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.
We were commissioned by RHS Tatton Flower Show to produce The Great Garden Carnival from 23rd – 27th July 2014 in their Escape Zone. Over the week we sent out our dancing flutter of butterflies along as well as our vibrant flower-inspired dress wearers who will be carrying large umbrellas adorned with fresh flowers. As well as the dance groups there were 4 different percussion groups parading through Tatton Park bringing a fantastic taste of Carnival to RHS Tatton Flower Show for the first time.
“ This colourful, vibrant parade is taking place twice daily throughout the show and will feature floral umbrellas designed and made by Verdure Floral Design, native butterfly people and toe-tapping percussion to entertain visitors. The parade will finish at the bandstand in Escape, where the carnival vibe will continue. The parade is being organised by Cabasa Carnival Arts, which is a leading multi-regional carnival arts organisation, producing large scale, spectacular outdoor work, which keeps the community at its heart “
Since May 2014 we have been creating large global and British butterflies, flower dresses inspired by the fresh flower umbrellas and a set of tall tropical wings. We have teamed up with Cheshire Dance, who provided 25 dancers from the local area daily for the parades
Our creations were first premiered at Manchester Day 2014. We had a group of our fantastic dedicated volunteers who helped create the butterflies and dresses, parading through the packed streets of Manchester for this annual spectacle celebrating all things Manchester.
Cabasa has been designing and creating costumes for this unique multi discipline arts collective specialising in Brazilian percussion dance and melody since 2010.
“Inspired by the floor-shaking rhythms and vibrant dances of North-Eastern Brazil, Juba do Leão take you on an enlightening tour of the intoxicating grooves of Brazil and beyond. Every performance features beats and breaks that offer a dynamic journey of Brazilian coastal grooves for an unsuspecting audience”
Commissions have involved co-ordinating a team of volunteers and seamstresses in the fabrication of costume for 30+ members of the group. A new colour scheme was introduced to the group, reflecting the regal design of traditional costume with a Cabasa twist. The dancers costumes also pay homage to afro-Brazilian deities Orixás, which feature heavily in Pernambucan Carnival styles.