ARERÊ, International Afro Brazilian Culture Fest 2025

PACOTE DO PELÔ & jUNIRO SOUZA

Tribute to Pacote do Pelo

Antonio Carlos Souza Santana, better known as "Pacote do Pelô," was just a boy from the Maciel Pelourinho neighborhood who, like so many others, dreamed of becoming a soccer player to help his mother, who was burdened with the responsibility of a large family. Years later, music and drums crossed his path, an event that would not only transform his life but, unwittingly, would serve in the future as a tool to change the lives of everyone who shared space and drum with Pacote. There is no one who doesn't feel his angel, his humility, his respect, and his sincere love that shines through in that unmistakable smile.

“Pacote do Pelô”, founder and director of the Cultural and Carnival Association “Tambores e Cores” among many other things that we will tell you about later, welcomes children, young people and adolescents from the Pelourinho community and in particular those who represent a sector of the population most in need or with low purchasing power, work that he carries out together with his children, family and friends who through art, education and having the drum as the protagonist, transmit values ​​such as equality, respect and non-violence among others, thus promoting the social integration of these young people.

Without a doubt, Pacote is a born leader, an example for these young people, and a father in his daily life. This is how most of the group's members refer to him, "my father," from whom they receive fraternal and unconditional love. Under these premises, the group grows year after year, embracing the reality of many families and accompanying and building, alongside these young people, the path toward a better and more just world.

It is our obligation to contribute and collaborate with projects like this one and, furthermore, to give recognition and visibility to the people who fight to carry them forward. We can think of no better example, and no better place, than to pay tribute to our father, friend, Mestre, and, from this edition, ambassador of Arerê for respect, love, culture, and the drum to the Lord: Antonio Carlos Souza Santana, "Pacote do Pelô."

ANTONIO MONEDERO

SURDO VIRADO

IVANNA BRASIL

SWING BAIANO

ELTON JACKSON

RODA DO ARERÊ - WORKSHOP ADVANCED TIMBAIU

Elton Cerqueira Silva, also known as "Elton Jackson," began playing at age 10 in the percussion group "Vai que vem," a group founded by Carlinhos Brown in 1990. Brown, in turn, was his greatest musical influence and encouraged Elton to play from a very young age.
Elton was part of the band "Timbalada" for 25 years and with them, he toured throughout Brazil, as well as several other places around the world such as Spain, the United States, and Portugal.

He also had the opportunity to record with great Brazilian artists such as Caetano Veloso, Marisa Monte, Moraes Moreira, and international artists such as Omara Portuondo and Gipsy King.

He was the arranger and musical director for DD Band, Denny Denan's solo band, and currently has his own project that blends hip-hop with percussion, called @beatgroovess.

In 2019, he released his first solo album, the EP Pegada Sinistra, and today, he teaches private percussion lessons and workshops in Brazil and around the world.

We're sure Elton won't leave anyone indifferent with his charisma, personality, and his characteristic humility.

EDEN PAULO "MESTRE GORDO"

GROUP WORKSHOP

An art educator, social entrepreneur, musical director, arranger, percussionist, and percussion director at Cortejo Afro, he is responsible for the rhythmic movement of the bloco under the title "Experimental Rhythm I," based on his own creations.

He began his art studies at the age of 15 in Salvador de Bahia and a few years later began his professional career performing as a percussionist in Afro and Afoxé blocos, participating in various carnivals, workshops, exchanges, and shows in several states of Brazil and other countries such as Colombia, Chile, Argentina, Venezuela, Portugal, Germany, England, France, Greece, and Spain, among many others.

Years later, in pursuit of technical improvement and development as a percussionist, he began his studies at the Oya Institute, a project dedicated to education through the arts. He participated in several seminars and training courses until he became a music instructor and later an art educator. He completed his studies at the Music Center of the UFBA school, Federal University of Bahia, under the tutelage of Jorge Sacramento, with whom he specialized in music theory, percussion techniques, and music education. During his artistic career, he has shared experiences and performed with renowned maestros such as Elísio Pitta, Mestre King, Keith Goodman, Michelle Murray, Clyde Morgan, Dr. Eusebio Lobo, Jorge Bafafé, and Maestro Aldo Brizzi of the Bahia Opera Center. He was also invited to direct the percussion section of the show "PRELÚDIO" with Gilberto Gil, which led to an international tour that included cities such as Lisbon, London, Italy, Switzerland, and Finland.

Mestre Gordo has shared the stage with artists such as Mariene de Castro, Marcos Marques, Valmir Brito, Portela, Carlinhos Brown, Gilberto Gil, and Daniela Mercury, among others of international renown.

Without a doubt, Eden Paulo is an example both in and out of music, and we are confident that through his artistry, creativity, and musicality, we will experience a workshop that will leave a lasting impression.

ALBERTITO ROMERO

TIMABU INTERMEDIATE

MICAELA LEGUIZAMON

DRUM DANCE WORKSHOP

Micaela Leguizamon, born in Argentina and based in Salvador de Bahía, was exposed to conventional dance (classical, contemporary, tap) and the body as a vehicle of expression from a young age. She began her journey with Brazilian dances during her adolescence in 2003, quickly becoming an Axé Music instructor and continuing to experiment and train in other styles such as samba de roda, samba no pe, orixá dances, Afro, bloco afro, and more. She taught Physical Education at the National University of Luján from 2009 to 2013. At the same time, she sought out training in the most prestigious schools and teachers in Buenos Aires regarding Brazilian dance. She maintains constant study trips to Salvador, focusing on Afro-Bahian dance and percussion, and joined the Afro-Bahian dance, samba reggae, and swing dance courses at the Cultural Foundation of the State of Bahia (FUNCEB).

Micaela is one of the founders of the women's bloco Olha a Swingueira (Argentina). It is here where she developed her own technique, a result of the need to transmit her learning to her colleagues, becoming the choreographer of the group and gaining experience in drum dances. She studied Orixás dances with Marcela Barravento and Monza Calabar, as well as the dances of kings and queens guided by the Ebony Goddess Giselle Soares, among others. She studied at the Pracatum School and in 2018 was a producer and percussionist on the European tour of Bloco Afro Os Negões. In addition, she participated in Carnival performances and parades as a percussionist and/or dancer with: Tambores e Cores, Swing do Pelô, Mulherada, Malê de Balê, Bloco de Capoeira Manganga, and Cortejo Afro. She transfers the synthesized and acquired knowledge to the drum, transmitting the ancestral connection we have with this instrument, allowing us to enjoy and experience a true experience. What moves us when we dance with the drum? Why do we dance with it? How can we deepen that moment of union between dance and percussion? This is what we will try to learn in this drum dance workshop to continue promoting, with the utmost respect and love, this culture that accompanies so many of us. Micaela's smile grows bigger and more genuine as she swings samba reggae or samba, and she reaches Arerê to infect us with the heartbeat and warmth of the land that welcomes her today.

RAUL RODRIGUES

DRUM NOTES APP

ALBERT LLOBELL

BILATERALITY AND INDEPENDENCE

ELBERMARIO RODRIGUES BARBOSA

Candeal, Salvador de Bahia.

CANCELED

We deeply regret to inform you that despite having this activity closed for months, we are forced to cancel the Elbermario Rodrigues workshop for reasons beyond our control following the artist's communication of unavailability of the dates.

We will shortly inform you of new confirmations for this Arerê 2025.

The key always was, is and will be: RESPECT · LOVE · CULTURE · DRUM

Axé.