Thursday classes suspended

As you are probably aware, since the summer holidays the number of people attending Thursday night classes has been declining. A number of long term members have moved on for various reasons, and with the lack of focus on promotion we didn't get enough new members to make up for it. We need at least about 15 people to turn up each night. Recently we only have had about half that - clearly not enough.

Therefore, last Thursday I unfortunately had to make the call to suspend the classes for the moment while I consider how to best take the samba school forward. You can call it reinventing the samba school, if you like.

This was not an easy decision, in particular because a number of you have been extremely loyal over many many years. I deeply appreciate that.

I feel the main reason for recent events comes down to me not putting in the time anymore to promote the samba school, both to new members and for potential gigs. This is mainly caused by my new job which is extremely demanding (fortunately also very satisfying!). In addition to that I also want to give Ruben the time that he deserves, so that leaves me on average with only about 1 or 1.5 hours per day for 'other' things including the samba school. Unfortunately by that time I'm also pretty exhausted so it's not the most productive time of my day.

On Thursday we did have a bit of a brainstorm with the people that did turn up, and there is certainly the potential to change things around a bit, in particular by me letting go of total control a bit and others stepping up in helping out. But I need to think this all through a bit which might take a few weeks - and we need to get new people to sign up somehow.

As a sign that this is NOT the end of the samba school, on Saturday I have excepted a gig for 29 July around noon at the C&K Kindy in West End, something we've done a few times now. Please block this in your calendars! I will also try to have a monthly get-together in Newfarm park where we can play and maybe even attract some new people.


Thank you
Remko

Easter break

Based on the feedback tonight, we have decided there will be a short Easter break, so there won't be a class next week Thursday 5 April.

See you on 12 April!

Tonight Que Saudade Brazilian Session!

E ai Sambistas,

Hold tight for another killer session...Que Saudade's starting to get bigger and bigger every month.

This month we have a combination of live Samba jazz/classics and forro! plus a whole lot of new music collected by Pepe Sol and Paprika after their Brazil trip! as usual Comidas de Boteco, Brazilian beer and cocktails, plus an intro dance class will make the night complete....come down and enjoy! Que Saudade.

details attached and below.

Tonight! Friday 23rd March 2012
o verdadeiro espirito brasileiro'

QUE SAUDADE!

Dance floor sounds from the colourful streets of Brazil.
Live samba :: gafieira :: forro :: xote :: xaxado :: baiao :: chorinho
:: bossanova :: maracatu :: Brazilian music & dancing all night long!

Featuring 'Yemanja' serving up the samba jazz, bossanova, MPB, chorinho and gafiera flavours........
& 'Familia Forro' presenting a full live set of classic forro lead by Kieran Alexander on sanfona (accordion)
(with members of The View Madeleine's Couch and Yemanja.)
Expect classic samba and forro music from the likes of Clara Nunes, Toninho Horta, Elis Regina,
Maria Bethania, Dominguinhos, Luis Gonzaga, Jackson do Pandiero and more!

+ DJs Pepe Sol & Paprika - fresh back from traveling and record hunting around Brazil - armed with new Brazilian nuggets for the dancefloor! Mixing up Musica Brasileira from the past present and future blending samba rock, forro, baiao, embolada, gafieira, samba enredos, tropicalia and Brazilian beats.

(listen Pepe Sol & Paprika's Que Saudade Vol 2 DJ mix here: http://soundcloud.com/pepesol)
(listen Pepe Sol's Chega de Saudade - Golden era of Bossanova - Vol 1 DJ mix here:http://soundcloud.com/sabrosa-son-sistema/chega-de-saudade-mix )

Introductory Dance class
from Groove Brazil dance studio to help those anglo saxon limbs loosen up. 9pm-10pm

To keep the Boteco (Brazilian Bar) theme authentic we have Brazilian food , beer and cocktails.......cause what would a Brazilian party be without these... right!

9pm-2am.
Brazilian beer, Cocktails & Comidas de Buteco (freshly cooked Brazilian bar food)
entry : $10
Casablanca (Cellar Bar)
cnr Petrie trc & Caxton st Paddington
(2 min walk from Roma st Station/10 min walk from Queen st Mall)

Like on
Que Saudade: http://www.facebook.com/quesaudade
Yemanja:http://www.facebook.com/pages/Yemanja/129685337071394
Familia Forro: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Familia-Forro/164105176949405
Urucum Comidas: http://facebook.com/urucum.comidas

New Farm workshop postponed

I don't trust the weather at all today, so let's postpone the New Farm park workshop to Sunday 11 March, OK? Let's plan for 3pm.

EDIT 10/3: Unfortunately not enough people are available on 11 March. I won't have time the next two weekends, so let's try again for Sunday 31 March.

News from the cold

Hi everyone,
I have been busy with everything since I moved. Now here's some time to tell you again how I loved playing with you, how fun it was, how it started making my Australian life very much Brasilian...I miss my Thursday samba!
Hope to be able to jam some time again!

vi ses!

Paul
ps: too bad lots of people cannot make it to that gig...a weekend in the bush sounds GREAT :D

Small gig this Saturday evening 18 Feb

I received a phone call today from someone that saw us perform years ago at a party at my house here in the Gap. They'd like us to play briefly this Saturday evening during a birthday party here in the Gap.

We discussed it over the phone and it sounds like fun, but what makes it really interesting is the 'payment' she offered: for the samba school to stay at her property in the bush some 2 hours north of Brisbane one weekend, where we could play without problems, do some canoeing, etc etc. I was thinking this would be a great weekend away for us all, somewhere later this year!

So, please drop me a note asap if you can play this Saturday, somewhere between 7pm - 8pm here in the Gap. I'll need to let her know Wednesday evening.

Back to school!

This Thursday, 2 February, it's time to get back into it! We all had a long break, and time to reflect on things. I'd like to do a few things a bit different from now on, so I look forward to discussing that with you in between playing!

See you Thursday!

Thoughts....

Option 1: More members, more gigs, higher quality
Option 2: Stop

Decisions decisions...

Happy New Year

Q: When do we start up again?
A: Happy new year everyone. I was planning to start next week again (19 Jan) but due to a few other obligations as well as Australia day I have decided to recommence classes on 2 February. I know some of you will have severe withdrawal symptoms by now, so sorry about that! Remko