Lets kick start the year with the first rehearsals for Maracatu and Samba Reggae, start 2011 with a bang!

On Sunday 30th January 2011, two Carnival Groups based in London: Maracatu Estrela do Norte and Bloco-Afro ERI OKAN, will be hosting open workshops at Rich Mix 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London E1 6LA Map. The classes will be in traditional drumming and dancing from the North East of Brazil, in preparation for Notting Hill Carnival 2011.

These classes are part of a series of monthly sessions that finish in August 2011.
Participation in the workshops does not oblige anyone to take part in the Notting Hill Carnival, and likewise, if there are people who would like to take part in carnival but cannot make all the sessions, that’s OK too!

Drumming
1pm – 3pm – Maracatu drumming
3.30pm – 5.30pm – Samba Reggae drumming

Dance
1pm – 2.30pm- Maracatu dance THERE WILL BE NO MARACATU DANCE LESSON DUE TO TEACHER SHORTAGE.
3.30pm-5pm – Afro Brazilian dance

Classes are £6 each. (£10 for two, if also participating in another class on the same day)

Then…
Umbela Arts Presents…FESTA UMBELA!

Kicking off from 7.30pm, Umbela Arts host their regular residency; an entertainment filled evening which is totally FREE!

Our DJ’s will bring you the best in African, Brazilian and World Music. You will not be able to stop yourself from dancing!!

Wait, there is more!

Dance performances to live drumming to amaze you and get your senses overflowing, and guess what, we haven’t stopped there, as there will also be live music from two of London’s finest Brazilian bands bringing roots music from North East Brazil to dazzle you!

Come to RICH MIX Cultural Foundation and party the night away with us!

REMEMBER IT’S FREE, BRING YOUR FRIENDS!

Links
Irineu Nogueira
Maracatu Estrela do Norte
ERI OKAN
RICH MIX

Websites
www.irineunogueira.com
www.maracatu.co.uk
www.myspace.com/eriokan
www.richmix.org.uk

Hope you are all well and getting into the swing of 2011!! We have our rehearsals taking place this coming Sunday which we’d love for you to take part in! Come down to Rich Mix, we’d love to see you!

Please see the link below!
xx

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=198013476878669

Drums are provided, and all levels welcome, from absolute beginners to  experienced players. Any serious djembe, timba or conga players are encouraged to bring their instrument.

Cost: For those wishing to pursue this on a regular basis Eri Okan (in association with Umbela Arts) offer a £20 / month rate, which includes entry to Samba Reggae percussion lessons every Monday at the same venue, and also monthly Carnival rehearsal sessions at the Rich Mix Cultural Foundation.

For those wanting to just pop in there is a charge of £6.

Extras:
Immediately following the class, the Maracatu Estrela do Norte band will be rehearsing. Feel free to hang around and soak up the vibe. Once you’ve got the hang of it it is quite possible that you can be invited to take part and fill in when a band member does not turn up!

Maracatu Estrela do Norte are a London-based group playing music from the Pernambuco region of northeast Brazil. We play Maracatu de Baque Virado – a vibrant style of music that dates back hundreds of years and is rooted in Afro-Brazilian culture.

Maracatu is powered by the alfaia (bass drum) whose powerful and syncopated rhythms punctuate the beat of the caixa (snare drum), gongue (cowbell), and abé (shaker). It’s music that goes straight to the soul!

As well as learning songs and drumming rhythms, you’ll discover the rich cultural mix of African, indigenous and European influences that is at the heart of Maracatu.

Everyone is welcome to join our singing, dancing and drumming workshops, no matter what experience you have (or don’t have!)

Teacher:
Sam Alexander is a pioneer in the UK samba world. In the late 80′s he joined the London School of Samba in their first year and co-founded several early UK samba groups, including Bristol School of Samba and Samba Galez. He lived in North-East Brazil in the early 90′s where he performed and recorded with Maracatu Naçao Pernambuco and Oludum, and has since worked as a musician and educator and is a driving force in North-Eastern Brazilian roots music and dance in the UK and Europe.

Contact event organisers on the following email address:
umbela.arts@gmail.com

Drums are provided, and all levels welcome, from absolute beginners to  experienced players. Any serious djembe, timba or conga players are encouraged to bring their instrument.

Cost: For those wishing to pursue this on a regular basis Eri Okan (in association with Umbela Arts) offer a £20 / month rate, which includes entry to Maracatu percussion courses every Tuesday at the same venue, and also monthly Carnival rehearsal sessions at the Rich Mix Cultural Foundation.

For those wanting to just pop in there is a charge of £6.

Extras:
Immediately following the class, the Eri Okan band will be rehearsing. Feel free to hang around and soak up the vibe. Once you’ve got the hang of it it is quite possible that you can be invited to take part and fill in when a band member does not turn up!

Banda-Afro Eri-Okan have been performing since 2003. Clubs, festivals, street parties and special events. Since 2004, the 30 piece street ensemble Bloco-Afro Eri Okan have paraded at the Notting Hill Carnival every year.

