Africa Centre Partnership Announcement
London School of Samba goes back to its roots in renewed Partnership with The Africa Centre
London School of Samba (LSS) is delighted to announce a renewed Partnership with The Africa Centre, London’s leading place of education, connection and advocacy for the African continent and the Global African Diaspora.
The Africa Centre and London School of Samba have a long-standing historic relationship, with the LSS having been formed and based at The Africa Centre’s previous home in Covent Garden. This year, LSS is celebrating 40 years since its foundation in 1984 as the first samba school in the UK and the first to parade at Notting Hill.
For its 40th Anniversary, LSS is preparing a spectacular parade for Notting Hill Carnival, on the theme “De Volta às Origens” (Back to the Roots) exploring the cultural diaspora of Africa to Brazil, recognising and celebrating the origins of Samba.
As part of these celebrations, LSS and The Africa Centre have entered into a strategic partnership to illuminate the social and cultural connections between Brazil and Africa as manifested in the Samba artforms (music, dance, drumming) and associated cultural activity.
The project will include a series of workshops that LSS will hold at The Africa Centre from June to December 2024. These workshops will focus on
dance, drumming and costume-design, and will include the opportunity of participation in Notting Hill Carnival.
LSS will also participate in the development of TAC’s Africa-Brazil Quilombo Cultural Connections Showcase, a programme of immersive cultural experiences focused on the historical journey of samba music and dance from its African antecedence through to its various cultural progeny including samba, capoeira and candomble.
Christopher Silverstein, Chair of Trustees of London School of Samba, said: “We are delighted to reconnect and renew our historic partnership with The Africa Centre. Both organisations have been on long journeys since 1984, and are still going strong! These joint activities will help us realise a new understanding and expression of the African roots of samba, and reach out to new audiences to raise cultural awareness, education, artistic participation and community engagement.
“In this our 60th anniversary, we are determined to celebrate our past and use that as a platform for the future. It is therefore really delightful and culturally significant for us to be re-engaging with LSS. Their focus on going back to their roots is very much in line with our strategic focus on The Global African and I am so excited about all the wonderful things that we are going to be doing together this year and beyond!” – Olu Alake | Chief Executive Officer of The Africa Centre
Previous year Partners:
Emergency Exit Arts
We are also members of the following organisations:
Caribbean Music Association