u m b r a
Dancing In The Shadow
This Evening’s Program
We Build Community With Music And Dance
SAMBA FOGO IS:
Lorin Hansen: Artistic Director
Mason Aeschbacher: Musical Director, Composer
George Edgar Brown: Composer, Vocalist, Guitarist
Solange Gomes: Lead Vocalist
DANCERS:
Natalia Andres
Gabriella Figuccia Gourdin
Caleb Mathis
Mandy Williams
Deise Costa
Gabriella Nascimento
Dawn Levingston
Mary Laura Newman
Tamara Cotour
Mallorie Mendoza
Michelle White
Claudia Olson
Karla Galvan
Lorin Hansen
Karinna Huidobro- Waddoups
Lennie Swenson
DRUMMERS:
Ryan Metzger
Patrick Mac
Julia Rivera
Tyler Chen
Mason Aeschbacher
Kira Medeiros
Andy Medeiros
Basil Harb
Dave Howell
ORCHESTRA:
Danae Shin - Viola
Jordan Hess - Violin
Matthew Heckmann - Cello
John Hoang - Electric Bass
John Olshinski - Trumpet
Spencer Kellogg - Saxophone
Chloe Potter - Trombone
Filipe Johnson - Guitar
CREW:
Jeff Gwilliam - Lighting Designer, Production Manager
Daniel Maland - Sound Engineer
Phonsavanh Banphraxay - Fire Safety Head
Christopher Edgar - Fire Safety
Susannah Pilkington - Stage Manager
Sydnie Evans - Stage Manager
A note from the Artistic Director:
Welcome to Umbra. We begin this evening with a salute to the natural world and our more-than-human relations, celebrating the intelligence of life in all its abundant forms. We dance in gratitude and praise of the sacred, sentient Earth, and we acknowledge we are dancing on stolen land. We honor the Original People of this land – those who have a loving relationship with this land, and a sense of responsibility to care for Her.
Everywhere we place our feet to dance, we think about those who danced here before us. Some of these people include the Cedar, Indian Peaks, Kanosh, Koosharem, and Shivwits (Paiute) people, the Newe (Shoshone) people, the Naabeehó Bináhásdzo (Navajo / Diné) people, The Capote, Mouache, Parianucs, Tabeguache, Uintah, Weeminuche, and Yampa (Ute) people, and the Goshute, Anasazi, and Fremont people.
With our dances, we pray for peace, we liberate ourselves, and we feel a deep sense of connection. We hope to share this sense of connection with you tonight. We welcome you to join us this evening in singing, clapping, shouting, and dancing. Let us hear you! Let’s create some great energy and Axé together!
Wholy
Musical Composition by Mason Aeschbacher
Dance Choreography by Lorin Hansen
Featured Dancer Natalia Andres
Muito Obrigado Axé
“Throw your weapons away, play. Throw your weapons away, do a Samba. Throw your weapons away, bring an orchestra.”
Song composed by Carlinhos Brown
String arrangement by Mason Aeschbacher
Choreography by Lorin Hansen
Featuring:
Natalia Andres
Lavandula (Lavender), Salvia Rosmarinus (Rosemary), Melissa Officinalis (Lemon Balm) Artemesia Vulgaris (Mugwort), Eucalyptus, Thymus Vulgaris (Thyme), Verbascum Thapsus (Mullein), Achillea Millefolium (Yarrow), Salvia Officinalis (Culinary Sage), Artemisia Tridentata (Sage Brush), Artemisia Absinthium (Wormwood), Ilex Aquifolium (Holly), Taraxacum (Dandelion), Juniper, Rabbit Brush, Calendular Officinalis (Calendula), Cortaderia selloana (Pampas Grass), Chrysanthemums, and Roses. The seeds you see floating around throughout the show are seeds from the Asclepias Syriaca plant, also knows as Common or “Showy” Milkweed. Monarch butterflies need Milkweed to survive, and we need to be planting more of it! If you find a seed floating around, take it home and plant it!
Protect
Music composed by Mason Aeschbacher
Choreography by Lorin Hansen
Featured Dancers:
Natalia Andres
Deise Costa
Ignite
Drum arrangement and fire choreography by Lorin Hansen.
Fire Dancers:
Dawn Levingston
Lennie Swenson
Gabriella Nascimento
Michelle White
Lorin Hansen
A Semente Do Samba
(The Seed of Samba)
“The seed of Samba was planted on the hill. Watered by the tears of my ancestors, it sprouted, spreading its roots, bringing happiness in the nature of its cadence.”
Song composed by George Edgar Brown
Choreography by Lorin Hansen
Horn arrangement by George Edgar Brown
Cadência Do Samba
(Cadence of Samba)
“I want to die in a drumbeat, in the beautiful cadence of Samba”
Song composed by Atualfo Alvez
Choreography by Lorin Hansen
The Malandro is a cultural character in Brazil - he is the smooth criminal, the one with “Jeito” - a way of skirting rules and social norms. This choreography won unanimously at the 2019 International Samba Congress in LA.
