For over two decades, Samba New York! has been a driving force on the NYC cultural scene, bringing the vibrant rhythms of Brazilian music and dance to prestigious events. From ESPN’s Upfront at Broadway’s Minskoff Theater to Google’s YouTube Brandcast with Katy Perry, Central Park SummerStage, and the New York Salsa Festival at Barclays Center, we’ve dazzled audiences of thousands. Having opened for top Brazilian acts like Skank and Diogo Nogueira, we’re ready to bring the same energy and magic to your event—whether large or small.
Bianca Benoliel
Samba New York was amazing and ever so accommodating. I was sad I had not succeeded in hiring a Samba band for my wedding and luckily, the night before the event, a friend mentioned them. I called with little hopes of finding what I wanted but I did. By 9pm, as Phillip, the band leader, promised, I would have an answer and in this case, we sealed the deal.
Katherine Frankel
Norma I
Samba New York! There is nothing that I can say to express how wonderful it was to have Samba New York performed at my event. My husband and I hosted a veterinary school graduation party for my daughter last month at Leonard’s Palazzo. We hired four samba dancers and three drummers for the evening.
Rafael Krausz
Whole band came from New York full of energy! Amazing night at the Voyeur stage!
Real Brazilian Carnaval 🙂
Julie Rivera
Samba New York were amazing at our University event last week! The lecture was very informative and the dancers were very interactive with our audience! The dancing was lively and all the students enjoyed it!
Aaron Bauer
We had a trio from Samba New York play during the cocktail hour and first dance of our wedding. They were absolutely fantastic–one of my only regrets of the whole evening (and it was nearly perfect!) was that we were running around taking last minute photos during the cocktail hour and didn’t get to hear enough of them!
Eduardo Lender
We got Samba NYC as the show entertainment for our Son’s Bar Mitzvah. It was a hell of a performance! Definitely the highlight of the night. The girls and capoeira guys put some show and interacted with the crowed. The percussionists played with the kids with their instruments — awesome guys.
Kristy
I am a wedding planner and recently had the privilege of hiring samba ny for a hora loca hour! There authenticity could not be matched they had an amazing sound and all the guests on their feet!! The wedding I planned was mixtures of two cultures and one side of the family has never seen a performance like this at a wedding they were mesmerized
Marcos Adler
Samba New York! played all the classic samba songs from Rio’s street carnival in our party and did a great job. The crowd was entertained and nostalgic Brazilians dreaming of carnival from back home could get a good taste of it.
Samba New York! offers a wide range of dynamic performances showcasing the rich diversity of Brazilian music and dance. In the Samba tradition of Rio Carnaval, we can present anything from a high-energy drum-and-dance show to a full-scale Carnaval Extravaganza featuring drummers, dancers, a vocalist and a player of the cavaquinho — a small, characteristic Brazilian Guitar.
Looking for something more intimate? We can bring a small ensemble that performs in the Pagode style, a rootsy type of Samba typical of informal, communal gatherings. For more laid-back settings, our smooth Bossa Nova and Brazilian Jazz combo is perfect for cocktail hours.
For added flair and excitement, we also provide performers of Capoeira — the Afro-Brazilian martial art and dance — as well as vibrant stilt walkers.
If you’re interested in other Brazilian genres such as Axé from Bahia or Forró from the Northeast, we’ve got you covered. Just let us know your vision, and we’ll custom-create the perfect performance for your event.
Our most commonly requested performance is the Super Samba Sensation, a Samba show with drummers and dancers, followed by a photo op.
The performance time varies according to the type of show. For example, our Super Samba Sensation show is 15 minutes followed by a 10-minute photo op. Most of our other shows range from 45-60 minutes. We can also do multiple sets of performances at the same event. Based on decades of experience, we have carefully considered what we feel are the optimal times for each show. Nonetheless, the time for any show can be adjusted according to the requirements of your event as necessary.
The number of performers can vary greatly and is something we can adjust according to the type of show, your vision and the requirements of your event. The biggest variable is usually the number of percussionists and dancers. Our minimum format for our Super Samba Sensation show is 4 drummers and 2 dancers, though we can bring up to 30 or more percussionists and up to 20 or more dancers, depending on what you need.
The answer is simple: credibility. We are led by a husband-and-wife team that has set a high standard for quality and professionalism, consistently raising the bar for Samba performances in New York City for over two decades. Director Philip Galinsky brings over 30 years of deep, hands-on experience in Samba culture as a performer, educator, director and scholar. He holds a Ph.D. in ethnomusicology from Wesleyan University, specializing in Brazilian music. For more than 25 years, he has performed in the drum sections (Baterias) of major Samba schools in Rio Carnaval and is now recognized as one of the leading Samba percussion performers and educators in the U.S.
At Samba New York!, we live and breathe the music, dance and culture of Brazil. Our passion fuels every performance and our commitment to excellence ensures that each show is executed with the highest level of artistry and professionalism. When you bring us to your event, you’re not just booking entertainment—you’re igniting a vibrant, unforgettable celebration. You and your guests will be swept up in the rhythm, joy and electrifying energy of Samba, experiencing the true spirit of Brazil like never before.
Just send us an email at Info@SambaNewYork.com and let us know what you have in mind. We’ll work closely with you to design the ideal performance for your event.
Once we finalize the details, we’ll send you a simple contract. You can confirm your agreement with a reply email. To secure the booking, we typically request a 50% deposit upon confirmation, with the remaining 50% due on the day of the performance.
Once we receive your written confirmation and deposit, your show is officially booked — and you can rest assured that an unforgettable, high-quality Samba experience is on its way, one your guests will be talking about long after the music stops.
Our standard cancellation policy, which is included in all contracts, is as follows:
Samba New York! is a world-renowned Samba company dedicated to educating, entertaining and uplifting people of all backgrounds with the exhilarating music and dance of Brazil.
Photo/Video Credits: Heliel Di Cavalcanti, David Careta, Julio Coral, Farley Campoverde and PASIC 2023.
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