The Tempest (Global Grooves 2016) – in the 400th anniversary year since Shakespeare’s death, this Carnival drew influence from themes of conflict, transformation and harmony from his final play “The Tempest”, retold through global Carnival traditions.

Creating Carnival is an artists development programme for new Carnival practitioners designed to offer a complete pathway into the profession. The 2016 programme identified 6 established Carnival artists on the cusp of regional and national profile, and helped to move them to the next stage in their carnival careers.

Carnival Lead Artists Team:
Adriana Rosso – Guest Jab Choreographer
Bridget Withycombe-Wharton – Lead Choreographer
Emily Wood – Lead Visual Artists
Helen Curtis– Lead Music Artist
Kate Rothery – Producer
Rowan Taylor – Lead Visual Artists

Web links:

Global Grooves – www.globalgrooves.org
Creating Carnival – www.creatingcarnival.org
Future Leaders – www.futureleaders.org.uk

Sponsors and Funders:
Arts Council England
Bangdrum CIC
British Airways
Contemporânea Percussion

Photo credits: Christian Dyson

 

 

 

 

Cabasa Carnival Arts was specially commissioned to create over 80 unique costumes for Afoxé Manchester (2009), in partnership with Global Grooves. The designs drew influence from the traditional Brazilian Afoxé, which is a type of traditional street carnival, paying homage to its Candomblé (Afro-Brazilian religion) roots. The costumes – representing different Orixás (Afro-Brazlian deities) – were worn by percussionists, brass players, vocalist, dancers and volunteers.

Afoxé Manchester focussed on sharing deep-rooted Afro-Brazilian heritage with a community in a modern setting in an attempt to encourage the meeting of minds, whilst inspiring and invigorating musical and creative experience. The colourful, vibrant carnival-style drumming, dancing, and singing bloco saturated the streets of Manchester (as part of Manchester Jazz Festival 2009) with its uplifting energy. The participants processed through Manchester City Centre and finished in Albert Square for an exciting static performance for an audience of over 2000 people.

This project was a Cabasa Carnival Arts and Global Grooves collaboration it aditions, values and cultures produced as a result of migrant communities across the world learning to settle together and share their experiences.

‘Journey of the Orixas’ premiered at Manchester Day Parade on Sun 2nd June 2013 and the second performance took place at Big Drum Day, Chorley, on Sun 4th August 2013. Taking its inspiration from the deities of the Candomblé tradition, the project was a celebration of the positive aspects of cultural migration. It paid homage and respect to the ancient and beautiful traditions of our African ancestors and to the many taken from their homelands as slaves to the new world.

Working from this brief, Cabasa created bespoke, individualised, colourful costume and props for 10 dancers representing different Orixas, and over 80 costumes for performers & volunteers including: drummers, singers and large-scale puppet operators.

As the relationship between Cabasa and Global Grooves has developed, new techniques have been employed which include large scale batik work, head dress making and silk creations for the presentation. Also featured were two large scale 20ft puppets representing two particular Orixas which were operated by a team of fantastic volunteers. The team received specialist training on how to operate these large kinetic structures with a view to providing further free training in aerial/back pack operation; ensuring investment in future projects.

Cabasa Carnival Arts worked with over 60 passionate and skilled volunteers from the community and without them, this high-quality presentation would not have been possible.