Professora Carolyn Barber-Pierre
Commemorating Mestre Curtis and Professora Carolyn Barber-Pierre
For their dedication to Brasilian culture since 1986 and Casa Samba’s 35th year Anniversary
Mestre Curtis Pierre
About the Festival at the New Orleans Jazz Museum SEPT. 17
Featuring the afro cultures of carnival and their parading traditions
Why it’s called New Orleans Brasil day? Working in collaboration with Giovanni Santos Brasilian guitarist songwriter. We decided the festival should highlight the Afro-Brasilian cultures Carnaval and how they relate to the Afro-Carnaval cultures here in New Orleans. With the help of our sponsors some of the top Brazilian artist in the world at their profession. And putting them together with some of our world famous musicians here in our city.
Having the festival will give the world and opportunity to know about the Afro cultures of carnival in New Orleans. These are the groups that you don’t normally see doing Mardi Gras’s. As a native of New Orleans, I have seen the Afro Cultures of Carnaval come a long way.
From just the neighborhood folks and the Group members families with maybe a flip phone and Polaroid cameras. Today they have when there is a second line Parade it is filled with tourist almost overtaking the neighborhood sometimes. Gathering huge amounts of content with their “Black magic Cinema cameras” and “super iPhone cameras”.
The NOTCF has made a huge impact on giving back to the folkloric community. With in this festival I would like to point out the importance of the establishment of the NOTCF by the Honorable Mayor LaToya Cantrell and for the assistance from the deputy Director of Cultural Arts Office Alana Harris and the NOTCF staff for supporting their New Orleans Artist the way they do. “Casa Samba and myself Mestre Curtis Pierre can attest to their true and genuine service”
MESTRE CURTIS PIERRE
Aka “SAMBA MAN”. Mestre Curtis and his wife and son has a title that should mention before his name: Mestre meaning – Master Teacher/Cultural Guardian, in this case, we’re speaking of Brasilian culture. history and development of Brazilian culture in New Orleans as it relates to Carnival in Brasil. This cannot be obtained at any university or school this involves a lifetime commitment Mestre Curtis has provided help or has been instrumental in providing information about the .As well as how the Afro Brazilian martial art Capoeira is related to our Mardi Gras (Black Masking) Indian culture and the second-line dancers of today through live performances. This festival will highlight the work we have done in the city in the past 35 years and we will continue to do in the future.
CASA SAMBA
Over the past 35 years Casa Samba’s vision is to train children and adults in New Orleans and throughout the Gulf South into aspiring practitioners of Brasilian traditional music, dance and cultural arts. Mestre Curtis Pierre, has studied over the past 30 years, to gain the knowledge and expertise on Brasilian music and dance. Now with the aid of Casa Samba, he would like to give back to the community through offering classes and workshops on the Brasilian music, dance and culture. For the past 32 years he has with hands on work within his community with hundreds children. Not only as a performer but, he is roll model, mentor, big brother and as a farther figure to many of his neighborhood children. Casa Samba and Mestre Curtis has performed for over 1,00,000 children the metropolitan New Orleans school systems and surrounding parish schools, exposing children to Brasilian culture, music and traditions.Being a native of New Orleans and knowing the problems that kids face today, Mestre Curtis has adopted the same philosophy of the samba schools in Brasil in taking a social responsibility for safeguarding our children and providing them with creative and challenging opportunities and experiences other than what is found in the streets.It is our desire to provide a venue for getting the community, specifically children and young adults interested in music and dance and providing them with a place to participate in supervised and structured activities like Residences, after school, and during the summer months
01NOTCF
02T.Univ. Mellon fellowship
03NEW ORLEANS JAZZ MUSEUM
04NORDC
05CASA SAMBA INC 