Sibilla has been involved in the Brazilian samba community since 2015 when she started taking dance classes at San Francisco’s Mission Dance Theatre. She quickly discovered that the world of samba is so much bigger than just dance, and she has been dedicated to studying samba, its roots, and Brazilian culture ever since. Through samba, Sibilla experienced first hand the power of dance as a source of healing, the vibrant community that grows from it, and the sense of empowerment and self-love that it can provide to women and girls.
While living in London and Rome, Sibilla became involved in the global samba dance community, and connected with Brazilian teachers touring in Europe. Eventually she embraced the role of community organizer by founding Samba Roma in 2021.
Since moving to New York in 2022, Sibilla has been helping its local samba community grow, and is proud to be part of the founding team of NYC Samba Inc.
Sibilla Carini
Emma has been deeply immersed in the world of samba for many years, dedicating herself to studying its techniques, traditions, and cultural roots. She has traveled multiple times to Rio de Janeiro to learn directly from its source and plans to return frequently to further deepen her connection to this vibrant art form.
Through NYC Samba, Emma is excited to help bring authentic samba artists from Rio to New York City, creating opportunities for cultural exchange and collaboration. Along with the other members of NYC Samba, her mission is to build a meaningful bridge between these two worlds—sharing the richness of Brazilian culture, highlighting the true Afro-Brazilian roots of samba, and celebrating the creativity and diversity of New York’s artistic community. Emma is particularly passionate about creating opportunities for those who have limited access to dance education, and about honoring the living culture of samba no pé.
By day, Emma works as a Teaching Artist, teaching visual arts and creative movement in New York City public schools.
Emma Smoluchowski
Laurie shares a passion for Brazilian arts and culture, from capoeira to samba no pé to Brazilian social dances. She has studied with many teachers in the US and during extended stays in Brazil, primarily in Rio de Janeiro and Bahia. In New York City she was co-founder of and currently manages the group Gafieira New York, which aims to teach and spread knowledge about samba through its form as a partner dance. She is also Associate Professor of Spanish and Portuguese at Borough of Manhattan Community College (CUNY), where she started the Portuguese language program. Whether in the classroom or dance studio, she is committed to community building and creating opportunities for authentic intercultural exchange, where folks of all backgrounds can connect with and participate in Brazilian culture through dance, music, food, literature, and celebration.
She is currently researching the history of samba in relation to the urban development of Rio de Janeiro from the mid 19th-century on, particularly the role of Afro-Brazilian artists in simultaneously constructing a national art form and an iconic city. She is excited to be part of the team at NYC Samba, Inc., working to organize ways to honor this art form from its roots to the present-day and future growth.