Baianá
A folk song made famous by Barbatuques
Choreography by Lorin Hansen and the dancers
Tem Que Respeitar Meu Tamborim
(You Must Respect My Tamborim)
Dance choreography and drum arrangement by Lorin Hansen
Homenagem Ao Malandro
(Homage to the Malandro)
Song composed by Chico Buarque
Choreography by Lorin Hansen
Horn arrangement by George Edgar Brown
Alma Livre (Free Soul)
Song composed by George Edgar Brown
“I’m the way that I am, I can’t deny it.
I can’t pretend so others are pleased.
I have everything I need to be happy.
I’m free the way I’ve always wanted to be.
Ei! Freedom don’t flee from me.
I’m on this path and I’ll follow it to the end.
Ei! There can be no shortage of freedom.
I feel at ease in any place.
I’m of a mixed race. I am Brazilian.
I’m from the good nature of the “atabaque” drum and the “pandeiro” tambourine
I’ve freed myself from the punishments of the overseer.
I’m also free from censorship and dictatorship.
Ei! Freedom don’t flee from me.
I’m on this path and I’ll follow it to the end.
Ei! There can be no shortage of freedom.
I feel at ease in any place.
My story is complex, I can’t lie.
But you can’t undervalue what I’ve suffered
My path is that of seeking happiness.
Without doubt my destiny is freedom.”
Reclaim
Song: Your Sweater composed by Lorin Hansen and Mason Aeschbacher
This piece is inspired by the divine feminine. It speaks to reclaiming our divinity and re-igniting the sacred fire to restore balance.
Fire Dancers:
Tamara Cotour
Dawn Levingston
Gabriella Nascimento
Michelle White
Mary Laura Newman
Lennie Swenson
Batucada & Enredo
Our evening culminates in a celebration of culture, community, and collective joy, with our Samba Batucada choreography and drum arrangement by Alvaro Reys, Lorin Hansen, and Mason Aeschbacher, followed by our official group song, “Samba Fogo” written by George Edgar Brown.
“This flame that burns in my heart.
Calls me to the heat of Samba.
It’s the glow that makes the darkness part.
The light that clarifies my path.
It’s expression, it’s culture, it’s art.
It’s magic brought to us from Aruanda.
From black and white ashes.
From all suffering of yore.
A phoenix is born, flaming and resplendent.
A fire burning at the break of dawn.
It is Samba, it is Fire,
Samba Fogo captures the heart.
The fire catches and it is contagious.
It is happiness, it is euphoria, it is passion.
The fire sparkles, a wondrous marvel
Spreading the culture of Brazil.
All of our effort, our blood, tears and sweat,
all our labor meticulous and arduous,
is the glorious fuel that drives our Samba Fogo.
Say it again. It’s the culture of Brazil.
It is Samba, it is Fire,
Samba Fogo captures the heart.
The fire catches and it is contagious.
It is happiness, it is euphoria, it is passion.
Like a fever, Samba warms my body
A radiating heat fully consumes me.
It is Samba. It is Fire.
With much ardor I will exalt your name.
IT IS SAMBA FOGO.
It is Samba. It is Fire.
Samba Fogo captures the heart.
The fire catches. It is contagious.
It is happiness. It is euphoria. It is passion.
Sing With Us:
É o Samba. É o fogo.
O Samba Fogo arrebata o coração.
O fogo pega. É contagioso.
É alegria. É euforia. É paixão.
— Lyrics by George Edgar Brown
UPCOMING
SAMBA FOGO CLASSES
Open to all levels
Special Guest: Master Dancer
Rosangela Silvestre
Community Classes & Outdoor Dance Activities
May 17-19
More info TBA
Summer Samba Dance Series
Saturdays, June 1 - 29
(5 classes)
11:00am-12:30pm
Summer Drum Workshop
Sundays, June 1 - 29
(5 classes)
12:45 - 2:00pm
Plant Your Feet
2nd Annual
Community Dance & Planting Festival
Saturday, May 25
Pea Okwai
(Tracy Aviary Jordan River Nature Center)
Support Our Mission
Samba Fogo is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and we are reaching over 15,000 Utah students with our school outreach programs.
Please consider offering your financial support and making a donation to support the arts today.
Samba at the University of Utah
University students and non-students alike can now learn about Samba at the University of Utah, through the Percussion Department at the School of Music. Our spring semester course is called Global Music Ensemble and it’s open to all levels, with drums provided. Sign up next Spring and come play some Batucada drums with us! The students in this course are performing two concerts coming up shortly:
April 15 at the Utah Arts Castle
April 16 at Libby Gardner Concert Hall, UofU Campus
We Thank Our Partners & Supporters:
