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“When you say you’re drumming on Pearl Street, people think it’s a bunch of hippies in a circle — but it isn’t like that at all. We’re more like an army,” says musician Dan Curtiss, organizer of this year’s Colorado Brazil Fest. But it is an army in formation only, because today’s Samba on the Mall is a real festival, a celebration of Brazilian dance and music much like the annual Carnaval in Rio de Janeiro.
The city’s own big samba band, Bateria Alegria, will be joined by local dance group Samba Colorado and internationally renowned afro-samba-funk dancer and vocalist Dandha Da Hora for this outdoor extravaganza. Samba on the Mall is just one part of a four-day Colorado Brazil Fest, which started yesterday and runs through Sunday, August 3, at various locations; you can also sign up for classes like Introduction to Pandeiro Drumming and learn choro music and samba reggae dancing. There will also be several concerts showcasing global stars of the Brazilian percussion, guitar and vocal scenes, including Ronaldo Andrade, Alessandro Penezzi and Dexter Payne.
Samba on the Mall goes down at 7:30 p.m. on the Pearl Street Mall at 13th Street in Boulder; admission is free. Fees for other Brazil fest activities range from $5 to $20. For a full schedule of events and to purchase tickets, visit coloradobrazilfest.org.
July 31-Aug. 3, 2014
