Get ready to dance to the samba, samba reggae, soca and maracatu rhythms that Grand Bateria Express will play at Dundas West Fest on June 6. Come to the workshop and be part of our community parade.

Free admission. Everyone is welcome! All ages.

If you can't make it to the workshop, you can study at home. Watch the instructional videos here: http://www.lulaworld.ca/grand-bateria-express/gbe-dance-steps/

Meet your hosts: Chellz and Aleya Pereira

Chellz (pictured) is a Montreal-born dancer and musician who in 2008 relocated to Toronto to study, teach, and perform. Her West Indian/Caribbean background and culture has had a huge impact on the genres of dance and music she performs; mainly Latin, Caribbean, and West African. Most recently, she has taken to learning about the dances associated with the Brazilian rhythms she has been playing for the last 5 years. She is continuously stressing the importance of dance and music being married together as one, and pursues this philosophy through her interactions with music and dance. Chellz is delighted to collaborate with Aleya Pereira for the GBE event and can’t wait to see all of the dancers moving and shaking to the beat of the drums.

Aleya Pereira is a local samba performer who has a deep appreciation for the rich tapestry of rhythms and dance traditions of the Afro-Americas. Though she had no official dance training at the start of her career, Aleya's love (obsession) of Brazilian culture and passion for organic music-inspired movement has led Aleya on a professional dance journey over five years in the the making. Since she was "discovered" dancing on her own at a street festival in 2010, she has had the privilege of working under some of the city's best samba choreographers, and has performed with some of Toronto's longest-standing, best-established, and most respected bateria groups (drum squads). Aleya is thrilled to be a part of the official GBE as host of the Official Dance Team, and looks forward to sharing her passion with experienced and beginning dancers alike! Vamos dançar!