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CubaDupa 2016 – day 2

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Mass samba madness in the tropical heat

In which 150+ samba drummers and dancers from across NZ (and Oz!) get together and drum our little sox off in the Mass Samba Bloco Super CubaDupa Extravaganza (thing).

Mass rehearsal

CubaDupa day 2 - rehearsal in full swing - photo by Alan ShukerStill on a huge buzz from the night before, we began CubaDupa day 2 with a mass rehearsal at Mt Cook School. It’s an amazing feeling rehearsing with a bazillion of your fellow sambistas from across New Zealand (and Oz!) – such a powerful sound.

The bloco was sorted into sections, just like at normal band practice, with members of the different samba groups all mixed up together in each section. It’s great to spend some time rehearsing and playing with members of other samba groups – it gives you a wider perspective on what you play. All the pieces we were playing in the mass samba jam were from Sambanui (which means we all know them) plus (from London School of Samba) Fred’s original samba, which we also all know. Continue reading

CubaDupa 2016 – day 1

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Drumming in my skull – Day of the Dead stylee

There’s something about Cuba Street that brings out the best, and the coolest, and the weirdest, and the most magical, and the most creative, and the downright awesomest. That’s why CubaDupa is so blimmin’ wonderful, and why it’s one of our favourite weekends of the year.

Day of the Dead Wellington Batucada team photo. By Alan Shuker

Once again we brought our fellow sambisatas from around the country to join us for the weekend. We were thrilled to share Wellington’s funkiest street with AKSamba (Auckland), Bay Batucada (Hawkes Bay), Sambatron/Tauranga Samba (Hamilton/Tauranga), and Samba del Sol (Nelson) – and this year for the first time we also hosted members of our extended family from across the ditch – O’Zirigidum from Melbourne. Welcome, sports!

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It’s CubaDupa time!

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Our favourite Cuba Street-based festival of the year

Day of the Dead top hat and drumsticks, ready for CubaDupaNo really – we love CubaDupa with a passion. Last year’s inaugural event was spectacular, and fabulous, and wonderful, and a little bit magical – and we’re expecting great things again this year. Woohoo!

Check out the CubaDupa website – and here’s the CubaDupa map and performance schedule (PDF) for you to download.

Once again we’ve brought together our samba school family from around the country – watch out for performances all over Cuba Street over the weekend by AKSamba (Auckland), Bay Batucada (Hawkes Bay), Sambatron/Tauranga Samba (Hamilton/Tauranga), Samba del Sol (Nelson) and O’Ziriguidum all the way from Oz – as well as Wellington Batucada. It’s gonna be massive!

…and on Sunday it’ll be even massiver (yeah, it’s a word!) with the Carnival Bloco Mass Jam – 150-odd drummers and dancers doing their samba thang through the streets and alleyways of central Wellington, finishing up on the Swan Dancehall Stage (hoping we can all fit on!) for our grand finale. Continue reading

Mt Cook School Gala 2016

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The second of two gigs in one day – busy busy!

It was a busy old day today – the Love Parade down on the waterfront in the morning, and Mt Cook School Gala in the afternoon.

We sneaked away from the speeches at Out In The Park and made our way up through town to Mt Cook School. This a great annual gig for us. The school is fabulous – right in the heart of the city – and for the last couple of years they have very kindly allowed us to use their magnificent school hall for our CubaDupa mass samba rehearsal. This is our opportunity to say thanks and to give something back to our local community. Continue reading

Out In The Park – Love Parade 2016

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What a lovely day for a Love Parade

The Love Parade, Out In The Park 2016 - photo by Amanduh LaIn 2016 the Pride Parade celebrated the 30th anniversary of the passing of the Homosexual Law Reform Act in New Zealand. Queer and queer-friendly groups, organisations and individuals came together and took to the streets to celebrate our community.

Wellington Batucada were pleased and honoured to be asked to lead the parade this year. Continue reading

Newtown Fair 2016

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Fun in the sun on the streets of Newtown

Newtown Fair 2016 - dancers - photo by Paul TaylorI was struck by how many people came and talked to me as I wandered through the Fair earlier in the day, enjoying the sights, sounds and smells of Newtown. Easy to spot in my giant red hat and red Batucada T-shirt, I was constantly being stopped and asked “What time are you guys playing? I can’t wait to see you!”.

People really LOVE us – and for many, we complete their Newtown experience in an all-drumming, all-dancing way that they look forward to every year. I think that’s pretty awesome – and it was really nice to be reminded of that fact in such an immediate way. Continue reading

Island Bay Festival parade 2016

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From the streets to the waterfont

Island Bay Festival Parade 2016 - arriving at Island Bay Park - photo by Alan ShukerIt was a beautiful day for the 2016 Island Bay Festival parade. Sunny, no wind, and a happy bunch of drummers ready and eager to play. Exciting times for both Kat and Gina – their first gig! Woop! Woop! Well done guys – you did great.

We took Dr Phill’s amazing parrots out for a swoop – we haven’t used them since CubaDupa last year when they featured as part of our Amazoniaotearoa theme. Got a bit hysterical with laughter when I found out that Christian had been bopped on the head by the parrot carried by Shane – I’m sure it was an accident, Christian!

The main street down to the waterfront was lined with spectators and we had a great time parading down to the park. Once there we played for while longer, accompanied once again by the parrots. Christian stood well back. Continue reading

Wellington Rugby Sevens 2016

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Superheroes ahoy! (again)

Batucada superheroes at the stadium - Wellington Sevens 2016 - photo by Alan ShukerIt was a slightly different year for the Sevens. No city centre parade this year (we love the Sevens Parade because it always gets such huge crowds – plus we always have such fun drumming the players into Civic Square).

Never mind – the theme this year was Superpowers Unleashed, so we all got dressed up in our superhero costumes again (we’ve done that theme for the Sevens before) and headed off to Thistle Hall to get picked up by bus and taken to the stadium.

This year they decided they wanted us to play twice on both days, but only on the walkway approaching the stadium, rather than doing a parade all the way along the waterfront. We missed giving a big old wave to all the costumed partygoers at all the establishments along the waterfront, but had a great time parading up and down the walkway in our costumes. It was a wee bit windy, but also a wee bit sunny, which is what you want when you’re drumming. Continue reading

Wellington Footvolley Championship 2016

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Batucada goes to the seaside

Footvolley 2016 - front row - photo by Roger HendersonIt’s been a couple of years since we played at the Footvolley Championship at Oriental Bay, so we were happy to get the opportunity to perform again this year.

Gorgeous day (the Summer of 2016 will long go down in Wellington history as some of the best sustained sunshiny weather in years) and a good crowd watching the athletes doing their crazy football-crossed-with-volleyball gymnastics on the beach. Continue reading

Wellington Santa Parade 2015

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Tinsel and starry hats in the summer sun

Wellington Santa Parade 2015 - Paquita & Christian - photo by Alan ShukerLisa’s instructions for costuming were “Red or green T-shirts to match the Christmassy theme, plus whatever Christmas-related pimpimg you want to do on your drums, heads and hats”.

Some people took this more seriously than others – particularly Paquita who turned up wearing the most amazing starry headdress I’ve ever seen. Awesome!

Such a beautiful sunny day, the crowds were enormous (70,000 they said), we were pretty awesome (and oh so modest!) and Tess (surdo #3), Charlotte (caixa) and Shelly (surdo #2) all played their first gig. Great stuff! Continue reading