Batucaxé: True Community

Tuesday, 07 April 2009 00:00

Two members of the Batucaxé Community Group dance on stage at
Tucson's Earth Day celebration.

Meredith Melchior

It's all about the community.

Performing at different community events throughout Tucson, Batucaxé knows how to get an audience on their feet.

“The thing I love the most is the total joy and love of the Brazilian music and dance,” said Gabriela Masala, a member of the Batucaxé Community Group.

Batucaxé is a percussion and performance group that started in Tucson in 2003. A non-profit organization, its members are very involved in the community and different lessons and classes are offered for anyone who wants to learn their style of dance and drums.

Batucaxé (pronounced bah-too-cah-SHEY) is inspired mostly by the music of Brazil, but features musical traditions from all over the world, while also adding in some of their own flavors.

Mike Zecchino, assistant director of Batucaxé, explains the musical foundation of the group.

"The rhythms on their own are very infectious and certainly make you want to dance. The artists are such experts, in rhythm and melody but also as poets, and at putting their poetry to work as commentators."

Their Facebook page explains the meaning behind their name, saying, " 'Batucaxé' is a combination of 'batuca', or drum beat, and 'axé', the life-force in all things, and the power to make things happen."

Batucaxé is a group with many parts. The Performance Group is the core troupe of musicians and dancers who are accepted by audition only.

The Community Group includes more than 50 people, some of whom are beginners learning alongside more experienced members. Both groups perform throughout the year at different events around Tucson.

"Our Community Group brings together adults who are drawn to these styles of drumming and dancing," said Zecchino. "No prior experience is needed, just a willingness to learn."

The Community Group's rehearsals are open to anyone who is interested in learning about and trying Brazilian-style dance.

Tim Hobson, a 20-year-old group member, has been a part of Batucaxé for a little more than a year. As a former member of his high school marching band, Batucaxé has given him the opportunity to continue playing music.

“I love the freedom of this group,” Hobson said. “Everyone is so laid back and is just focused on playing great music and having a great time.”

Some of the events that the Community Group performs at are Tucson Meet Yourself, Earth Day, and the Family Arts Festival. Many of these performances are interactive and get the crowd to be a part of the fun and the music.

The Performance Group, being smaller, plays at more intimate events and can include just musicians or both musicians and dancers.

Every Sunday Batucaxé holds Afro-Brazilian dance classes that are open to anyone who wants to attend with a $12 fee. The classes start at 5 p.m. at the Rhythm Industry, located at 1013 S. Tyndall Ave.

They also offer drum classes every Tuesday at the Rhythm Industry at 6:30 p.m.

Batucaxé started off with a small group of friends who got together to perform in the Mt. Lemmon parade in 2003, but has grown to include anyone and everyone who wants to join in on the fun and learn about different dance and music styles.

The group also likes to do what they call guerilla samba, where they show up in "unexpected places" and put on "unplanned performances" that get people on their feet.

“It's such an artistic environment, it's so welcoming, so inclusive, it's so full of love and energy and support,” said Masala. “There's no sense of competition amongst the dancers because it is really about love.”

More than just a performance group, Batucaxé has strived to become an integral part of the Tucson community, teaming up with other organizations such as Many Mouths One Stomach to spread the word about philanthropic organizations throughout Tucson.

When Zecchino was asked what his favorite part was about Batucaxé, he said it was the community aspect.

"It's one thing to say 'We have a community,' but it's another to look out your window and see people cleaning up your yard and planting trees, or to see people converge to help other members move their house, or be there through sickness and grief, or to just get together to have a party without occasion," Zecchino said. "This is a great community of people who search out opportunities to connect with each other and to help."



Click here to see and hear Batucaxé in action!

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