1984. A significant year for samba<\/strong><\/p>\n London, 1984. Alan Hayman, an enthusiast of Brazilian samba as well as other forms of music from Brazil, approaches Joao Bosco de Oliveira to help him start a group. \u00a0It was Bosco who chose the colours of verde e branco (green & white), as his favourite escola de samba was Mocidade Independente de Padre Miguel. He and Alan invited other notable drummers and musicians of samba, salsa and jazz in London at the time.<\/p>\n Part of London School of Samba\u2019s story is one of diaspora; taking ones culture and making that connection to home stronger in a new location. Pato and Carlos Fuentes, first came to the UK to escape the Pinochet regime in Chile. Similarly, Brazil was recovering from its military regime, where many Brasileiros had been protesting for the return of democracy, which was rejected in 1984. This led to many Brazilians, Chileans and Argentinians to come to the UK for a better life and a chance to live freely.<\/p>\n Rio, 1984. The sambadrome<\/a> was built and first opened. This saw many people\u2019s homes bulldozed to the ground and relocated to entirely different parts of the city. People lost their roots to their community; samba lost its connection to the street. Communities and the samba, both becoming controlled and contained. While violent clashes with police occurred in Rio de Janeiro, there was something significant happening here in London.<\/p>\n In London, \u00a0the police had begun to parade<\/a> in the 1984 Notting Hill Carnival with the inclusion of the police brass band on a truck. Whilst the problems continue to this day with violence at Notting Hill Carnival in the evenings notably, a subtle shift had begun to take place, perhaps the turning point where police were taking part<\/i> in the parade, an image that we see today of participants posing for photographs with police.<\/p>\n Despite many different sorts of attempts to change the venue, from Wembley Stadium to abolishing it altogether, Notting Hill Carnival has remained on the road and the spirit of carnival remains on the streets.<\/p>\n LSS played its first official gig at Covent Garden Piazza on April 1st 1984. In August 1984, we were the first Samba School to play at the Notting Hill Carnival and introduced Brazilian Carnival to the parade and to London punters. Since then, we have achieved the best results so far for any non-Caribbean band in the Notting Hill Carnival. LSS won the entire carnival in 1986, the first Brazilian based group to do so, and were the 2nd<\/sup> ever group to win the Bank Holiday Monday parade as the Monday parade only started in 1985. We have continued to be a pioneer for music, dance and costume.<\/p>\n In 1989 Mocidade Independente de Padre Miguel visited the UK for the London Encontro. Mestre Jorj\u00e3o donated his jacket he wore on stage and has since been worn by several of our Mestre de bateria. Our flag was blessed by them and our relationship with our Madrinha was made official. We rekindled that relationship again for our 25th<\/sup> Anniversary in 2009 and we continue to maintain that relationship with our members visiting their quadra and via social media.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Over the past 30 years, the London School of Samba<\/a> has acted as a bridge for a depth of cultural and musical understanding, a passage to a Brazilian carnival, partly responsible for increase of migration towards a Brazilian experience (with many members visiting Brazil to explore further). It is also a chance for Brazilians to reflect on their culture here in London. LSS is a bridge from the roots of samba in the UK to the contribution to carnival in Notting Hill and the UK. \u00a0Until 1990 LSS was the only samba group to parade at Notting Hill Carnival, which meant that people from all over the UK came and paraded with just the LSS \u2013 and that collective experience was very important for people learning carnival skills, bateria skills, dance skills from a Brazilian perspective.