Caravan World Rhythms and the Sunshine Coast Dance Society are teaming up to present Brazilian Carnaval, featuring Aché Brasil, on Saturday, Feb. 23.
Caravan's dance plus performance and workshop series climaxes with Brazilian Carnaval. This is Caravan's third event on the Sunshine Coast, and Aché Brasil will raise this event to a new level with colourful costumes, acrobatic dancing and driving samba rhythms.
Aché Brasil specializes in the performance of popular and traditional Afro-Brazilian music, dance and rhythms - amazing acrobatic feats and dances all done to a combination of Brazil's most infectious rhythms, featuring a fabulous back-up band comprised of some of Brazil's and Canada's finest musicians. While Aché Brasil's music is rooted in the more traditional forms of Brazilian rhythms, samba, maracatu, coco de roda and capoeira; it also reflects the influences of Brazilian and North American pop. These influences have created something new: Aché Brasil's own contribution to the evolution of Brazilian music.
Originating from Pernambuco, with founder and director Mestre Eclilson de Jesus, the group has gone on to receive international acclaim, performing for hundreds of festivals and special events. Carnaval Dancers will join the group in full costume.
The fun starts on Feb. 23 with a mask-making workshop from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Gibsons United Church. Christianne de Jesus will lead this workshop for adults and children in the art of mask-making for Carnaval.
In the evening from 8 to 9 p.m., there will be a Brazilian dance workshop at the Roberts Creek Hall, prior to the 9 p.m. concert. Fee is $5, open to all ages. There is no need to pre-register; just show up. Aché Brasil dancers will show you the basics of Carnaval and other simple dances from around Brazil, including the well-known samba.
The fun continues on Sunday, Feb. 24, from noon to 3 p.m. with capoeira workshops with Eclilson de Jesus at the Roberts Creek Hall.
Originating out of northeast of Brazil, capoeira is a spectacular Afro-Brazilian dance form, an astonishing display of acrobatics, breath-taking kicks and self-defence tactics performed to the music of drums and berimbau (an ancient stringed bow-like instrument).
The introductory class is open to all, and no experience is necessary. The class takes place from noon to 1:30 p.m. Fees are $15 for adults and $10 for students.
The intermediate class, where some experience is necessary, is from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Fees are $25 for adults and $15 for students.
Aché Brasil founder Eclilson, who is a master of capoeira with over 20 years experience, will lead the workshops. He leads a strong capoeira academy with two schools in Canada and six in his native Brazil.
Tickets for the Saturday concert are $20 and available at Gaia's Fair Trade in Gibsons, MELOmania in Roberts Creek and Ashley's Books in Sechelt.
For information and to register for capoeira or mask-making workshops, call Robert at 1-778-886-8908, or email [email protected].
