About Us
União da Mocidade (Union of the Youth) is a Brazilian music and dance project for 12-19 year olds, which brings together students from all over London to rehearse and perform. Our focus is on Samba, the traditional carnival music and dance of Rio de Janeiro.
União da Mocidade, otherwise known as UDMSamba delivers monthly workshops free of charge to students who attend the ongoing weekly percussion classes delivered in their schools. We are currently active in the London Boroughs of Westminster and Harrow.
Our dedicated performing group has taken part in carnivals and festivals both inside and outside London. Now in our sixteenth year, performance credits include the City of London Festival, Thames Festival, Fruitstock, Rhythmsticks Festival and Ealing Jazz Festival as well as carnivals in Oxford, Brighton and Luton.
We are currently working with students from the following schools:
Pimlico School, London Borough of Westminster
Whitmore High School, London Borough of Harrow
Past schools have included:
Hatch End High School, London Borough of Harrow
The Petchey Academy, London Borough of Hackney
Copland Community School, London Borough of Brent
Haydon School, London Borough of Hillingdon
Highgate School, London Borough of Haringey
Mossbourne Community Academy, London Borough of Hackney
Drumming
The União da Mocidade bateria (bat-er-EE-ya) or percussion band plays authentic Rio-style samba as played by the samba schools (Escolas de Samba) in the carnival of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Our members train intensively during the school year to develop the techniques and understanding necessary to play this challenging style of music.
Learning and performing samba is a fantastic way to:
- Develop co-ordination, memory, rhythm and many musical and performance skills
- Develop a range of transferable skills such as concentration, discipline, teamwork and leadership
- Maintain a greater sense of self-confidence, self-awareness, responsibility and self-esteem and raise levels of achievement
- Meet peers from across London with similar interests and appreciation for other cultures
- Build community
- De-stress and have fun!
To learn more about the instruments of the samba batería click here.
Dance
Samba dance is a rhythmic and energetic dance derived from the Angolan Semba. It is characterised by fast foot and hip movements.
The young people who dance with União da Mocidade learn special routines suited to parades and stage shows combines with a bit of funk/street dance alongside learning the traditional samba step Samba no Pe. The dance is very aerobic and great for stamina and fitness.
We are now seeking to develop on-going dance activities in schools which take place weekly on a long-term basis, and feed into as dedicated a pan-London performing and rehearsing dance group as currently exists in the UDM batería (percussion band).
If you would like to initiate a dance project in partnership with UDM we would be thrilled to contribute to the cultural life of your school and would be happy to tailor our classes to suit your requirements. Please contact us.
Click here to read a bit more about samba dance.
Dance
Samba dance is a rhythmic and energetic dance derived from the Angolan Semba. It is characterised by fast foot and hip movements.
The young people who dance with União da Mocidade learn special routines suited to parades and stage shows combines with a bit of funk/street dance alongside learning the traditional samba step Samba no Pe. The dance is very aerobic and great for stamina and fitness.
We are now seeking to develop on-going dance activities in schools which take place weekly on a long-term basis, and feed into as dedicated a pan-London performing and rehearsing dance group as currently exists in the UDM batería (percussion band).
If you would like to initiate a dance project in partnership with UDM we would be thrilled to contribute to the cultural life of your school and would be happy to tailor our classes to suit your requirements. Please contact us.
Click here to read a bit more about samba dance.
History
The group was formed in 2004 when a group of like minded musicians and teachers decided to expand the work they were doing individually in schools to provide a new and exciting experience for their students.
União da Mocidade is now in its sixteenth year, and its performance credits include following events:
Who's Who
Tamara Arom-Hobbs
Iian Pattinson
Tamara Arom-Hobbs
UDM tutor, director and project manager since we were founded in 2003. Tammy has been performing samba since 1999 when she was one of the founding members of Rhythms of the City. She has also been performing with Paraiso School of Samba as both a percussionist dancer since 2005. Originally an orchestral cellist and also a Steel Pannist, Tamara went on to study ethnomusicology. She has travelled to Rio de Janeiro 5 times and performed with União da Ilha, Estacio de Sa and Arranco and also with numerous bands in the UK. She has over 15 years of experience teaching samba, steel pans and African music and dance in schools, and has worked with Creative Partnerships on various whole school carnival projects where creative thinking is placed at the centre of learning and academic subjects are taught through costume design, music, dance and story. She also makes and sells her own samba costumes.
Iian Pattinson
União da Mocidade (UDM) Musical Director and lead tutor since we were founded in 2003. Bateria director of Paraiso School of Samba, he has been to Rio de Janeiro 7 times in the past 7 years and taken part in the Carnival with well known groups including União da Ilha, Estacio de Sa, Arranco, Alegria, Caprichosos, Grande Rio, Paraiso do Tuiuti, Porto da Pedra, Sao Clemente,and Viradouro. He has played a drums since the age of 6 and has 20 years of experience teaching drumkit and samba in schools. He is also a visiting lecturer/tutor in Brazilian and Latin American Music at the Royal Academy of Music, Middlesex University and Tech School. During his performing career he has also worked in TV, theatre and numerous jazz, Cuban, Caribbean and Brazilian MPB bands.
Iian was MD of Paraiso School of Samba in London for 10 years which led him to be selected to direct the drummers at the Olympic Handover
John Campbell
Ibraheem Toure
John Campbell
UDM tutor and bateria director. John is one of the earliest members of UDM, He is one of the youngest members of the UK samba scene to have trained in samba to high level from childhood under the tutelage of Iian Pattinson who has taught him drums and percussion since he was 11. He has since visited Rio several times and played with Estacio de Sa, Grande Rio and….. and has also become a well known face on the European Samba scene.
John is a graduate of Fine Art from Camberwell College and as well as playing in Paraiso School of Samba, he is involved in the creation and development of Paraiso’s floats.
Ibraheem Toure
UDM tutor and apprentice director. Ibraheem, like John started his samba life as a young member of UDM, he is also an accomplished steel pannist with roots in both London and Trinidad. Ibraheem has already started to build connections in the UK and European Samba scene and plans to visit Rio when he finishes his acting course at E15 Acting School.
Gladys Cavalcante
Henrique Tenorio
Gladys Cavalcante
Dance Director and Porta Bandeira (professional dancer, and flag bearer)
Gladys is a professional Brazilian Ballroom and Latin Dancer & Performer, Choreographer and Zumba Fitness Instructor from Rio de Janeiro, she has lifelong experience of dance and the samba schools of Rio and also works in the education system in the UK. She began her training in 1993 in Brazilian Ballroom Dance and has since travelled around the world as a performer and teacher. She has been teaching in the UK for over 10 years and has been involved with UDM since 2014.
Henrique Tenorio
UDM Mestre Sala (professional dancer, and part of flag couple)
Henrique grew up just outside Sao Paulo Brazil, and started dancing when he was 8. As an adult he has danced with major samba schools in Sao Paulo and Rio including spending 8 years in the Commisao da Frente (front commission) of Tom Maior Samba School in Sao Paulo – a highly respected and sought after role. He has also danced in musicals, TV and Brazilian commercial bands worldwide.
Project 2020 - Don't Let the Samba Die