<\/p>\n Within the bateria, our caixas currently play the Mocidade style as the main LSS caixa pattern, as well as our tamborims having our Madrinha\u2019s legacy.<\/p>\n Concept by Mestre Mags Comiss\u00e3o de Frente – “On Da Road” <\/p>\n The design team:<\/strong> Chris Bicourt (Carnival logo)<\/p>\n Many thanks to our design review panel; Orquidea, Fee, Mags, Asia & Kitty.<\/p>\n Aplauso,\u00a0Poesias – Cinq\u00fcenta Anos de Folia, Trinta Anos de Emo\u00e7\u00e3o (2014)<\/a> from London School of Samba<\/a> on Myspace<\/a>.<\/p>\n Aplauso,\u00a0Poesias – Cinq\u00fcenta Anos de Folia, Trinta Anos de Emo\u00e7\u00e3o Acenda a vela, empolgacao Chegou nossa escola de samba, Vem l\u00e1 de Padre Miguel A Unidos vem chegando Alan, da Africa do Sul Meus Orix\u00e1s, f\u00e9 e ora\u00e7\u00e3o. Parab\u00e9ns!<\/p>\n L\u00e1 l\u00e1 ia, ooo <\/p>\n (English translation) Lighting the candle with enthusiasm Our school of samba has arrived Came from Padre Miguel to parade LSS is arriving Alan from South Africa My orixas, faith and prayer Congratulations!<\/p>\n L\u00e1 l\u00e1 ia, ooo
\nTheme and synopsis written by Fiona Turuka and Fred Turuka<\/p>\nCostumes<\/h4>\n
\nAla Afro – “Ala Cord\u00e3o de Amigos”
\nAla das Baianas – “Parab\u00e9ns da Tia Nilda”
\nBateria – “Bateria ’84 – Marching to Bosco’s drum”
\nAla dos Passistas – “Police my Samba”
\nDance Ala – “Ala das Piriquitas”
\nAla \u00cdndio – “Ala Protesto: hitting the streets”<\/p>\n
\nRachel Maclachlan (Bateria, Comissao de Frente & Passista)
\nMariana Pinho (Baianas & Ala Cordao de Amigos)
\nEdmilson de Souza (Ala das Piriquitas)
\nHelen Davenport (Ala Protesto)<\/p>\n
\nMusic<\/h4>\n
\nwritten and arranged by\u00a0Xavier Osmir and Paul Rumbol with thanks to\u00a0Vivi Xavier.<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nE verde e branco, trinta anos de paix\u00e3o<\/p>\n
\nVai encantar
\nMestre Sala e Porta Bandeira
\nO estandarte vem girar<\/p>\n
\nPra desfilar, a Mocidade o destaque popular
\nExalta\u00e7\u00e3o nossa madrinha na avenida
\nBatizava nossa escola querida
\nA tradi\u00e7\u00e3o da velha guarda
\nTraz harmonia e poesias, la la ia
\nAplausos, tem samba nos pes os passistas
\nSaudamosos sambista na avenida
\nCinquenta anos, Notting Hill, que emo\u00e7\u00e3o<\/p>\n
\nCom um samba bem legal
\nExaltando o batuque
\nVem brilhar no carnaval
\nO mestre sopra o apito
\nA bateria parou, chora cavaco
\nzum, zum, zum n\u00e3o acabou<\/p>\n
\nDe Oliveira, from Minas Gerais
\nDo Chile, mestre Pato Fuentes
\nAnimavam toda gente, dos antigos carnavais<\/p>\n
\nFeliz eu canto esse refr\u00e3o<\/p>\n
\nl\u00e1 l\u00e1 laia,\u00a0ooo<\/p>\n
\nApplause, Poetry \u2013 Fifty Years of Revelry, Thirty Years of Emotion<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nIt is green and white, thirty years of emotion<\/p>\n
\nCharming the crowds
\nMestra Sala and Porta Bandeira
\nWill spin our flag<\/p>\n
\nMocidade, the popular highlight
\nLots of emotion, our godmother is at the street parade
\nBaptizing our brilliant school
\nOur old school members brought us
\nTradition, harmony and poetry
\nApplause, the samba dancers show footwork steps
\nGreeting the sambistas at the samba parade
\nFifty years of emotion in Notting Hill<\/p>\n
\nPlaying a beautiful samba
\nExalting the bateria
\nCome to shine at the carnival
\nThe Mestre blows his whistle
\nThe bateria stops, cry cavaquinho
\nThe zum-zum-zum is not over yet<\/p>\n
\nDe Oliveira, from Minas Gerais
\nFrom Chile, Mestre Pato Fuentes
\nLiven up all the people from past carnival<\/p>\n
\nHappy I sing this chorus<\/p>\n
\nl\u00e1 l\u00e1 laia, ooo<\/p>\nLondon School of Samba, Notting Hill Carnival 2014 – 30 years of LSS<\/h4>\n