Who's Who
Tamara Arom-Hobbs
Iian Pattinson
Tamara Arom-Hobbs
UDM Artistic Director tutor 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 Porto da Pedra, Alegria da Zona Sul and Paraíso do Tuiuti and has also become a well known face on the European Samba scene.
John is a graduate of Fine Art from Camberwell College, a skilled carpenter and as well as directing the drums at 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.
Michela di Felice
Chirag Goyate
Michela di Felice
Passista Director and Choreographer
Michela is an experienced professional artist from Italy. 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. She has 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.
Chirag Goyate
UDM Mestre Sala ( part of flag couple)
Chirag has a background in Musical Theatre and Amateur dramatics he has performed in a number of Panto’s including Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk and Robin Hood.
He and his siblings all discovered the world of samba through their youth in UDM and embraced the London samba scene through both UDM and Paraiso. This set Chirag on a course to becoming a professional Passista and Mestre Sala and he has now been dancing for over 7 years.
