The story of BATUKE! Festival
The Batuke! Festival started out of our passion for the music and dance of Afro - Portuguese countries. We realised that there is a special rapport and connection between all the Portuguese speaking countries, a recognition of common experiences through music and dance. In 2010, when we started there was no platform in the UK where Afro - Portuguese artists were represented, the community could experience their culture in a professional space, young and old, and share their common heritage. So, we decided to just go ahead and do it ourselves! We self produced initially through our regular events. It was very risky, but we believed in it so we made it work! The team derived from Iris De Brito social dance school at the time - Studio Afro Latino. Roles were delegated, artists contacted, plenty of volunteering support and voila! We became the go - to festival in the UK representing Afro-Portuguese culture, created a space for artistic development, cultural exchange and research. Guest artists came from the USA, France, Senegal, Angola, Cape Verde, Mozambique and the UK. We were founded by the Arts Council for 5 years and developed creative partnerships.
In 2019 we achieved a fantastic milestone with our 10th Anniversary and decided to have a break.
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We are now looking towards developing a new event, investing in organisational development and research. Make sure you continue to follow us and connect with us through Afro - Portuguese culture!
One to One Personal Dance Coaching
Private Professional Dance Coaching has allowed countless students to grow in a 'one on one' atmosphere giving students greater opportunities to take chances and challenge themselves outside of a group class.
Whether professional dancers or just dance lovers and movement enthusiasts, private coaching is a great medium to effect change in individuals more so than you can ever imagine. Coaching can focus not only on simply learning routines faster thus increasing your confidence and providing you with a faster learning curve but also support you at special events, 'First Dances' for weddings, Team building exercises and much more.
You can choose to have sessions with anyone from the team, from younger members to the more experienced. It's important you arrive with a good idea of what you would like to achieve prior to start of the sessions to fully benefit from this personalized attention.
> Greater attention to your movement detail and corrections you're likely not to get in a group environment
> Tailor made to your individual needs. Your coach will work with what YOU want to achieve.
> You will improve your confidence, your inhibitions and possibly your outlook on life will start changing.
> Your lifestyle its likely to change as you discover new friends
> You will probably start to express yourself more freely and develop more leadership skills.
Wedding Dance
In one of the most important moments of your life, our goal is to make you feel comfortable and confident on the dance floor. Weather you want to impress, keep it simple or classy elegant we'll ensure that we choreograph your wedding dance to match your natural style and ability.
In the past couples have chosen:
* To dance a romantic waltz to a rock ballad
* His V Hers "battle" dance
* Dirty dancing
* Afrobeats
As a couple it's a beautiful experience. You will:
* Have fun together and improve your intimacy
* Discover a new experience as a couple that you are likely to follow up
* Have a memorable wedding dance that will last forever
E-MAIL US for availability and prices
Prices depend on number of sessions, travel and space availability.
Packages
EXPRESS IT - Great for the shy starters.
5 sessions of 30 minutes each with selected members of the team.
Work on improving your basic steps and having a dance with a partner.
Cost: £30 per session
SHALL WE DANCE - Ideal for wedding dances.
10 Sessions of 1 hour each with more experienced team members.
Work on achieving more specific goals and feeling confident about dancing anywhere.
Cost: £40 per session
GOT TALENT - Brilliant for those who want to improve their style.
10 Sessions of 1 hour 15min each with top team members and a special session with school founder Iris De Brito.
Improve your confidence on any dance floor and impress your dance partner!
Cost: £50 per session
