Baila Brazil at the Southbank Centre

I attended Baila Brazil at the Southbank Centre on Thursday 6th August 2015 with a lovely bunch of fellow ‘LDNTheatreBloggers.’

This is a dance production by the company named Cia de Danca Bale de Rua (street ballet) who dance a fusion of samba, capoeira, funk and breakdancing along with live percussion and singing. The cast is made up of 15 men and 2 women who are exhausting just to watch, they do not stop and they samba, flip and spin across the stage.

The lead singer, Alexia Falcao Lopes has a great voice, especially suited to the music she was singing and carried it all with flair. The lone female dancer of the company deserves a mention, Uiara Cristina Ferreira, was a fire cracker – great stage persona and relentless energy.

Baila Brazil

The show is 90 minutes straight through but due to the different props used to allow the dancers to move in different and innovative ways the time flew. The show feels authentic and genuine. When the guys break out into their own individual movement  you can imagine them practising on the streets and beaches of Brazil.

A nod must also go to the technical team. The lighting was spectacular with the change of lighting keeping interest when the set remained static throughout. One nice touch was just before the finale when large colourful flowers exploded on stage and then the cast burst forth with their colourful costumes.

By the end of the show the place had turned into a party. Everyone was on their feet, cast were out in the audience dancing with them and some audience were literally dancing in the aisle. If you enjoy carnival and like to dance then get yourself down to the Southbank Centre.

The Workshop

Baila Brazil workshop

After the show we were lucky enough to be treated to a workshop by the cast of Baila Brazil. They took us through a basic samba step until gradually building up a routine. By the end I don’t think many people were concentrating on the routine and just simply having a party with the cast.

I was exhausted by the end of the workshop so I don’t know how these guys do it after a 90 min show although the caipirinha before the workshop helped me along!!

Get Tickets

Baila Brazil is on at the Southbank Centre (Royal Festival Hall) until 15th August 2015 with another workshop on the 13th August.

Big thanks to theatrebloggers for organising the trip and my fellow LDNTheatreBloggers for not laughing at me too much during the workshop!