In-Person, Outdoor Class
In Advance: $18/$30 for 2 consecutive classes
Drop In: $23/$40 for 2 consecutive classes

PPower Through Percussion (aka "the Ancestors Have Given") is an exploration of ancestral wisdom, powerful archetypes, and community in 4 rhythms. Participants will be challenged to access power from within and translate that power into sound for individual and collective expression. One of the key lessons is connecting the body to the drum and other material objects. We will explore the Batalá drums and other percussion instruments of various pitches and materials--metal, wood, plastic--as we embrace the lessons of resistance in musical forms such as Ijexa, Ilu, and Samba Reggae developed by the decedents of enslaved Africans in Brazil, the Caribbean, and the US. The experience will be visceral, creative, joyous, and loud. All genders are welcome. No prior musical experience necessary. Instruments provided free of charge.

Batalá New York is an all-female percussion ensemble playing Afro-Brazilian music, primarily Samba Reggae — a genre originating in the state of Bahia in northeast Brazil. As its name suggests, Samba Reggae is world music that incorporates Brazilian samba and Caribbean reggae. Like Samba Afro and Axe, Samba Reggae incorporates African rhythms preserved and honored through Afro-Brazilian religions such as Candomblé. All 3 genres have influenced Batalá's repertoire. During Carnaval every year, Samba Reggae is performed in the streets of Salvador, the capital of Bahia, by musical blocos with percussion sections numbering in the hundreds of drummers moving together. In homage to that tradition, Batalá New York’s performances are percussive, energetic and highly dynamic with colorful costumes and lively choreography. Learn more at www.batalanewyork.love.