Brazilian Beats

Acclaimed percussionist, educator, activist and Grooversity maestro Marcus Santos leads an ensemble of drummers and dancers in a high-energy survey of Brazilian drumming styles springing from his native Bahia—the original capital of Brazil. As students are introduced to soul-stirring Afro-Brazilian spirituals, to the jazz that virtuosic street soloists make with instruments as humble as plastic buckets, to the thunderous and gleeful drumming of festival marching bands, to the modern sounds of Samba Funk, they will join in the fun with call-and-response chants and funky dance moves. Volunteers will be called upon to get up on stage and help make some music.

Remote Learning Adaptation: Performing live from seperate locations with their trademark high energy and call-and-response interaction, Grooversity maestro Marcus Santos demonstrates four styles of Brazillian percussion, while another ensemble member demonstrates the dances they accompany. From their homes or their classrooms, students will sing, chant, move and help keep the beats while learning about the cultural contexts of each style.