Samba Dance 2022
Learn Carnival Samba at Oti Mabuse Dance Studio
Learn Rio Carnival stye dance with
Michela di Felice and the UDMSamba team.
We are launching a 10 week series of classes at Oti Mabuse Dance Studio in Hanger Lane. The class is suitable for ages 15 and above, some experience of any form of dance is desirable but not essential.
There are 2 aims for the class:
- To offer an open class for ages 15 to adult to learn the amazing Rio-style samba with our wonderful teacher Michela
- To develop a team of Passistas (elite dancers) for our youth Samba School. This will be open to those aged 14-22 and will be by invitation based on participation in classes. Eventually we aim to build a permanent team of Passistas and they won’t pay for classes. For now we’ve tried to make it as affordable for everyone as possible but please contact us if you feel the cost is a barrier to you participating.
There are several performance opportunities THIS summer for potential passistas, dates are below. Browse the site to learn more about UDM and our shows and carnivals!
Classes are open to everyone over the age of 15, if you have experience of dance, performing arts or drama, all the better, or adults may have danced samba before.
Our experienced teacher Michela will teach a range of tools to start you on your journey into the beautiful world of Rio Samba. This will include the traditional samba no pe step (see below), some steps for carnival parades and also some more contempory movement which is used to tell the story of the music. Samba is all about story telling and emotion as well glamour and the pure joy and fabulousness of dancing!
We will be open for walk ins but it will be a big help if you sign up in advance and you will also get a discount for block booking before Midnight on Sun 15th May
When and Where
Thursdays 6.15-8pm
Start date 19th May, end date 21st July (tbc)
Doors open 6pm for changing and chatting!
Oti Mabuse Dance Studio
Park Avenue, London, NW10 7XL
Performance dates for participants aged 22 and under
These will be short parades and stage shows, suited to the level of the class:
- 25th June Southwest Fest Pimlico
- 9th July Acton Carnival
- 16th or 17th July (tbc) Lambeth Country Show
- 20th August The Scoop @MoreLondon
- 21st August Latin Life Festival Finsbury Park
Please let us know in the application form if you are interesting in performing!
Michela di Felice
Michela di Felice
Dance Tutor
Michela is a professional artist from Italy with more than 10 years of experience in the scene. She is known for her wide versatility in many styles (jazz, contemporary, street dances, dancehall, commercial, salsa, samba, afro styles, bollywood)
Her training started in Italy, then Paris and Bruxelles influenced by Europe’s top choreographers; she also studied in NY, L.A. and finally London where she joined one of the most influential street dance companies in the UK, Boy Blue Entertainment. She stepped into the UK samba scene where she trained and gained a lot of experience working in London and abroad, she also trained with Brazil’s finest teachers and experienced training BAILE FUNK in Rio’s favela. She also developed her own style fusion of samba and house which she teaches regularly.
Her work experiences vary from music videos, live shows, TV, movies, theatre productions, modelling and corporate events as a dancer, assistant choreographer and choreographer.
Some Credits: MOBO AWARDS Fuse ODG, Tinie Tempah, Deborah Cox, BBC Radio 1 Teen Awards, MTV’s Plain Jane, Channel 4 Comedy Gala Show, Jaxx Jones “SNACKS” Tour, MTV “Plain Jane”, “Doctor Strange 2”
She started to teach early in her career and her vast teaching experience reflects the vibe of her classes: fun, knowledge and quality.
Recently she has been working closely to communities, as she believes this is where her heart and purpose with dance lies – to help, empower and educate people, while giving them a great time.
Samba no Pe
Samba no Pe is the basic samba step which produces the fast hip movemnets of carnival samba, this is totally different to the Latin ballroom samba you would see in ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ or in International Latin competitions.
It is a solo or group dance, not a couple dance, although of course there is lots of interaction, just no dancing ‘in hold’. It is a combination of choregraphed and improvised steps within the Rio-samba style.
It’s pretty difficult to describe, better to just watch, so check out the videos provided! The 1st shows the Passistas who are the elite dancers in a samba school dancing the fast samba no pe style, followed by some more theatrical Afro style dance and then finishing with more samba no pe.
The next shows the Commisao da Frente or ‘front commision’ they are a very theatrical dance section, who open the carnival parade by telling the story of the song.
The 3rd shows a bit more context with other sections of the samba school.
Don’t worry, all we be explained when you come to class and will be at a leve and style to suit you! We may even squeeze in some funk moves!
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