We identify ourselves as an "escola de samba" or "samba school," an association of people of various ages and backgrounds dedicated to performing and passing on the traditions of samba, Brazil's most famous music and dance.
Inspired by the samba schools of Rio de Janeiro and adapted to the setting of New York City, our performance company puts on shows that offer the exhilaration of Rio Carnaval. Through our workshops, the general public can also join our organization and learn to play samba percussion.
Samba New York! performed live on the nationally syndicated CBS Early Show in the U.S. to help Starbucks promote a new beverage launch in June 2006. In addition, we have been featured on two of Brazil's most popular national evening news programs – TV Globo's "Jornal Nacional," which is viewed by an estimated 30 million people, and "Jornal da Band" on TV Bandeirantes. Samba New York! was also selected to perform in Times Square for an episode of the We Women's Network program, "Platinum Weddings," which aired in August 2006. In November 2008, our Samba Percussion Course was profiled on "LatiNation," a nationally syndicated program about Latino culture in the United States.
Samba New York! has sold out New York's famous Joe's Pub at The Public Theater and performed at some of the New York area's most prestigious and popular venues. Our performance credits include:
• Target First Saturday, Brooklyn Museum (Brooklyn, NY)
• Sounds of the City, New Jersey Performing Arts Center (Newark, NJ)
• Joe's Pub (New York City)
• SOB's (New York City)
• Copacabana (New York City)
• Bed New York (New York City)
• Crobar (New York City)
• Home (New York City)
• China Club (New York City)
• Capitale (New York City)
• Satalla (New York City)
• Fire On the Water Cruise (New York City)
• New York City Half Marathon (New York City)
• Bronx Zoo (Bronx, NY)
• Prospect Park Zoo (Brooklyn, NY)
• Socrates Sculpture Park (Queens, NY)
• Untermeyer Performing Arts Center (Yonkers, NY)
• Flushing Library (Queens, NY)
• Doles Center (Mount Vernon, NY)
• First Brazilian Street Festival of Astoria (Queens, NY)
• Village Halloween Parade (New York City)
• Coney Island Mermaid Parade (Brooklyn, NY)
• Live Lunch at the Grace Plaza (New York City)
• Opia Restaurant (New York City)
• CLIC (Astoria, Queens, NY)
• Terrace Club (Stamford, CT)
Our clients include:
• Pepsi Co. (Purchase, NY)
• Starbucks (New York City)
• Kraft Foods (Tarrytown, NY)
• Enterprise Rent-a-Car (New York City)
• Working Mother Media (New York City)
• We Women's Network (New York City)
• New York Road Runner's Club (New York City)
• WBGO FM (Newark, NJ)
• Latin Vox (New York City)
• The Conference Board (New York City)
• City University of New York Graduate Center (New York City)
• City University of New York John Jay College (New York City)
• Stony Brook University (Long Island, NY)
• Fordham University (Bronx, NY)
• Monroe College (Bronx, NY)
• St. John's University (Jamaica, Queens, NY)
• University of Southern Maine (Gorham, ME)
• Rockland Center for the Arts (West Nyack, NY)
• Nyack Hospital (Nyack, NY)
Samba New York! is also recognized for its educational outreach. In the spring of 2007, Samba New York! was a featured artist in the Triple Hill Music Festival of Mount Vernon, NY, sponsored by the Westchester Arts Council. As a part of this pioneering program, Samba New York! offered workshops in samba percussion and dance to students in 10 different public schools in Mount Vernon and performed at the city's Doles Center. Director Philip Galinsky, Ph.D., has conducted numerous workshops in Brazilian music all over the United States. He has held residencies in samba percussion at Bank Street School, Frederick Douglass Academy, and Public School 234 in New York City, and the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
What is Samba New York's objective? It is to present diverse audiences with the joy and richness of samba music and dance and to train people in the art of samba percussion. As such, Samba New York! seeks to unite people of different backgrounds, building community and facilitating understanding among cultures.
Performance Company:
Drawing on the talent of New York and Brazil, Samba New York!'s professional performance company comprises top performers of Brazilian music and dance. The Samba New York! show offers a precision drumming ensemble (the bateria, which is the heart of Rio Carnaval), plus cavaquinho (the characteristic small Brazilian guitar), one or more beautifully costumed dancers, and a lead vocalist. Samba New York! can tailor its show to meet your requirements, customizing its lineup and repertoire to create the optimal performance for your event.
Samba New York! offers the Samba Percussion Course, taught by Director, Philip Galinsky, Ph.D. Students in the course may be eligible to join the Samba New York! Bateria, which performs in some of the City's most exciting parades, such as the Dance Parade, Coney Island Mermaid Parade, and Greenwich Village Halloween Parade. Samba New York! also offers classes in Pagode Samba, taught by Director, Philip Galinsky, and we sponsor workshops with special guest artists. Check our Workshops page for more information. In addition, Samba New York! can provide workshops and lecture-demonstrations for outside organizations, and Philip Galinsky is available for private instruction in Brazilian percussion.
