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Included with paid museum admission; free for members
Let MIM immerse you in the sights and sounds of Brazilian culture and music. Experience vibrant music and dance performances, samba music workshops, a Brazilian-inspired menu, hands-on crafts, and more! Top off the day with shopping for Brazilian merchandise at the Museum Store.
Gifts Available for Purchase 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Visit the Museum Store for CDs of Brazilian music, as well as books, instruments, and handmade jewelry made from jarina seed (from ivory-nut palms), coconut, and straw.
Photo Booth 9:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Have your picture taken with costumes and props at MIM’s custom photo booth, and instantly get your own copy to take home.
Rocar Shaker Craft 9:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Shake it up with a Brazilian rocar craft. Meaning “to rock” in Portuguese, rocar is a type of chocalho, or shaker, that samba musicians play during Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival celebrations. Make your own rocar, shake it back and forth, and feel that funky samba rhythm. MIM volunteer team members will be on hand to help you craft this rockin’ instrument.
Mini-Tours of Latin America Gallery 9:45 a.m., 12:15 p.m., 1:00 p.m., and 2:15 p.m. Join MIM’s Junior Museum Guides (6th–12th graders) on a short, family-friendly tour of the Latin America Gallery, with a special focus on Brazil. Mini-tours will take place four times throughout the day on both days, so be sure to drop in on these fun activities.
Brazilian Musical Story Activity 9:45–10:15 a.m., 12:15–12:45 p.m., 1:00–1:30 p.m., and 2:15–2:45 p.m. Take part in creating a story that comes to life with the sounds and moves of Brazilian culture. MIM’s Junior Museum Guides will lead this fun musical activity four times throughout the day on both days. You won’t want to miss it!
“Playing For Change Foundation: Sounds of Brazil” 10:15–11:15 a.m. Join the talented teachers and students of the Cajuru Music Program in Curitiba, Brazil, as they share with you through video the exciting music and dance of southern Brazil. The Cajuru Music Program is part of fifteen music programs supported by the Playing For Change Foundation. Come and experience this joyful expression of Brazilian culture brought to you by their future generation of artists!
Face Painting 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. Add a touch of color and whimsy to your look! Have your face painted with a custom design by artists from Evolving Through Art.
Bossa Brazil Performance 11:30 a.m.–12:15 p.m. Kick off the day by experiencing Brazilian music with a performance by this talented Phoenix-based band led by singer Cleo Corcoran, originally from Rio de Janeiro. Discover the rich and varied sounds of the largest and most diverse country in South America through samba, choros, and bossa nova classics.
Brazilian-Inspired Lunch Menu Available for Purchase 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Visit the café and enjoy a special menu featuring favorite dishes from Brazil, such as the white fish soup with bell pepper and garlic and the shrimp and coconut stew with cilantro and lime juice.
Samba Music Workshop 12:30–1:15 p.m. Discover the world of Brazilian samba music during a fun workshop for guests of all ages! Talented local musicians Joe Goglia and Sam Peña will guide you through Brazilian musical styles, featuring instruments such as berimbau, agbê, ganzá, pandeiro, and more.
Samba de Cavalo Performance 1:30–2:15 p.m. Get ready to move to the beat, as the Mesa-based community percussion ensemble Samba de Cavalo performs energetic Brazilian musical styles and rhythms, such as samba-enredo, samba-reggae, maracatu, coco, and ijexá. Enjoy the group’s quick tempos and infectious grooves!
Curator Talk and Video Short: “Music of Northeast Brazil” 2:30–3:15 p.m. Join Daniel C. Piper, PhD, MIM’s curator for Latin America and the Caribbean, for a discussion and Q&A on the traditional music, dance, festivals, and rituals of Northeast Brazil, featuring special video footage from his field research in the region. Drawing from his professional experience and MIM’s collection of instruments, Piper will immerse guests in the world of Afro-Brazilian religion, bumba-meu-boi dance drama, samba-de-roda, forró, and other musical styles of Northeast Brazil. Come explore how multiple African, Portuguese, and Amerindian cultures have influenced the music of the Northeast, and learn about the region’s significant contributions to Brazilian music history.
Axé Capoeira Performance 3:30–4:15 p.m. Join this dynamic cultural performance troupe as it showcases Brazil’s popular and folkloric dances highlighting capoeira, the Brazilian martial art that combines elements of dance, acrobatics, and music. For nearly two decades, Grupo Axé Capoeira of Arizona has traveled throughout the American Southwest sharing an important part of Brazil’s heritage through song and dance. The group will make you want to get out of your seat and dance as they display the contagious movements of capoeira, maculelê, and samba-reggae.