GIANT STEPS
ADELMO Andrade could teach us a lot. First of all, how to achieve a dream against all odds, having come from extreme poverty in the shanty towns of Recife in Brazil where he shared his bedroom with his grandmother and a fridge. He also walked for two hours a day to get to the prestigious university where he had gained a place in dance and fitness instruction.
But, more specifically, he can teach us how to perform the vital, energetic dances of his home country – which he will soon be doing now that he’s in Nottingham in time for carnival season.
“I met Adelmo last year, while I was in Brazil for three months to work with some local groups and learn about carnival art,” explained Tatiana Woolley, Nottinghambased dancer and owner of the ABC Dance School, whose performances are a longstanding staple of the annual Nottingham Carnival.
“I’d been awarded an International Development Grant by the Arts Council, and I’ve just had another successful application to bring Adelmo over here to perform with us.”
Now he’s in Nottingham, Adelmo’s main focus will be to join 40 ABC Dance School dancers in the Nottingham Carnival on Sunday, August 12.
But when he’s not strutting his stuff for the big city centre carnival, he’ll also be touring with the school to perform in carnivals in Leicester (where over 100,000 people are expected to attend), Liverpool and Edinburgh as well as teaching a workshop for the dance centre Dance4 on July 28.
Adelmo’s students and fellow dancers
will have plenty to learn from him.
“He’s classically trained in ballet, tap and modern dance, but specialises in northeastern Brazilian dances,” Tatiana said of the talented and determined dancer.
Brazilian-born herself, Tatiana has been taking all kinds of dance forms from her home country to the Nottingham Carnival for years.
As she likes to tell people – it’s not only samba.
Emcann (East Midlands Caribbean Carnival Arts Network) states that Adelmo’s visit to Nottingham is “a natural progression” of his meeting with Tatiana in Brazil, which the organisation said had a “huge impact on local artists and international artistic connections”.
“He was invited many times to come to Europe, but it was never the right time because he was focussing on his studies,” Tatiana added.
“But now that he’s finished his Masters in physical education and dance pedagogy, we were lucky to make him the offer to come to Nottingham and he was free enough to take it up. “So lucky us – and lucky Nottingham!” This year’s carnival will once again see hundreds of colourful costumes strutting and dancing along the riverside of the Meadows Embankment, while the Carnival Village will also return with music stages, workshops, stalls and even a large funfair to entertain guests.
Nottingham Carnival will take place on Sunday at Victoria Embankment. The event is set to begin at noon and end at 8pm.