Samba Study Trip: Rio 2009
Director, Samba New York!
February 16 - February 26, 2009
Travel with Samba New York! to the international capital of samba — Rio de Janeiro — during that City’s world famous Carnaval and experience the vibrant culture of Brazil’s most characteristic musical form in its original context.
Samba New York! offers an immersion into Rio’s samba scene, with a focus on percussion studies. You will visit samba schools as they rehearse for their Carnaval parades, take a special samba workshop with a master Brazilian percussionist, visit the drum factory where the instruments of Carnaval are manufactured, meet and interact with local samba musicians, and much more. Samba New York! will also take you to witness an unforgettable night of the Grupo Especial (top level) Samba School Parades in the Sambadrome during Carnaval.
Your guide, Philip Galinsky, Ph.D., is the founder and director of the New York-based samba school, Samba New York! and has over 15 years of experience in Brazil as an ethnomusicologist and percussionist. He has been researching and performing with Rio’s samba schools since 1999 and has paraded in the Baterias (percussion sections) of such renowned escolas as Salgueiro and Imperatriz for Carnaval.
Trip Dates:
Arrive in Rio Monday, February 16
Depart Rio Thursday, February 26
Included in Trip Fee:
- Shared apartment in the beach neighborhood of Copacabana
- Transportation to all samba school rehearsals and other scheduled activities
- Visits to three samba school rehearsals (entrance fees included)
- A samba workshop with a master Brazilian percussionist (TBA)
- Visit to Artcelsior Instrument Factory
- Ticket for 1 Night of the Grupo Especial Samba School Parades in the Sambadrome during Carnaval
The Trip Fee depends on when you register. See below for the price schedule:
Early Registration Trip Fee: USD$1,700.00 ($850.00 deposit due by December 1st)
Late Registration Trip Fee: USD$2,000.00 ($1,000.00 deposit due between December 2nd and December 15th)
All balances are due by December 15th. Space is limited, so do not delay in getting in your deposit. The Trip Fees are 100% nonrefundable, except in the event that Samba New York! cancels the trip.
Not Included in Trip Fee:
Airfare; passport and visa fees; transportation to and from the airport; additional transportation costs; meals; additional workshops or lessons; any other activities (including activities marked as “optional” below).
For more information, or to join the trip, contact Philip Galinsky:
917.684.9447 / Info@SambaNewYork.com
Preliminary Schedule (subject to change):
Mon. 2/16: Arrive in Rio; settle into apartment.
Tues. 2/17: Visit Christ Statue in afternoon (optional); visit Viradouro samba school at night.
Wed. 2/18: Workshop with master Brazilian percussionist (TBA) in afternoon; visit Rocinha samba school at night.
Thurs. 2/19: Visit Artcelsior Instrument Factory in afternoon (option to buy instruments); visit samba school at night (TBA).
Fri. 2/20: Free day; at night go to Parade of the 3rd Division Samba Schools in the Sambadrome or Monobloco rehearsal (both optional).
Sat. 2/21: Free day; at night visit neighborhood of Lapa to see samba shows (optional).
Sun. 2/22: Free day; at night go to Parade of the 1st Division (Grupo Especial) Samba Schools in the Sambadrome (optional).
Mon. 2/23: Free day; at night go to Parade of the 1st Division (Grupo Especial) Samba Schools in the Sambadrome.
Tues. 2/24: Follow blocos during the day (optional); at night go to Parade of the Children’s Samba Schools in the Sambadrome (optional).
Wed. 2/25: Ash Wednesday. Parade Results Party in afternoon.
Thurs. 2/26: Departure day.
