba dance.
Registration for the full semester of lessons (9 total) is $120. Scholarships are available to those for whom cost is prohibitive (contact us for more information).
$20 drop-ins are also available.

The event is a program of College Park-based arts non-profit EducArte. Special thanks to our event sponsor, the College Park Arts Exchange.
