1. Samba batucada:
One or two days workshop, students level: beginner/intermediate/advanced

Workshop presentation:
The “samba batucada” is Rio de Janeiro’s Samba Schools’ typical rhythm, and it’s the “no escape point” to understand and play many other brazilian ensemble percussion rhythms.

Instrumentation:
caixa or snare-drum, repinique, surdo, chocalho, agogó, tamborím, cuica, timba

General program:
- classic grooves (Rio de Janeiro’s Samba Schools)
- modern grooves (samba de caboclo for bateria)






2. Rhythms from Bahia:
One or two days workshop, students level: beginner/intermediate/advanced

Workshop presentation:
The rhythms presented in this workshop are the synthesis of what has been expressed by the afro-baian musical movement from the 70’s up to now in the São Salvador de Bahia city.

Instrumentation:
caixa or snare-drum, repinique, tamborím, agogó, timba, surdos, shekeré

General program:
- Samba-reggae rhythms, Ilê Aiyê and Olodum styles
- samba duro
- ijexá (afoxé)

3. Modern Conga:
One or two days workshop, students level: intermediate/advanced)

Workshop presentation:
Congas are one of today’s most versatile percussion instruments and still are so undervalued and underemployed in their everyday use. This workshop aims to give participants the chance to broaden their understanding of these instruments presenting techniques derived from the snare drum rudiments, and approaching brazilian conga rhythms in a way far from the many distortions that historically have occurred about them.

Instrumentation:
2/3 congas, agogò.

General program:
- Warming up: exercises and study routines
- Development of classic snare-drum rudiments on one, two and three congas: exercises and applications
- Conga drum in Brazil, its techniques and rhythms: centre-of-the-skin slaps and application to popular brazilian rhythms
- Soloing studies

4. Maracatú (de Baque virado):
One or two days workshop, students level: intermediate/advanced

Workshop presentation:
The “maracatù de baque virado”, typical Recife – Pernambuco brazilian state city capital – rhythm, has gained in the last years an ever growing importance in both brazilian and western samba-blocos, and it’s moreover becoming more and more employed in Mpb (brazilian popular music) musical arrangements due to its capacity of adaptation to several music styles such as funky, samba, 6/8 rhythms, etc. In this workshop we offer the chance to deepen your knowledge about this rhythm, and the required technique to play its main instrument, the tambor alfaia.

Instrumentation:
alfaia (or surdo or drum-set floor-tom), caixa or snare-drum, agogó, salsa bongo bells, chekeré

General program:
- Technical and postural approach to the alfaia drum and related exercises
- Traditional maracatú de baque virado rhythms for percussion orchestra (Maracatú Nação Elefante, Maracatú Leão Coroado)
- Modern maracatú de baque virado rhythms for percussion orchestra (Maracatú Estrela Brilhante, Maracatú Porto Rico)