NC Brazilian Arts Project is excited to participate in the 14th annual celebration of a Night in Rio! NC BAP is forever grateful for the leadership of Iya Campbell who was one of the founders of this event and established one of the of the first performance Samba groups in Charlotte, NC. 

Enjoy a taste of Brazilian Carnaval through dancing, live music, and delicious authentic food and drinks. You won’t want to miss the energy of Brazil’s famous Carnaval at this one-of-a-kind cultural experience.

Program and Credits

Set 1

Samba No Pé: The Four Directions 

Dancers: Adriana Blanco, Alma Campuzano, Cristal Chinchayán, Courtney Feliz, Carroll Sanchez, Leslie Silva, Alex Washburn

Musicians: Juan Pablo Blanco, Edgar Marcano, Wesley Jackson, Trevor “Tranquility” Jackson, Virgilio Alberto Baez, Dan Curlin, Carolyn Pratt, Claudio Ortiz, Eduardo Mieses, Carlos Baez 

Choreography by Adriana Blanco

Darkness to Light

Dancers: Alberto Baéz, Pedro Oliveira

Flute Soloist: Rebecca Kleinman

Musical composition: Juan Pablo Blanco and Rebecca Kleinman

Choreographic concept and duet phrase work by Adriana Blanco

Filhas de Iansã:  Afoxé Oyá Alaxé - Oyá ó mulher forte

Deixa Gira Girar (Public Domain)

Soloist: Janete Silva

Dancers: Adriana Blanco, Alma Campuzano, Courtney Feliz, Briana Rinaldo, Carroll Sanchez

Vocalists: Lady V, Liza Ortiz

Musicians: Juan Pablo Blanco, Edgar Marcano, Wesley Jackson, Trevor “Tranquility” Jackson, Virgilio Alberto Baez, Dan Curlin, Carolyn Pratt, Claudio Ortiz, Eduardo Mieses, Carlos Baez 

Understudy: Alex Washburn

A collaborative choreographic effort by Janete Silva, Adriana Blanco and the dancers in the piece.

Set 2

Samba Reggae

Dancers: Adriana Blanco, Alma Campuzano, Kayla Cochran, Ariana Martinez, Briana Rinaldo, Carroll Sanchez, Liane She, Leslie Silva, Lee Sutton-Ramspeck

Musicians: Juan Pablo Blanco, Edgar Marcano, Wesley Jackson, Trevor “Tranquility” Jackson, Virgilio Alberto Baez, Dan Curlin, Carolyn Pratt, Claudio Ortiz, Eduardo Mieses, Carlos Baez

Capoeira: Covering “Dandalunda” by Margareth Menezes

Martial Artists: Juan Pablo Blanco, Mestre Betinho, Mestre Mascara, Mestre Cebolinha, Mestra Tigresa, Profesora Risadinha, Profesor Carne Seca, Adrian Campuzano, Kayla Cochran, Adriana Blanco

Samba de Roda

Dancers: Virgilio Alberto Baez, Alma Campuzano, Cristal Chinchayán, Kayla Cochran, Courtney Feliz, Ariana Martinez, Briana Rinaldo, Carroll Sanchez, Liane She, Janete Silva, Leslie Silva, Lee Sutton-Ramspeck, Alex Washburn

Singers: Mestre Mascara, Mestre Betinho

Special Guests

  • Janete Silva has studied dance since childhood and has performed with various acclaimed local and international companies such as Dance Brazil (New York), Bale Folclórico da Bahia (Brazil), Bahia Brazil (Los Angeles), Orquestra Popular da Bahia (Brazil), and Freddiek Bratcher and Company (Miami) to name a few. Her professional training includes Afro-Brazilian Dance, Ballet, Modern Dance, and Silvestre Technique. Janete has appeared as a dancer on star singer Ivete Sangalo's recent DVD who recently performed at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

    Currently, Janete is a master dance teacher in New York City. She also travels regularly for bookings and has most recently participated in the Lowell Folk Festival (Lowell), National Black Arts Festival (Atlanta), the Brazilian Independence Day Celebration, Target's Super Sabado! at El Museo del Barrio, and the Houston Brazilian Festival.

  • Rebecca Kleinmann began synthesizing her diverse musical interests as a flutist and vocalist at Indiana University, where she began her studies as a Classical Flute major and historically graduated as the first Jazz Flute major in the history of the school’s Jazz Studies program. She has performed world wide from Brazil to Australia with her own projects and as a supporting musician. Rebecca travels annually to Brazil, Ghana, Spain, Ireland, Argentina, and/or Australia to further her craft. In the words of Latin Grammy Nominated pianist and composer, Jovino Santos Neto, "Rebecca plays flute with the passion of a flamenco dancer."

    In early 2022 Rebecca moved from Oakland to Durham, North Carolina and immediately began planting seeds to continue her musical career on the East Coast. In November, she performed her “Durham Debut” concert to a sold-out audience at The Sharp 9 Jazz Gallery, featuring drummer Sylvia Cuenca, bassist Essiet Essiet on bass, percussionist Aaron Sanchez Guerra, pianist Dr. Stephen Anderson, and saxophonist Rahsaan Barber. Additionally, Rebecca has joined Também, a dynamic quartet performing original music and Brazilian Popular Music. She has also co-founded a Brazilian Choro group "Noites Carolinas" which began to perform regularly in 2023. New recordings and projects are in the works for these are other exciting ensembles.