Arts education classes

residency activities

Exploring dance, music, anthropology, African and Latin American studies, and ethnology through the music, movement and culture of Afro-Brazilians.

Samba dance class

Viver Brasil will conduct a samba class that includes the popular samba de roda [circle samba] and also include contemporary Bahian Carnival samba reggae and samba afro dances which blends samba, orixa dance movement, and homegrown movements created in the 1970s, celebrating Afro-Brazilian political and cultural strengths.

afro brazilian dance class

Class focuses on the traditional and contemporary Afro-Brazilian dances from the northeastern state of Bahia. Candomblé orixa dance movements and gestures provide the foundation of Afro-Brazilian dance vocabulary and the class will include elements of the Silvestre technique. Classes can also include folkloric dances and their call and response songs and samba de roda, Brazil’s most popular dance form; Bahian Carnival dances such as samba reggae and samba afro and afro- contemporary dances created in the 1970s celebrating Afro-Brazilian political and cultural strength and blending ritual, folkloric, technique and homegrown Bahian movements.

afro brazilian percussion class

Traditional Ketu and Angolan Candomblé rhythms with accompanying chants; variations of sambas and contemporary carnival rhythms such as samba reggae and samba afro. Instruments include: congas, djembes, surdos, repiniques, timbaus and pandeiros.

Dances of the African Diaspora and Contemporary Dance Techniques

Class in forms including Haitian and West African dance, Silvestre Technique, Dunham Technique, Lewitsky, and Hip-Hop. Viver Brasil company members are trained in an eclectic mix of traditional and contemporary dance techniques, embellishing their refined Afro-Brazilian dance technique.

capoeira class

Introduction to capoeira, Brazil’s martial art/dance form. Class emphasizes both Angola and regional styles of capoeira, introduces participants to the principal instrument of capoeira: the berimbau, and teaches them songs that accompany capoeira movement.

School Performances Suitable for Grades K-12 (study guide available)

Excerpts of current touring show. With narration for appropriate grade level, plus participatory dancing and drumming workshop on stage. School performances can include a post-performance talk with the company members, tailored to appropriate age level.

Long and short term residencies

Viver Brasil can also provide in-school, 3-10 day residencies. Viver Brasil’s team systematically interweave dance movement with mathematics (counting and geometry), critical thinking (problem solving), social studies (the cultural origins of Afro-Brazilian dance movement and music) and language arts (writing stories and poetry).

Pre and Post Performance Talks

Join Viver Brasil for a fascinating behind-the-scenes pre-performance discussion beginning one hour prior to each performance with Artistic directors, Linda Yudin and Luiz Badaró.

LECTURE ON AFRO BRAZILIAN DANCE AND MUSIC CULTURE

University level (Hand-out distributed including bibliography)

Class focuses on topics such as:

The role of the Candomblé orixá cosmology as artistic inspiration in Afro-Brazilian dance culture and performance.
History of Bahian Carnival from 1970-1990.
The development of new Afro-Brazilian dance and music forms such as samba reggae rising out of the Black Consciousness movement. With DVD examples.