Join Adriana Rosso and Leon Patel to explore the beautiful movements, songs and rhythms of Yemanjá. In this full day voyage of discovery participants will have the opportunity to enjoy music or dance sessions, learning several arrangements that will come together at the end of the day in celebration to pay homage to the goddess of the Oceans Yemanjá. Please note limited places are available for this workshop so book early.
It’s a special day!
Yemanjá also known as the “Rainha do Mar (Queen of the Sea)”, is a Yoruba deity. She represents the salt waters (ocean and sea). In Brazil the biggest celebration for Yemanjá occurs on February 2, when hundreds of thousands of people dress in their finest white gowns and head to the sea singing, dancing, and depositing offerings such as baskets of flowers, mirrors, jewellery, food, perfumes, and other objects to receive blessings and prosperity for the year ahead. Offerings which do not return to shore are deemed accepted. Yemanjá is connected to the Christian Mary, Nossa Senhora dos Navegantes (Our Lady of Seafarers), whose Catholic feast day is on 2nd February.
Yemanjá is often depicted as a mermaid, and is regularly associated with the moon, water, and feminine mysteries. She is the protector of women. She governs everything pertaining to women; childbirth, conception, parenting, love, and healing. According to myth, when her waters broke, it caused a great flood creating rivers and streams and the first mortal humans were created from her womb. She is believed to have guarded slaves during their horrendous sea crossing and is the protector of children.
We will be sharing this celebration with musicians and dancers across the globe and exploring various styles of music, song and dance from the Candomblé tradition in Brazil.
We will cover styles from Candomblé Jejé, Angola and Ketu. Participants will be guided through a structured day of workshops, learning songs as a whole group and then splitting into sections to focus on either percussion or dance. Towards the end of the day the musicians and dancers will come back together with their new found love for the rhythms and movements of Yemanjá for a combined music and dance celebration.
And that’s not all! This will also be Adriana’s first dance masterclass for Global Grooves’ since the arrival of Baby Noah and it’s Eraldo’s Birthday!
We are also exploring a global live link to others celebrating Yemanjá across the globe (TBC).
The workshop will be open to participants of any experience level with elements suitable for musicians and dancers who have basic to advanced knowledge of music and dance.
Participants who have had some prior movement or music experience will get the most out of the workshop sessions. Although the sessions will cover basic technique for playing and dancing arrangements from the Candomblé tradition, we will not be covering general music or dance/movement techniques so participants will be expected to have basic understanding of music, tempo and pitch, good motor skills and have attended a dance class before.
Please contact us should you have any queries on the workshop content or skill level.
Adriana Rosso
Adriana is an exceptional performer and choreographer with over 20 years experience in choreography, dance performance, training and teaching worldwide. Adriana lives and breathes the sheer joy and uplifting power of dance. Originally from São Paulo, Brazil, she has studied with and worked as lead dancer and teacher for Meninos do Morumbi and performed with different samba Schools in São Paulo during Carnival. Now based in Manchester, UK, she works for organisations, like Global Grooves, developing the music and dance scene in the North West and beyond. She has vast experience in working on large community projects and Carnivals including choreographies for all levels and ages. A truly international artist, Adriana regularly teaches and performs all over the world. “It’s all about letting the rhythms move you and celebrating life in a Brazilian way!”
Leon Patel
Leon Patel is at the helm of Global Grooves, having committed over a decade to sharing his passion and knowledge of percussion and song from around the world – Brazilian, South Asian, West African, Cuban, and Western musical styles to name a few.
As well as laying claim to the loudest timba slap in the West, Leon regularly holds masterclasses and short courses to share his decades of study and performance techniques with students all over the UK. He has studied with various international percussion ensembles in Brazil, West Africa and India across the world. Leon’s directorship of Global Grooves, and numerous UK ensembles has helped to facilitate the development of international percussion-driven music in the UK.
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