Merging the Afro-Cultures of Carnival in Brasil with New Orleans Afro-Cultures of Carnaval .The acronym C.A.S.A. means Cosmopolitan Amigo Samba Association all about spreading Brasilian culture through all walks of life.
Brief History
Our mission
Our mission is to present audiences with an authentic Brasilian Carnival and folk art experience. Casa Samba does this through weekly open rehearsals and frequent school and university workshops. Additionally, we maintain a center that works to educate the New Orleans community and the Gulf South region of the rich cultural traditions of Brasil and the similarities which bridge Carnival in Brasil with Mardi Gras in New Orleans emphasizing the importance of their African tradition and influences.
Forging Ahead
Vision – Casa Samba’s vision is to train children and adults in New Orleans and throughout the Gulf South into aspiring practitioners of Brasilian traditional music, dance and cultural arts. Mestre Curtis Pierre, has studied over the past 30 years, to gain the knowledge and expertise on Brasilian music and dance. Now with the aid of Casa Samba, he would like to give back to the community through offering classes and workshops on the Brasilian music, dance and culture. For the past 32 years he has with hands on work within his community with hundreds children. Not only as a performer but, he is roll model, mentor, big brother and as a farther figure to many of his neighborhood children. Casa Samba and Mestre Curtis has performed for over 1,00,000 children the metropolitan New Orleans school systems and surrounding parish schools, exposing children to Brasilian culture, music and traditions.Being a native of New Orleans and knowing the problems that kids face today, Mestre Curtis has adopted the same philosophy of the samba schools in Brasil in taking a social responsibility for safeguarding our children and providing them with creative and challenging opportunities and experiences other than what is found in the streets.It is our desire to provide a venue for getting the community, specifically children and young adults interested in music and dance and providing them with a place to participate in supervised and structured activities like Residences, after school, and during the summer months.
Casa Samba was founded in 1987 by Mestre Curtis Pierre, Bill Lennon, Chuk and Carolyn Barber. On July 21, 1993, Mayor Sidney Bartholomew proclaimed Casa Samba as the first samba school in New Orleans, one the premier cities of Carnival in the world. The group is directed by Mestre Curtis Pierre, and Brasilian master drummer, Jorge “Alabe” Bezerra.
Casa Samba’s performances combine traditional music, vocals, theater, dance and drumming to capture the spirit of Carnival in Brasil, Afro- Brasilian traditions and history. We showcase our performances at major hotels, festivals, conventions and special events and through our annual participation in several Carnaval/Mardi Gras parades and coronations (such as Endymion and Zulu balls) and at the New Orleans Jazz And Heritage Festival. Appropriately enough, Casa Samba first emerged in 1986 during Carnaval/Mardi Gras.
CASA SAMBA LEADERS
Mestre Curtis Pierre
Mestre Curtis Pierrefounder and director of Casa Samba established in 1987.He has studied exclusively with master Brasilian folkloric and percussionist, Mestre Jorge Alabe from Rio de Janeiro in self supported residency endeavor for over 15 years. In the past five years, he has also studied with master percussionist Marcio Peters from the world famous Brasilian Samba School, Ile Aye in Salvador Bahia.
Bomani Pierre
Bomani pierredirector of percussion (Bateria) He has been leading samba drum class since he was 9 years old. Currently, Junior at Southern University and alumni of the war in Eastern high school band. He has been a personal student of Jorge Alabe from the age 4 till now and Marcio Peeter of ILE IAYE for the past 7 years. He has performed both in New Orleans and Brazil with the group Ile Aiye in Bahia and participated in the rehearsals at the samba schools Beja-Flor and Salgueiro in Rio de Janeiro. This young man grew up with a Brazilian master drummer He has played Samba since he was three years old. he has achieved exceptional talents and playing Samba percussion both from by Bahia and in Rio de Janeiro Brazil.
