An homage to the high-flying Afro-Brazilian martial art capoeira, Ritmo is a work of boundless energy and excitement that features breathtaking feats of athleticism from the dancers alongside musicians performing on traditional instruments like the cuica, agogo, and berimbau, congas, tambourines, and the biriarpa. The music is Samba do Reconcavo, a vibrant form of samba exclusive to Bahia, DanceBrazil's home.

Artistic Director Jelon Bieira, who founded the company in 1975, is widely credited as one of the first performers to introduce capoeira to the United States. He has choreographed for Dance Theatre of Harlem and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre. Alvin Ailey was instrumental in helping Vieira create DanceBrazil.

“There can’t be much anywhere to match the strength, flexibility, speed, and idiomatic allure of the dancers and musicians of DanceBrazil.” - Washington Post

These performances are made possible by the W. Ford Schumann ’50 Endowment for the Arts and the Lipp Family Fund for Performing Artists.