Event Description

Mardi Gras Brazil Carnaval Conference 2025

Casa Samba will be sponsoring the inaugural New Orleans Mardi Gras Brazil Carnaval conference. Five days of training will lead up to the grand finale: the Endymion Parade in New Orleans. Join us and become a part of this historic event. This is a priceless opportunity to participate in the largest parade in New Orleans. While watching the parade is enjoyable, being in the parade is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Along with this lifetime experience you will be helping to restart the NORDC and Casa Samba Community children's program called the samba kids www.sambakids. The program has been around for more than 20 years, with the proceeds from the registration for this Carnaval conference in 2005. Casa Samba will be able to build our children's program back up to doing the festivals and performances around the city representing Youth involved in Afro-Brazilian culture.

Mardi Gras Brazil Conference 2025 Description

The parade will be from February 24 through March 1st. The hours will be from Tuesday through Friday we will have two rehearsal sessions per day from 1 PM to 2:45 PM Will be the first session then from  3:15 PM to 5 p.m. will be the second session. There will be two (2) mandatory day rehearsals on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. On Friday the costumes will be distributed to the percussion band (Bateria). We will have a dress rehearsal everyone including all individual animal sections. also, give out instructions on where we will be meeting and the things you will need in the things that you will not be able to bring to the parade. 

Mardi Gras Brazil Carnaval Conference 2025 Schedule

February 24
Monday 1 PM to 5 PM registration and check-in
Receive credentials, Conference information handouts, Costume inspection, and drummer-level auditions for positions of the distribution of samba instruments. 

February 27 Mandatory rehearsal
Thursday mandatory rehearsal session 1 to 5 PM Mandatory rehearsal session. This rehearsal section is mandatory for everyone Registered for the conference. This Will be an all-day section for everyone to rehearse together as a group, under the direction of Mestre Curtis Pierre and his Directors. The rehearsal will be from 12:30 to 5:30here will be a 30-minute break between the 2 rehearsal sessions.

February 25

Tuesday 1 to 5 p.m. rehearsal session The rehearsal section is for everyone. The first session of individual sectionals samba Tamborim section, a Samba percussion section, a Repequie and Caixa section, and a Surdo section. Dancers will divided into three groups Samba Dancer section A, B, and C. C Will represent the animal section which divided into six groups

 The second half of rehearsal everyone will rehearse together

February 28 Mandatory rehearsal
Friday 1 to 5 mandatory rehearsal Final 2-hour rehearsal. After the rehearsal, we will have a Casa Samba and Endymion briefing on procedures and policies involving the parade. After the rehearsal, we will have Costume distribution and information on the meeting location for the parade. Credentials and Our location within the Endymion Parade will be announced at the final rehearsal.

February 26 Mandatory rehearsal

Wednesday 1 to 5 PM  Mandatory rehearsal session This rehearsal section is mandatory for everyone Registered for the conference. This Will be an all-day section for everyone to rehearse together as a group, under the direction of Mestre Curtis Pierre and his Directors. The rehearsal will be from 12:30 to 5:30 here will be a 30-minute break between the 2 rehearsal sessions.

March 1 Endymion Parade
Saturday:2:30 PM Meet at the designated parade location. The Endymion Parade Lines up at Marconi drive and city Park Drive. Locate it at New Orleans City Park. As a parade unit, we should meet 2 1/2 hours before the starting time of the parade. Our location within the Endymion Parade Will be announced at the final rehearsal.

Mardi Gras Brazil Carnaval Conference 2025 Night Concerts

Mardi Gras Brazil Carnaval Conference 2025 Night concerts
by traditional Mardi Gras Indians, and traditional brass bands, along with Second Line Marching Club Young men Olympia performance and A Night in Brasil Show with Casa Samba and Brasilian and New Orleans Guest Artist.

*All attendees must be 18+. if not accompanied adult. Casa Samba Conference Nametag is required. No guests.

Tuesday Night Concert

Herlin Riley and his Quinta Jazz Orchestra 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM

Master Jazz drummer musician, and performer Mr. Herlin Riley. He will do a lecture/workshop and performance on the roots of jazz music. He will also speak about the evolution of jazz in his lifetime and today and the direction it is going in now

*All attendees must be 18+. if not accompanied adult. Casa Samba Conference Nametag is required. No guests.

Wednesday Night Concerts

 On Wednesday night will feature the music and traditions of New Orleans. Highlighting the Carnaval cultures of our city and the communities they exist in. We are hoping to feature the following components. A jazz band, a brass band, Zulu social aid and pleasure club, the YMO  traditional second line group, Mardi Gras Indians. Baby dolls and more.

*All attendees must be 18+. if not accompanied adult. Casa Samba Conference Nametag is required. No guests.

Thursday Night Concert A Night In Brasil

This show is about the Cultures of Carnaval you don’t see when you go to the Mardi Gras parades. A great way to experience a taste of New Orleans, the community version of the Cultures of Carnaval. Putting this combination together takes a Brass band, Second-line dancers, Mardi Gras Indian, and Casa Samba. As well as any other additions such as a Stilt Dancers. The total package of all our Brasilian performances in one show. The extravaganza includes a combination of the Brazilian folkloric show and the samba show all in one complete presentation. this performance will consist of dancers, drummers, a full band, and stilt walkers. A show featuring some of the cultures of New Orleans, brass bands, Mardi Gras Indians, and second-line steppers.
*All attendees must be 18+. if not accompanied adult. Casa Samba Conference Nametag is required. No guests.

Performers lecture/Demo workshops and Speakers

Herlin Riley

Master Jazz drummer and performer Mr. Herlin Riley. He will do a workshop and performance on the roots of jazz music

James Andrews

One of New Orleans Premier trumpeters World-renowned touring artist and master performer and artists will speak on how the brass band culture has evolved in his lifetime.

Rosangela Silvestre

Afro-Brazilian dance specialistc will speak up on the relationship between the Orixas and Nature. Professora Rosangela will also speak about the relationship between our city and the synchronization of the Orixas

Big Chief Shaka

Zulu

Zulu has lectured on the history and culture of the New Orleans Black Masking Indian tradition. He also owns an African Drum and Dance Arts Company and is working on a stage production called Voices of Congo Square. Born in 1969 in New Orleans’ Ninth Ward, Zulu grew up in the performing arts company Free Spirit, founded by his father Zohar Israel. Zulu’s father carved a drum for him when he was four years old, and he was initiated into his community’s drum society at age 13.

Chief Jorge Alabe Bezarra

There are Master drummers and there is a Chief Master drummer Chief Alabe is an Afro Brasilian cultural specialist he will speak up on the the evolution of Samba in Rio de Janeiro the changes that has taken place from the 1970s to today’s 2025 Baterias Samba Percussion bands) and how they have influenced and change the culture of theEscola de Samba Schools

Big Chief Irving “Honey”Banister

* Background
Honey’s mother, Big Queen Ledell Banister, is also a member of the Creole Wild West tribe, and she got Honey involved when he was six years old. His father, Irving Banister Sr., was a guitarist who played with artists like Danny White, Eddie Bo, and Allen Toussaint. * Band
Honey is the frontman of the Grammy-nominated Mardi Gras Indian funk band Cha Wa. The band has released three albums, including Funk n Feathers (2016), Spyboy (2018), and My People (2021). Spyboy was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2018, and My People was nominated in 2021. Performance style
Honey is known for wearing traditional Mardi Gras Indian clothing, including intricately designed headdresses, during performances

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