L.A.'s Official 13th Annual Brazilian Carnaval: Exotica at Club Nokia, March 2nd

Feb. 4, 2013 - PRLog -- LOS ANGELES – The L.A. institution of true Latin party spirit, sensuality and rhythms returns to seduce Angelenos when the 13th Annual Brazilian Carnaval: Exotica beckons revelers on Saturday, March 2, 2013 at Club Nokia/LA Live.  A faithful replica of the real Carnavals in Rio and Bahia, Carnaval: Exotica is the most authentic and extravagant Carnaval on the West Coast and has consistently sold out, drawing an annual crowd of 3000+ for the past 12 years.

This music and dance spectacle is a true demonstration of Carnaval samba, costuming, dancer and audience parading to live Brazilian music and a 100 person participatory drum circle. Patricia Leao, Producer for Brazilian Nites Productions, has brought L.A. the best of Brazilian talent (including Gilberto Gil, Olodum, Caetano Veloso, Seu Jorge, Djavan, Daniela Mercury, Beth Carvalho, Maria Rita, Fundo de Quintal, among others) since 1990.

L.A.’s official, and longest running party tradition happens on a multi level dance floor in the heart of Downtown L.A. This hybrid dance party and Brazilian music concert offers Angelenos the chance to indulge the senses and lose themselves in a relentless sea of samba, surrendering to irresistible beats behind the anonymity of sequins, masks and feathers. Brazilian food and drinks are served to heighten the sensory adventure. Costumes are encouraged!  Brazilian Carnaval: Exotica is proud to partner with the non-profit organization Painted Turtle providers of an innovative camp and family care center for children with life threatening illnesses.

The Brazilian Nites Samba dancers inaugurate this years’ Carnaval with a rambunctious parade with the Samda da Mudanca Samba School headed by lead singer Lula Almeida.  Chalo Eduardo’s All Star Band of acclaimed international touring musicians perform Carnaval hits, with an all night pageant of elite samba dancers and capoeira, the Afro Brazilian martial art dance.

THE SOUNDS, SAMBA & EUPHORIA OF BRAZIL
Catch the Carnaval sensation and mingle, misbehave and move to the contagious beats of Bloco Nove,  plus an all star Brazilian dance band curated by Chalo Eduardo (performed with Sergio Mendes, Santana, Mickey Hart, Ricky Martin) featuring top notch musicians playing Carnaval hits all night long.  Chalo Eduardo’s All Star Band showcases an international cast of musicians playing classic Brazilian Carnaval music and performing marchinhas, frevos, samba reggae and carioca sambas that will transport you to Rio de Janeiro. The pulse of the Brazilian beat is produced by master drummers filling the stage with exotic percussion that is supported by guitarist, Joe De Sa and keyboardist Sandro Rabel who provide the harmony and melodic finesse which characterizes Brazilian Carnaval music.

Bloco Nove is led by musician, bandleader, and producer Bobby Easton, who has been deeply involved in the Brazilian community of Southern California for nearly two decades. They recently appeared at Long Beach Funk Fest and Easton and drummer Simon Carroll have performed together in a variety of settings from Delta Nove to Samba Society, Batuqueiros, from Capoeira Batuque to samba shows with Van Halen, Ozomatli at the Hollywood Bowl, and an official Grammy after party.

The Samba is to Brazilians an unencumbered way to dance into a euphoric, ecstatic state. The audience will enter the Sambodrome created by Brazilian Nites at Club Nokia and surrender to the Brazilian beats of Samba, Capoeira, and participatory Carnaval Parade dances. Hypnotizing moves will be led by  Samba Da Mudaça (Samba For Change), LA's most socially active and fastest growing Samba School with recent performances at the Hollywood Bowl, Dorothy Chandler Pavillion at the LA Music Center, and numerous music festivals. Samba Da Mudaça performs Rio Style Carnaval beats as well as Samba Reggae and modern, progressive Samba grooves with special guest Lula Almeida. Almeida is a founding member of the famous bloco-Afro Olodum, and has performed throughout Brazil, Israel, Japan, Germany and the U.S. and at the Grammy Awards with Ricky Martin and the Latin Grammy’s with Diego Torres and Alexandre Pires.

DJ Chris Brazil will spin additional Brazilian dance music between sets and facilitate a 100-piece community drum circle hosted by REMO will culminate in a thunderous grand finale that includes audience participation.

Emcee & Hosts:
Dr. Robert M. Rey, star of the hit reality show “Dr. 90210,” will act as Host at this year's Carnaval: Exotica 2013.  Dr. Rey is a Cosmetic, Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon with a number of film, television and fashion industry clients. He is also an author, lecturer, medical broadcaster, actor, artist and martial artist.  Giselle Claudino, a native of Northeast Brazil, will lead Carnaval: Exotica as the night’s Emcee.  The multifaceted Claudino is not only a producer and reporter for such outlets as Brazil TV and Sete Magazine, covering a variety of special events, movie premieres, film festival and awards shows.  She is also a blogger for Revista Fashion News and the Fabulous Channel, an event planner, a fashion consultant and a model.

DANCE DANCE DANCE
Carnaval: Exotica launches with a participatory, warm-up Samba lesson from 8 – 8:30pm by Diane of Samba Bloco 4U, taught with all the excitement and flair as if you were in the streets of Brazil during Carnaval.  Samba Bloco for 4U performs various dance styles including: Brazilian Samba, Axe and Samba Reggae (rhythms of Bahia).

On the catwalk, Carnaval muses from Samba display their training in body harmony, sociability, Carnaval spirit, Brazilian identity and samba culture and elegance via athletic and energetic samba dancing. The Brazilian Nites Samba Dancers, directed and choreographed by Joany Macias, hypnotize with their sensual and elaborate samba steps in feather and sequined micro bikinis and Capoeira, the acrobatic martial arts dance thrills audiences. Carnaval also features sessions of en masse dance floor choreography and blocos choreographed by Diane from Samba Bloco 4U.

At midnite there will be a special choreography to the mega hit Gangnam Style song, but Brazilian Samba style by Joany Macias and the Brazilian Nites Samba Dancers. The video visual montage environment featuring Brazilian sites and culture, mixed live by Leonardo Bondani (performed as a VJ with Moby, Deep Forest, Lila Downs, Mexican Institute of Sound), will include Rio Carnaval footage.

TASTES OF BRAZIL
Brazilian Carnaval: Exotica features a menu of authentic Brazilian culinary creations from Picabu including: the popular Brazilian snack Coxinha (shredded chicken and spices); Kibe a deep fried Brazilian appetizer made of ground beef, wheat, onions and herbs; Brazilian style Hot Dogs with vinaigrette, mashed potatoes, Crepes, Passionfruit mousse and more.

The 13th Annual Brazilian Carnaval: Exotica Sponsors are KPFK, La Presnsa de Los Angeles, Brasil Best, REMO, Pecabu, Rainbow Goodies, Fusicology, and LatinoLA.com

The Club Nokia Brazilian Carnaval 2013 is for all ages. Presale tickets are: $45 general admission / standing room only ($55 @ the door) & $65 preferred seating ($75 @ the door).

Purchase tickets by calling (818) 566-1111, visit http://braziliancarnavalexotica2013.eventbrite.com/

Club Nokia is located at 800 West Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90015. Parking on site available for a fee.