Mornings at Yanka’s | Samba

What?

For the next event in the “Mornings at Yanka’s” series, we invite you to a samba workshop led by Neemias Santana – a Brazilian dancer, choreographer, educator, and researcher from Salvador da Bahia. His work brings together contemporary dance and traditional movement practices, and he has previously taken part in projects dedicated to Yanka Rudzka.

This workshop is not about mastering a set of samba steps or getting every move just right. Instead, we’ll explore samba through rhythm, movement, music, and the joy of dancing together.
No previous dance experience is needed. Just bring your curiosity, a willingness to move, and an openness to sharing the experience with others.

The workshop also returns to one of Yanka Rudzka’s key inspirations. During her time in Salvador, the Polish choreographer explored local dance traditions and looked for ways to bring them into dialogue with contemporary dance. Samba became one of the meeting points between these worlds.

Who?

Neemias Santana – a dance artist from Salvador da Bahia, dancer, choreographer, teacher, and researcher. He is a co-founder of Nii/Colaboratorio, an artistic and educational platform.

For Whom?

For everyone – regardless of age, fitness level, or previous dance experience. We especially welcome anyone interested in dance, music, and Brazilian culture, as well as those who prefer to discover different cultural practices through direct experience rather than simply hearing about them.

You don’t need to know how to dance samba, learn any choreography, or have any previous movement experience. Just come along and be ready to give it a try.

Why is it worth it?

Yanka Rudzka’s story is one of an artist moving between languages, places, and traditions. While working in Salvador da Bahia, the Polish dancer and choreographer did not approach local dance practices simply as a source of striking inspiration. She was interested in bringing different ways of thinking about the body and movement into dialogue, and in creating a new language where they met.

“Mornings at Yanka’s” revisits this story not through reconstruction, but through practice. Rather than simply watching samba or treating it as an exotic symbol of “Brazilian culture”, we will experience it for ourselves – through movement, rhythm, and connection with others.

Availability

This is a movement-based workshop, but no previous dance experience is required.

The Dialogue Center building is accessible to people with mobility impairments. It has wide, non-automatic entrance doors, an accessible restroom, and an elevator. The theater is located on the ground floor, has a ramp, and the auditorium includes spaces for people in wheelchairs. In front of the building, there is a large parking lot with designated spaces for people with disabilities. Assistance dogs and guide dogs are welcome both inside the building and in the auditorium. The building is equipped with the ToTuPoint audio navigation system. The entrance to the parking lot is on Wojska Polskiego Street. Nearby bus and tram stops include: Wojska Polskiego/Centrum Dialogu and Wojska Polskiego/Sporna.