VEE-TV does Rio.
VEE TV favourite Nana Twum-Danso was given the VEE- Challenge of a lifetime when she travelled to Brazil.
A keen dancer, Nana, 25 has already appeared on TV on Strictly Come Dancing as a contestant.
This time, her mission was to leave her day job in Top Shop in London to learn how to samba at the world famous Rio De Janeiro carnival in just one week.
The carnival is said to have links with early African festivals and to Catholics celebrating Lent in earlier times. Whatever its history, it has evolved into a wild, exciting festival which attracts tourists from all over the world.
Carnival takes place over a number of days each February with a variety of events from special balls, free parties, the massive Street Parade and the Samba School Parade at the Sambodrome.
A Samba School is basically an association of people from the same neighborhood, usually a working class community (or favela) in most cases located in a suburban area. They get together on a regular basis for samba nights and rehearsals (ensaios) at their samba court (quadra). Samba schools provide invaluable jobs to the community, some who are employed year-round in the production of costumes and floats.
Each year samba schools choose a different theme. Samba Schools may take to the Parade anything from 3,000 to 5,000 members, and from 6 to 8 floats. They try to illustrate the theme chosen. All costumes and floats are original, made from scratch every year. Think of it as a tropical opera, or rather, a collection of several operas happening on a single night.
A Samba School has from 60 to 75 minutes to make it through the specially designed runway of the Sambadrome. Although each member is only on the runway for about half an hour at the most, the experience is so intense, though, that the memories last a lifetime.
'Keep smiling through the pain'
Nana went to the Estacio de Sa, one of Brazil's oldest dance schools where she was taught how to samba like a Brazilian – in six inch heels.
"Don't forget, smile all the time. It's the war of happiness. Even if you're finished, even if you're dead. Keep smiling. Keep going. That's the way it is." was the advice from teacher Henrique de Silva.
Nana discovered that samba is fast and furious and utterly exhausting. Although she's an excellent dancer already, the sheer speed of the Brazilian dancers and the fast rhythms of the music made it hard work for her to keep up.
Each night Nana joined the huge dance team as they practised into the early hours with her teachers warning her she needed to speed up if she is to be picked for the show.
City of God
During the day Nana visited the favelas which surround Brazil and were featured in the hit movie City of God. She also visits a deaf school in Brazil where all the pupils loved to dance and perform the Brazilian martial art capoeira, which is always played to music.
"Before I arrived I didn't expect to see Deaf children dancing but here they do samba and capoeira, it's fantastic, "she says."We don't have anything like this in England. Seeing the children dancing and expressing themselves, they just seem so happy." These days the Rio carnival is bigger than ever with over 70,000 participants and even more tourists. Nana has vowed to practise her dance steps so she can go back and perform next year.
Guides to Rio
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_de_Janeiro
Information about the city of Rio de Janeiro
www.ipanema.com/carnival/
Lots of information about visiting carnival and the city of Rio.
Learn to dance
www.learntodance.co.uk/index.html
Find dance classes near you or buy videos teaching you how to dance.
Samba school
www.paraisosamba.co.uk/
A school based in London teaching Samba.
www.londonschoolofsamba.co.uk/
A samba dance school based in London for 20 years.
Film
www.channel4.com/film/reviews/film.jsp?id=102100
Reviews and interviews about City of God, based in a favela in Rio.
Nana Twum-Danso
Nana, 25, is no stranger to VEE-TV viewers. She made her debut on last year's series performing a signed version of Nina Simone's Ain't Got No/I Got Life on London's streets, and returned this year for a magical trip to Brazil, and the once-in-a-lifetime chance to perform at the Rio Carnival.
Nana is a dancer and actress, currently developing her career. She first performed in college productions while at Nottingham Trent University, while studying for a degree in Contemporary Arts.
