UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — An Afro-Brazilian Samba and Capoeira workshop will be coming to Penn State with special guests Mestre Efraim Silva and Thelma Ladeira of the Connecticut Capoeira and Dance Company. The workshop is free and open to the public and will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 21, in Room 201 of the State College Municipal Building, in downtown State College.
Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian martial art incorporating dance, acrobatic moves and music, with origins in Brazil dating back to the arrival of slaves from Angola in the 16th century. Samba, the dance and music synonymous with Rio's Carnival and Brazilian national culture, also has its origins in Afro-Brazilian rhythms, movements and traditions.
Come learn more about these rich cultural traditions by learning the basic movements and trying your skills in the "roda." Participants of all ages should wear comfortable exercise clothing and bring water.
Schedule:
- 11–11:45 a.m., Children’s Capoeira and Samba workshop (all ages welcome)
- 11:45 a.m.–12:30 p.m., Food Tasting (catered by Brazilian Munchies) and storytelling
- 12:30–1 p.m., Performance
- 1–3: p.m., Capoeira and Samba workshop
The workshop is made possible thanks to support from the Penn State departments of Spanish, Italian and Portuguese, African American Studies, and Anthropology; the Latin American Studies and African Studies programs; Liberal Arts Undergraduate Studies; Global Programs; and the Africana Research Center. If you have any questions, please contact Kristina Douglass at kdouglass@psu.edu, or Krista Brune at kub290@psu.edu.