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Brazil Tour Videos Brazil Excursion - Guarajuba Beach Brazil Excursion - Barra Beach Dance Class w/ Gamo & Rosangela Silvestre São João Festival

Unification of Cultures 

(Unificação das Culturas - UDC)
Our Mission: Many cultures of the world are rich with various styles of music and dance. Through the provision of cultural exchange experiences, classes, and performances, we seek to unify world cultures and promote the similarities that we all share.

Traditional Classes

• Gamo Da Paz has expertise in many Brazilian rhythms including, Samba-reggae, Frevo, Makulele, Marakatu, and many others. Gamo will organize drum classes for all levels with Brazilian Master drummers.

• Silvia Rita is a professor of dance at the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA) where she teaches Afro-Brazilian Dance. Her classes are fun, energetic, and soothing to the soul.

• Rosangela Silvestre, a native of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil is a master teacher who teaches all over the world. Her unique and powerful classes introduce students to the dances and rhythms of the Orixas.

Traditional Candomblé Houses

This trip will consist of visiting several Candomblé houses where spiritual clebrations will take place. Immerse yourself in one of the oldest Africian influenced cultures in Bahia. Hear the druming, see the dance, and witness the traditional Candomblé ceremonies that pay homage to the Orxias. Below is a brief historical background of some of the houses you will visit.

• Terreiro da Casa Branca, Salvador’s first house of Candomblé, was founded in 1830 by three freed slave women.

• Terreiro do Gantois, Salvador’s second house of Candomblé, was founded in 1847 by a descendant of the house of Casa Branca.

• Ile Axe Opo Afonjo, also founded by a descendant of Casa Branca, is the third house of Candomblé and was founded in 1910.

Festa de São João

São João is a traditional harvest celebration where family and friends gather in Bahia to dance Forró (fo-ho). The traditional instruments in a Forró band are accordion, hand-drum, and triangle (sanfona, zabumba, and triangulo). São João is one of the biggest holidays in the Northeast of Brazil. During this festival, the streets of north Salvador are all fixed up and extremely popular shows featuring the big, commercial Forró bands are staged.

Registration Includes

• RT Air Fare from San Francisco
• Accommodations w/ breakfast
• Class Fees
• Excursion Fees
• Transportation

Candomblé Tour Fees

• $2,500 per person

• Deposit due: January 15, 2006

  A $500 deposit is required to hold your reservation. A full deposit refund, less a $30 processing fee, is possible if notified in writing before February 15, 2006.

• Balance due: March 15, 2006

Reserve your space today!

Schedule

• Wednesday, June 21:
  • Travel

• Thursday, June 22:
  • Arrive in Brazil

• Friday, June 23:
  • Festa de São João

• Saturday & Sunday, June 24 & 25:
  • Island Excursions

• Monday, June 26 to Friday, June 30: Daily Schedule

  8:30-9:30am 10am- 11:30am 11:30 - 1:00pm 1:00-3:00pm 3:00-7:00pm 7:00-10:00pm

  Breakfast Dance/Drum Class 1 Dance/Drum Class 2 Lunch Free Time Candomblé House

• Saturday & Sunday, July 1 & 2:
  • City Tours

• Monday, July 3: Return to SF