Confirmed Artists
Léo Fortes and Robertinha: Residents in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Léo Fortes with 21 years of dance graduated from the academy of Jimmy de Oliveira and Robertinha with 27 years of dance graduated from the academy Nice Machado, have passed by more than 10 schools of dance of Rio, together, in partnership since 2007, they work with specialties in Samba de Gafieira and Samba Funkeado. They have participated in many championships as competitors and also as judges. Travel to Brazil and abroad taking part in the main workshops, festivals and congresses in the world, with classes and shows. Have passed through numerous countries among them, Australia, Japan, France, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Israel, Canada, the United States, Russia, the Czech Republic and England. Have participated in television programs, novels, commercials, front commissions, cruises, shows with famous singers, resorts, shows, reports, interviews, TV contests and etc. Always thinking about the features and roots, Léo Fortes and Robertinha take with great mastery the culture of Samba and all its evolution along the modernization without losing the origins and its main characteristics. A couple with solid partnership to 18 years super renowned and disputed in the market of Samba in Brazil and abroad. They love what they do and are increasingly surprising, studying, recycling and reinventing themselves to bring samba with great responsibility to all lovers. For 14 years they make the Event Samba Maníacos that aims to promote the Samba de Gafieira and its aspects, being one of the great promoters of our dance, our Brazilian culture, through dancing events composed of classes, Dances and lectures with the best professionals in the market. Therefore, our intention is to seek the union and diffusion of our samba in Brazil and the world.
Weslei Guimarães is a dance instructor, choreographer, artist and director native to the favelas in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. His art uses a variety of dance styles that have offered opportunities to work with dance enthusiasts across the United States. The dance repertoire of Weslei includes Samba in PE, Brazilian ballroom (Samba de Gafieira, Bolero, Forró) and Baile Funk. Weslei began to accumulate her dance achievements in her home country. Participated in numerous Front Committee - a highly selective acting session of the world’s largest Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In the United States, Weslei has worked heavily on major dance productions including the Iemanjá Annual Arts Festival and SamBrasil where he served as Choreographer and Co-Director of the Brasarte Cultural Center in Berkeley, California (2017, 2018). He served as principal choreographer of San Francisco carnival. The first Samba of Gafieira Ala from San Francisco, in two years with the group Ginga Brazil at the Annual Festival of Carnival of San Francisco. He also performed throughout the country appearing with famous artists, including musicians Jorge Aragão, Dudu Nobre , the group Mono Bloco and alongside dance masters Marcelo Chocolate, Álvaro Reyes, Patrick Caravalho, Thai Rodrigues, Leo Fortes and Robertinha, Sheila Aquino Carlinho’s Salgueiro and many others. As an instructor, Weslei created the first comprehensive program in northern California. In 2020, he was invited to teach at the largest Brazilian dance event in the United States, an international Samba congress, where the best talents meet and instruction directly from Brazil to teach workshops during an intensive dance weekend. In 2023, Weslei opened its first dance studio in Berkeley, California , where it devotes space to continuous learning and actively facilitates an environment for boundless creativity.