“A vida anda, e com cada paso a gente aprende e luta para um mundo mais justo”.

www.myspace.com/eriokan

Information:
umbela.arts@gmail.com

Workshops continue on a Tuesday 7pm – 10pm (and still cost a fiver!), but the new location is here:

View Larger Map

Address:
Ice Father Nation
33-35 Commercial Rd
London
E1 1LD

Nearest tube stations:
5 minutes from Aldgate East (Hammersmith & City, District)
7 minutes from Aldgate (Circle, Metropolitan)
10 minutes from Whitechapel (H&C, District, East London Line)

FESTA UMBELA

On Sunday 28^th November 2010, two Carnival Groups based in London: Maracatu Estrela do Norte and Bloco-Afro ERI OKAN, will be hosting open workshops at Ice Father Nation, Assam Street, London E1 1LD map. The classes will be in traditional drumming and dancing from the North East of Brazil, in preparation for Notting Hill Carnival 2011.

These classes are part of a series of monthly sessions that finish in August 2011. Participation in the workshops does not oblige anyone to take part in the Notting Hill Carnival, and likewise, if there are people who would like to take part in carnival but cannot make all the sessions, that’s OK too!

1pm-3pm Maracatu Estrela do Norte drumming workshop with Sam Alexander

1pm-2.30pm              Maracatu dance class with Alba Cabral

3.30pm-5.30pm Bloco-Afro ERI OKAN drumming workshop with Sam Alexander

3pm-5pm                   Afro Brazilian dance class with Irineu Nogueira 

Classes are £6 each. (£10 for two, if also participating in another class on the same day)

This month will also see the first of many club nights hosted by Umbela Arts from 8pm with DJs and live performances. Featuring Maracatu Estrela do Norte, ERI OKAN with Xavier Osmir and a special dance performance from Irineu Nogueira and Friends. This event will take place in Rich Mix 35-47 Bethnal Green Rd, London E1 6LA. From 7pm.

UpRise anti-racism festival, Finsbury Park, Sunday 3rd October.  FREE ENTRY!

Some clips from Notting Hill Carnival 2010, featuring members of Maracatu Estrela do Norte, Eri Okan, Umbela Brasil. More to follow as we get it…

Warming up (note: only first 30 seconds is maracatu, the rest following is samba-reagga)

On the streets 1 (note: this is samba reggae rather than maracatu)

Also:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S669N-fNpLw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXrQePyT00c

These sessions will be held at Waterloo Action Centre, 14 Baylis Road Waterloo, London SE1 7AA.

Maracatu Estrela do Norte – 2pm – 4pm
Bloco-Afro ERI OKAN – 4pm till 6pm

The classes are £6 each.
(£10 for two, if also participating in another class on the same day)

This is the first of four open rehearsals, the following sessions being on:

Sunday 15 August – The Old Distillery. 33-35 Commercial Road, Aldgate, London. E1 1LN from 2pm to 6pm

Sunday 22 August – Waterloo Action Centre. 14 Baylis Road, London, SE1 7AA from 2pm to 6pm

FINAL REHEARSALS
Saturday 28 August. – Rich Mix Cultural Foundation. 35/47 Bethnal Green Road, London, E1 6LA.

Final rehearsals for drummers and dancers who will take part in:

Maracatu Estrela do Norte’s procession on Sunday 29th August at Notting Hill carnival

Bloco-Afro ERI OKAN’s parade in Notting Hill Carnival on Monday 30th.

Carnival Registration fee: £35 for one day and £45 for two days. This fee includes the rehearsal on Saturday 28th August, your T-shirt (drummers), refreshments and participation in the carnival.

Teachers:

Irineu Nogueira is a pioneer in Brazilian dance who has become a solid reference within the Brazilian and African rhythms and movements scene in Brazil. He is a wholehearted dancer who combines genuine passion with contemporary vision. His classes are known for the creative way he approaches Brazilian folklore and West African traditions. Accompanied by Bloco-Afro ERI OKAN he will lead a class based in Candomble and dances from West Africa.

Jully Caxiado is a fantastic young dancer, from Pernambuco, Brazil. She has a wealth of experience in the traditional dances of Recife and Olinda. She will lead a class based in the dances of Pernambuco includin Maracatu, Afoxe, Coco and Ciranda. In Brazil she worked with Toque Leoa, Maracatu Nacao Pernambuco and the Bale Cultural de Pernambuco. She has a wealth of experience in the traditional dances of Recife and Olinda, and makes it her mission to communicate the fun and grace to be found taking part in these rich dances and frolics. The class will be accompanied by Maracatu Estrela do Norte.

Sam Alexander is a legend in the UK samba world. In the late 80′s he joined the London School of Samba in their first year and co-founded several early UK samba groups including Bristol School of Samba and Samba Galez. He lived in North-East Brazil in the early 90′s where he performed and recorded with Maracatu Nacao Pernambuco and Olodum and has since then worked as a musician and educator and is a driving force in North-East Brazilian roots music and dance in the UK and Europe.

Participation in the workshops does not oblige anyone to go out at Notting Hill Carnival and likewise if there are people who would like to take art in carinival but can’t make all the sessions, that’s OK too!

For clips of Irineu Nogueira check out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsBjBqQ0uPA
This video illustrates some of the themes that Irineu will be exploring in preparation fro this year’s Notting Hill Carnival.

For clips of ERI OKAN at carnival check -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhZIpfB1bTE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIrUXskYEBQ

For a clip of Maracatu Estrela do Norte check:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53XKputfW0U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRTQDJWY6KU

Irineu’s website is www.irineunogueira.com
Maracatu Estrela do Norte’s website is www.maracatu.co.uk
ERI OKAN’s website is www.myspace.com/eriokan

CONTACT EVENT ORGANISERS: umbela.arts@googlemail.com

If you like the sound of this, get in touch and come to our workshops as we gear up for the Notting Hill Carnival!