Samba tour to Rio de Janeiro for drummers.


 



Want to learn real samba drumming in Rio from the Mestres of your favorite baterias?

Imagine learning samba in the quadras of Rio's most storied Samba Schools?

Imagine walking down the avenida in the Sambódromo!

Secure My Spot!

Click here to join our email list.

Email directly: Courtney@gosamba.net
Call: 503-309-0220





Mestre Renan Gohan and Courtney Danley of Go Samba are leading a small number of drummers on a trip to experience samba at its source. Come inside the bateria with us!

This trip is designed for the experienced percussionist and samba drummers who want to learn authentic samba from the best teachers and players in Rio de Janeiro! 

 

  • Learn the real way samba is played in workshops with samba school bateria Mestres and Directors at Rio's most famous samba schools. 
  • Drum factory tours such as King or IVSOM.
  • Visit Cidade do Samba where the carnaval parade floats are constructed
  • Visit the Sambódromo where the official parades occur.
  • Relax on the Rio's most famous beaches.
  • and more...


Your hotel is located a short walk to the beach and surrounded by Rio's best bars, restaurants and night life. 

Rio de Janeiro Beach at sunset



Dates:


The hotel is booked from November 24th to December 7th.  With workshop and full programing begins Monday November 25th to Friday December 6th.

Partial duration trips are not possible at this time.

If you would like to arrive earlier or stay longer after the trip you will need to make those arrangements. Julia Kasid is available to help you with travel planning (a planning fee may apply). See her contact info below.


Price:

$3,199.00

Time is running out, at this point a non-refundable 50% deposit is required to secure your spot.  Payment plans are available. 

Secure My Spot!

Click here to get on our email list!

Payment includes:

Lodging - check-in Sunday November 24th to check-out the morning of Saturday December 7th. 
Breakfast at the hotel.
You will have your own bed but share a room with another sambista on the tour. 
If you would like your own room that is available for an additional fee. Get in touch.
Workshops and full programing with the best Mestres and directors
Transport to samba school quadras that are far away. Quadras that are safely reached by the metro or Uber are not included.
VIP tickets to the Cidade do Samba Mini desfiles Nov. 28 30th.
Translation Portuguese to English for organized workshops
Instruments provided for workshops
Trip t-shirt  
Zoom call with your fellow travelers ahead of departure.
Group WhatsApp to chat with other travelers ahead of time.
Drum Factory Tours such as King or IVSOM

  

Payment does not included:

Flight to Rio from your city
Ride to or from airport to lodging when you arrive (we can help get you arrange this)
Food is not included.
Trip insurance (see Julia Kasid)
Health insurance
SIM card, check with your carrier about an international phone plan.
Vaccinations
Translation for day to day interactions, personal experience, private lessons arranged by the student etc.

 
Lodging:

Your hotel is located in Copacabana a short walk to the famous Copacabana beach and near a metro station. It is also surrounded by Rio's best bars, restaurants and night life.

All lodging is shared room with two single beds with one other person of the same sex. Accommodations can be made for gender non-conforming individuals. The earlier you sign up the better chance of being matched with a roommate. If you have a travel buddy, spouse, partner arrangements can be made to put you together in the same room. A limited number of single rooms are available for an additional fee. Please reach out for details. 


Time is running out, at this point a non-refundable 50% deposit is required to secure your spot. Payment plan options available.

 

Space is limited! Get in touch today!

Click here to join our email list.

Email directly: Courtney@gosamba.net
Call: 503-309-0220


Tips for travelers:

Travel health insurance
Yellow fever vaccination
International phone plan
Vegans/Dietary restrictions. Happy Cow App can help you find Vegan and Vegetarian restaurants in Rio de Janeiro.
Passport
Brazilian Travel Visa, is not needed at this time. 
Duolingo and sign up for Dica do dia email service
Bring extras of your prescriptions
The sun is strong wear sunscreen
Wear bug spray readily available in pharmacies
Take photocopies of your passport
Bring an old phone if you have one
I wouldn't fly Aero Mexico

 

About us:


Courtney Danley

Ritmista Imperatriz Leopoldinense Escola de Samba
Secretary Percussive Arts Society Oregon Chapter
Owner Go Samba LLC
Executive Director Portland Samba LLC
Sound designer and Co-Host The Brazilian Beat Podcast

Courtney has spent 12 of the last 18 months playing in samba schools and Carnaval in Rio de Janeiro. It was the honor of her life to play with Mestre Lolo's bateria at Imperatriz Leopoldinense for the past 2 seasons even winning carnaval in 2023 and coming in runner up in 2024. 

Courtney's passion in life is to bridge the worlds of samba communities in the US to samba communities in Rio de Janeiro. Fostering tighter connections, understanding and cultural exchange between the countries. She does this through her podcast, The Brazilian Beat, YouTube channel Go Samba, Instrument import store GoSamba.net. Courtney brings Brazilian teachers to Portland to teach the group she co-founded, Portland Samba, and has also learned Portuguese and spends lots of time in Brazil.

503-309-0220
courtney@gosamba.net

 

Mestre Renan Gohan

Local on-the-ground expert in samba and connections to inside the baterias.

Renan started in samba at the age of 13 with Barriga, a bloco in Cidade Alta, the neighborhood where he was raised. At 15 he became part of the bateria and has played in baterias ever since. He began at Imperatriz Leopodinense in 2006 as a percussionist on caixa. In 2008 he moved to third surdo, and in 2009 he was invited to be a bateria director for the third surdo. He stayed at Imperatriz until 2011.
In 2013 he was invited to be bateria director at Porto da Pedra, in 2014 he was bateria director at União da Ilha, in 2015 he was a bateria director at Grande Rio, where he stayed until 2018. In 2016 he returned to Imperatriz as a percussionist and in 2020 he returned to bateria director, where he is until today. 

He is currently the Mestre at Flamanguaça, he is also the bateria mestre at Bloco Urubuzada since 2014.
He has been part of Batuque Digital performing group since 2013. 

He has also been a bateria director at Rocinha,  Renascer de Jacarepaguá, Unidos do Bangu, São Clemente and Flamanguaca.
He has also paraded as a percussionist in Unidos da Tijuca, São Clemente, Estácio de Sá, Portela, and Viradouro among many others.

 
Renan says:


Imperatriz and samba have given me many good things, in addition to life experience, I have been fortunate to visit many countries in South America, Europe and to several states in Brazil. These were all important moments in my life. I love Carnival and I want to be able to learn more and more and pass on a little of what I learned to other people.


Links:


Facebook
Instagram


Julia Kasid


Julia Kasid started dancing Samba in 2014. With many visits to Brazil under her belt, Julia has paraded twice in Rio: as an International Passista with Porta da Pedra and with the local Passistas of Estacio de Sá. She recently served as the Passista Director of Austin Samba for 1.5 years and enjoys learning the drumming alongside it. Professionally, she has coordinated trips to Brazil for over 8 years and is the owner of her own travel agency, Travallure https://travallure.com/. She loves to encourage and support Sambistas in their own immersion into the culture and is excited to help with ours. Julia is assisting us with our accommodation and some other tourism elements. She is available to help you with travel insurance or if you'd like to extend your hotel nights or visit other destinations in Brazil (a planning fee may apply). 

Julia is helping with booking all hotels and lodging. 
julia@travallure.com
512-920-0471