Profesora Carol Pierre
Professora Carolyn Barber-Pierreco-founding of Casa Samba Carol has been the Afro Brasilian Dance instructor for Casa Samba for over 23 years and has hosted many workshops at all the major universities located in New Orleans and the surrounding areas. She is currently an adjunct instructor of Brasilian Dance at Tulane University as a credited course now in her 11th year .
Mestre Jorge Alabe
My mestre Master Drummer Jorge AlabêHe grew up in Rio de Janeiro immersed in the rich musical culture of Brazil, becoming a master in samba percussion as well as in the Afro-Brazilian religious tradition of candomblé. He is an “Alabê” connected with the oldest candomblé house established in Brazil, Casa Branca; the title of “Alabê” means that he has obtained the highest level in drumming and leading of rituals in the candomblé religion and signifies deep experience and authority
THE KEY MEMBERS OF CASA SAMBA
Connie CorrolCostume Production Manager/Drummer
Connie is one of the original members of Casa Samba. She oversees the designs and costume making procedures for Carnaval. She is the one that controls the construction and the making of our costumes and also a drummer in Casa Samba.
28 year membership
Herman HalphenCasa Samba lead drum instructor
A member of Casa Samba for over 20 years. He assist in casa samba dance drum arrangements, development and facilitating the Samba drum classes. Herman has over 26 years of experience in marching band and Samba drumming, a personal student of Curtis Pierre since he was 15 years old
20 year membership<
Cliff TaylorDrummer
Mr. Taylor has been a great asset to the group all 28 years. He’s also a regular drum set Player in a couple of bands around the city
28 year membership
Ayana ThomasAssistant Dance Professor team
Lia begin dancing with Casa Samba 2 years ago 2022. She was introduced two years ago to the group through a Tulane university dance program hosted at the Tulane dance department taught by Carolyn Pierre. She in the process of studying the art of Afro-Brasilian Cultural dance and was recruited to begin performing with the group professionally.
Lai La RueeAssistant Dance Professor team
Lia begin dancing with Casa Samba 2 years ago 2022. She was introduced three years ago to the group through a Tulane university dance program hosted at the Tulane dance department taught by Carolyn Pierre. She in the process of studying the art of Afro-Brasilian Cultural dance and was recruited to begin performing with the group professionally.
Tyrone HenryProduction and Sound Manager/Drummer
Tyrone Henry also known as brotha TEE handles all of our production and sound needs As well as drum repairs Is also supplier of Casa Samba’s Favorite drink Bessap Breeze.
14 year membership
Brad Broomfield is a Casa Samba assistant musical director.Hailing from New Orleans LA, Brad Broomfield is, first and foremost, a student of the world’s diversity of cultural expressions. As a culturalist and creative, Brad specializes in drum and dance traditions emanating from West Africa, the Muslim world, and their respective diasporas, with a particular focus on the Caribbean and its ties to south Louisiana. His studies have led him to research music and dance with recognized culture-bearers in and from Ghana, Cuba, Brazil, Haiti, Honduras, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Morocco, Spain, and India. Brad previously taught Afro-Cuban drumming for the African Rhythms Drum & Dance Troupe at University of Pennsylvania and performed with Philadelphia’s renowned Kulu Mele African Dance & Drum Ensemble, as well as with the Arab cultural organization Al-Bustan. Currently, Brad is a member of New Orleans’ leading Afro-Brazilian music and dance institution, Casa Samba; a drummer with the internationally-acclaimed, modern Afro-Caribeña group, ÌFÉ; and music director for Andrea Peoples’ Kreative Arts Collective. Brad has also served as the Principal Percussionist/Timpanist of the Jordanian National Orchestra and toured internationally as Featured Percussionist/Snare Drum Soloist for the Tony and Emmy Award-winning Broadway show Blast!
Marcio PetersMaster Brasilian Drummer the drummer from Salvador Bahia. He has brought to Casa Samba the cultural essence of the world famous afro Brazilian group ILE AIYE. A group which he grew up with in as a youngster in the neighborhood with this group is located he was implemented into a children’s program to be a percussionists which he grew up in I had the opportunity to bring him to work with Casa Samba with 10 years