Watch Nana perform a sign song again
Last year's sign song by Nana
www.channel4.com/life/microsites/V/vee-tv/people22.html
VEE TV favourite Nana Twum-Danso was given the VEE- Challenge of a lifetime when she travelled to Brazil.
A keen dancer, Nana, 25 has already appeared on TV on Strictly Come Dancing as a contestant.
This time, her mission was to leave her day job in Top Shop in London to learn how to samba at the world famous Rio De Janeiro carnival in just one week.
The carnival is said to have links with early African festivals and to Catholics celebrating Lent in earlier times. Whatever its history, it has evolved into a wild, exciting festival which attracts tourists from all over the world.
Carnival takes place over a number of days each February with a variety of events from special balls, free parties, the massive Street Parade and the Samba School Parade at the Sambodrome.
A Samba School is basically an association of people from the same neighborhood, usually a working class community (or favela) in most cases located in a suburban area. They get together on a regular basis for samba nights and rehearsals (ensaios) at their samba court (quadra). Samba schools provide invaluable jobs to the community, some who are employed year-round in the production of costumes and floats.
Each year samba schools choose a different theme. Samba Schools may take to the Parade anything from 3,000 to 5,000 members, and from 6 to 8 floats. They try to illustrate the theme chosen. All costumes and floats are original, made from scratch every year. Think of it as a tropical opera, or rather, a collection of several operas happening on a single night.
A Samba School has from 60 to 75 minutes to make it through the specially designed runway of the Sambadrome. Although each member is only on the runway for about half an hour at the most, the experience is so intense, though, that the memories last a lifetime.
'Keep smiling through the pain'
Nana went to the Estacio de Sa, one of Brazil's oldest dance schools where she was taught how to samba like a Brazilian – in six inch heels.
"Don't forget, smile all the time. It's the war of happiness. Even if you're finished, even if you're dead. Keep smiling. Keep going. That's the way it is." was the advice from teacher Henrique de Silva.
Nana discovered that samba is fast and furious and utterly exhausting. Although she's an excellent dancer already, the sheer speed of the Brazilian dancers and the fast rhythms of the music made it hard work for her to keep up.
Each night Nana joined the huge dance team as they practised into the early hours with her teachers warning her she needed to speed up if she is to be picked for the show.
City of God
During the day Nana visited the favelas which surround Brazil and were featured in the hit movie City of God. She also visits a deaf school in Brazil where all the pupils loved to dance and perform the Brazilian martial art capoeira, which is always played to music.
"Before I arrived I didn't expect to see Deaf children dancing but here they do samba and capoeira, it's fantastic, "she says."We don't have anything like this in England. Seeing the children dancing and expressing themselves, they just seem so happy." These days the Rio carnival is bigger than ever with over 70,000 participants and even more tourists. Nana has vowed to practise her dance steps so she can go back and perform next year.
Guides to Rio
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_de_Janeiro
Information about the city of Rio de Janeiro
www.ipanema.com/carnival/
Lots of information about visiting carnival and the city of Rio.
Learn to dance
www.learntodance.co.uk/index.html
Find dance classes near you or buy videos teaching you how to dance.
Samba school
www.paraisosamba.co.uk/
A school based in London teaching Samba.
www.londonschoolofsamba.co.uk/
A samba dance school based in London for 20 years.
Film
www.channel4.com/film/reviews/film.jsp?id=102100
Reviews and interviews about City of God, based in a favela in Rio.
Nana Twum-Danso
Nana, 25, is no stranger to VEE-TV viewers. She made her debut on last year's series performing a signed version of Nina Simone's Ain't Got No/I Got Life on London's streets, and returned this year for a magical trip to Brazil, and the once-in-a-lifetime chance to perform at the Rio Carnival.
Nana is a dancer and actress, currently developing her career. She first performed in college productions while at Nottingham Trent University, while studying for a degree in Contemporary Arts.
Watch Nana perform a sign song again
Last year's sign song by Nana
www.channel4.com/life/microsites/V/vee-tv/people22.html