Book Samba Dance Classes with London School of Samba

L.S.S. will be celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2024

The London School of Samba first started back in April 1984. In 2024 the School will be celebrating its 40th anniversary in April 2024. It was the first samba school in the U.K.

It started from a nucleus of twelve drummers – many of whom were some of the leading Latin musicians in London: João Bosco de Oliveira, Alan Hayman, Pato & Carlos Fuentes, German Santana, Dave Pattman, Dawson Miller, Liliana Chachian, Dave Bitelli, Hilton Leite, Gerry Hunt and Neville Murray.

Bosco de Oliveira chose the colours of the School

João Bosco de Oliveira chose our colours of green & white in honour of G.R.E.S. Mocidade Independente de Padre Miguel, who became the Madrinha of the LSS in 1984.

Mocidade performed with LSS in 1989

In 1989, Mocidade performed with the London School of Samba at the 3rd European Encontro on the Southbank in London. In 2009, they made another visit to take part in the 25th anniversary of the London School of Samba. L.S.S. are very proud to have Mocidade as Madrinha to our school.

First Samba School to Perform at Notting Hill Carnival

In August 1984, the London School of Samba were the first Samba School to appear at the Notting Hill Carnival. The first theme of the London School of Samba at Notting Hill Carnival was “Homage to Mocidade Samba School”.

We have paraded thirty-seven times over the years, making the London School of Samba the longest-serving Samba School in the history of the Notting Hill Carnival.

Godmother Samba School in the U.K.

The London School of Samba is known as Samba’s Madrinha (“Godmother”) in the U.K. In its first ten years, the School was instrumental in helping spread samba across England, Scotland & Wales, and notably into Ireland, where L.S.S. members helped form various samba groups.

At least 30 samba groups have been formed in the U.K. by current or former L.S.S. members. The School is also the Madrinha (Godmother School) to four groups: Bloco do Baliza (Madrid, Spain), Bandao (Poggibonsi, Italy), Bloco Maluco (Camberwell, U.K.) & Morro 16 (Dublin, Ireland).

The History of the London School of Samba

The London School of Samba did its first performance at Covent Garden Piazza on 1st April 1984. Within a short period, the number of players and performances had snowballed. Within a few years, the London School of Samba was the first samba group to perform at W.O.M.A.D.

First every European Samba Encontro Sweden 1986

The L.S.S. attended the 1st European Samba Encontro in Uppsala, Sweden, in 1986, and 2nd in Turku, Finland, in 1987. They played at the first U.K. samba encontro in Lincoln in 1990.

In Coburg, Germany, the International Samba Festival is the largest samba festival outside Brazil. The School has performed over fourteen times and is one of the year’s highlights.

Teaching samba in the U.K. since 1984

The London School of Samba has been teaching samba dance and samba drumming classes in the U.K. since 1984. We introduced samba directly to around 31,000 people through our open-access drum and dance workshops in London and across the country.

Our popular samba dance and samba drumming classes in London are on Sunday nights at the Waterloo Action Centre in London.

First Samba School to perform in North Africa + Hong Kong

In 2005, the L.S.S. became the first samba school to perform in North Africa when it played in Algeria. In 2011, it became the first samba school to perform in China when it played for the Chinese New year in Hong Kong.

Former members spreading Samba all over the world

Former L.S.S. members have also been instrumental in spreading samba into many different countries for the first time: in 2007, our former Musical Director Andy Marshall formed SambaMann in the Isle of Man; in 2010, another former Musical Director Erhan Arkhan was one of the founders of Sambistanbul in Istanbul, Turkey.

Back in 2010, one of our former members, Ricardo Alvarez, formed Sambaoabab in Dakar, Senegal; and in 2011, another former member Seyi Ajeigbe started the Eko Samba Community group in Nigeria.

In 2012, two former L.S.S. members, Caroline O’Dea and Michael Styliandes, formed the Bloco do Dublin in Ireland. In 2013, another ex-member Farhad Jowharsha formed a samba group in Hong Kong, China.

Finally, in 2014, one of our former Musical Directors, Aswani Hafez Hashim, formed Bloco Muleketu in Bali, Indonesia.

London School of Samba Charity Work

The London School of Samba has also worked extensively in support of charities in the U.K. and Brazil – notably through the Anglo-Brazilian Society and Task Brazil. We also supported the Associação Beneficiente São Martinho street children charity in Lapa, Rio de Janeiro, from 1994 to 2001.

Performed in 31 out of 32 London Boroughs

The London School of Samba is close to achieving a real milestone here in London. After nearly thirty years, we are now one borough away from playing or teaching in every borough of London!

L.S.S. did a school workshop in the London Borough of Havering in June 2014, so that means we are only one borough away from going all city!

The last remaining London Borough that the London School of Samba has not performed or taught in is the London Borough of Redbridge. Hopefully, soon after this pandemic, we can finally reach the goal of performing or teaching in every London Borough.