Well, tap dance fans, Uniting Colleges Through Tap is traveling to beautiful, tropical BRAZIL.
Some of our members, as well as Philly locals Men on Tap, some local tap dance aficionados, and a few spectator friends are heading to Sao Paulo, Brazil, to participate (yes, you read that right) in a Carnival Parade with a Samba school! Our fearless leader, Corinne Karon, and her dear friend and Brazilian samba and tap dance artist Christiane Matallo are working together to bring us to a new country, culture, and artistic experience. Christiane is a dance ambassador for the brand So Danca, and her affiliation with the Samba school has been going strong for years. It seems an amazing thing, as she and her dancers are the first to integrate tap dance, a very solidly American art form, with something so culturally specific, such as the Brazilian samba. It's new, it's exciting, and she invited us.
As we go on this journey I hope to be able to update you with how we made this happen. It's my first time in South America, I know absolutely zero Portuguese, and I have never experienced a Carnival or a Mardi Gras, which is apparently the closest thing that we may have in America (to my knowledge!). I hope to eat, drink, and dance my way through a weekend of festivities that will, surely, have you shouting OYA! with us on the day of our big performance!
For a quick taste, here is a video of Christiane and her sassy Samba dancers from the Carnival parade in 2009.
Some of our members, as well as Philly locals Men on Tap, some local tap dance aficionados, and a few spectator friends are heading to Sao Paulo, Brazil, to participate (yes, you read that right) in a Carnival Parade with a Samba school! Our fearless leader, Corinne Karon, and her dear friend and Brazilian samba and tap dance artist Christiane Matallo are working together to bring us to a new country, culture, and artistic experience. Christiane is a dance ambassador for the brand So Danca, and her affiliation with the Samba school has been going strong for years. It seems an amazing thing, as she and her dancers are the first to integrate tap dance, a very solidly American art form, with something so culturally specific, such as the Brazilian samba. It's new, it's exciting, and she invited us.
As we go on this journey I hope to be able to update you with how we made this happen. It's my first time in South America, I know absolutely zero Portuguese, and I have never experienced a Carnival or a Mardi Gras, which is apparently the closest thing that we may have in America (to my knowledge!). I hope to eat, drink, and dance my way through a weekend of festivities that will, surely, have you shouting OYA! with us on the day of our big performance!
For a quick taste, here is a video of Christiane and her sassy Samba dancers from the Carnival parade in 2009.
Hope you enjoy, and join us on our UCTT Brazilian Journey!
Beijos!! (Kisses, in Portuguese!)
Gabrielle
Beijos!! (Kisses, in Portuguese!)
Gabrielle
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