Brazilian Carnival Summer Camp comes to Baltimore

Baltimore, MD -- May 27, 2005 -- "Can parents come too?" is a common question asked about Baltimore’s first Brazilian Carnival Summer Camp opening June 27th. No, they can’t. But their children ages 7 to 12 can if their parents manage to register for this four-week adventure camp before it sells out.

The carnival camp will feature Capoeira, the dancing martial art whose practitioners have likely tripled over the past 10 years. Capoeira was recently featured in Hollywood hits like Ocean’s Twelve, Meet the Fockers, and The Interpreter. Other Brazilian workshops and festivities include samba drumming and dancing, costume making, soccer, Portuguese basics, and Brazilian style parties. The camp, located at John Eager Howard Elementary, 2011 Linden Avenue, Baltimore City, will culminate in a community festival showcasing the carnival kids’ talents. If you’re like many other parents, you might only be thinking about keeping your kids entertained and well supervised while you’re working. But consider the fact that children who have the advantage of out-of-classroom learning activities are often better socialized and more refreshed for buckling down for a new school year.

"Kids love it because it’s different, fresh, and feels like playing. But I love it because I can actually teach and build their self-confidence while they think they’re only playing," says Mr. Skher Brown, camp administrator.

Many kids are losing interest in standard recreation camps and causing youth providers to be more creative. That’s why co-owners Skher and Chandra Brown of Brown & Company, LLC decided to launch the Brazilian Carnival Summer Camp.

This Baltimore based business has been providing innovative youth educational services utilizing Afro-Brazilian cultural over the last five years throughout Maryland, the Baltimore area, and Washington D.C. The camp is hoping to be inclusive to economically disadvantaged families by accepting vouchers and actively soliciting scholarship sponsors.

At the recent "Celebrate Our Youth" street fair, a community organizer said that the Capoeira performance left a big impression on the crowd of kids, parents, and community members alike.

"We were thrilled to not only enjoy the music and playing of Capoeira, but also to be able to hear a bit of its history," said Caryn Horrigan, Community Organizer for Banner Neighborhoods.

The performers were with the International Capoeira Angola Foundation of Baltimore (ICAF), a non-profit group that teaches Capoeira to youth and adults. Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian martial art that mixes self-defense, African dance, acrobatics, and percussion music into a unique blend.

With assistance from the Maryland Small Business Development Center, Brown & Company, LLC hopes to cross cultural boundaries and expand the creative outlets of Baltimore City’s youth. This year’s camp is bringing together cultural artists from Brazil and the United States to deliver the best of Brazil to Baltimore. The Brazilian Carnival Summer Camp will run from June 27th to July 22nd, Monday-Friday from 9:30-4pm, with early drop-off and late pick up available.

For more information: http://www.baltimorecapoeira.org/camp.html or
Contact: Skher Brown, Camp Director
Brazilian Carnival Camp
2411 Eutaw Place, Suite 1B
Baltimore, MD 21217
Phone/Fax: 410-669-6047
email: skher@thecapoeirastore.com


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