BOULDER, Colo. — As celebrations begin for Hispanic Heritage Month, one of Latin America’s biggest and most-populated countries isn’t included at all. Brazil stands alone as a Portuguese-speaking nation with its own unique blend of cultures. This weekend, Coloradans will gather at a festival honoring those traditions.
“The music, the language, the culture really is quite distinct from the rest of the Hispanic, Spanish-speaking Latin America,” Eva Yao, a drummer with the Boulder Samba School — a nonprofit teaching Brazilian music and dance said.
Samba traces its origins to a mix of African, Indigenous and European drum and dance styles. With an emphasis on rhythm, samba is usually enjoyed at Carnaval – a festival where dancers show off brightly colored outfits, fast-moving feet and swaying hips.
At the Colorado Brazil Fest, nightly concerts from Sept. 19-22 will recreate that festival feeling in Boulder.
“It's about unifying cultures and having fun and being happy,” Márcio De Sousa, who grew up in Brazil and reconnected with his roots through the Bateria Alegria drum circle, said.
Bateria Alegria means “joyful drumming ensemble,” De Sousa said.
Dozens of drummers volunteer their time to play together for the community. Many have been drumming with the group for more than a decade.
“That feeling of being part of a community, and elevating the audience mood, and their love of life, it's just amazing,” Yao, who joined the group more than a decade ago, said.
“We’re a pretty diverse group. I am not from Brazil,” Yao said. “Anybody is welcome to play this music and to enjoy this music.”
At the Colorado Brazil Fest, local groups like theirs will perform alongside artists traveling in from Brazil. You can watch the show or even join in yourself by taking a samba dance workshop on Sept. 22.
The Boulder Samba School also offers classes where you can learn about the instruments, techniques and rhythms of Brazilian samba music. All levels of experience and ability are welcome. The next introductory course starts on Oct. 13.