FORRÓ IN PHILADELPHIA: WORKSHOPS AND COMMUNITY COLLABORATIONS
Looking to dance forró in Philadelphia?
Connect with local dancers, explore learning resources, and hear about future workshops with Rafael from Forró New York.
Forró New York has been teaching workshops and developing community collaborations in Philadelphia since 2025, while also offering online learning resources that dancers in Philadelphia can access year-round.
KEEP DANCING IN PHILADELPHIA
FREE WORKSHOP RECAPS
Revisit selected material from Rafael’s teaching visits and find ideas for your own practice.
FUTURE VISITS
Join the newsletter to hear about new Philadelphia workshops when dates are confirmed.
LOCAL COMMUNITY
Connect with the local organizers and dancers who help bring forró activities to Philadelphia.
A CONNECTION THAT GREW BETWEEN PHILADELPHIA AND NEW YORK
The relationship between Forró New York and Philadelphia grew through connections first formed in New York, as Brazilian university students based in Philadelphia began attending Forró New York festivals and activities. Those relationships gradually led to opportunities to learn and dance forró locally.
The first two Philadelphia visits became part of short East Coast teaching projects connecting New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. A third visit, in 2026, was organized as a standalone Philadelphia event led by Rafael through Forró New York, marking a new stage in the relationship between the two cities.
PHILADELPHIA COLLABORATION ARCHIVE
2025 - THE FIRST PHILADELPHIA WORKSHOP WITH FIONA LADYBIRD
The first Forró New York visit to Philadelphia took place on June 13, 2025, with Rafael and guest teacher Fiona Ladybird. The event was held at the Annenberg Dance Studio and formed part of a short East Coast route connecting New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.
The evening included a two-hour workshop followed by social dancing. Designed as an open-level experience, the workshop created space for newer dancers to develop foundational skills while allowing participants with previous experience to expand their movement vocabulary and explore new possibilities with a partner.
2025 - AN INTIMATE WORKSHOP WITH ALICE RODRIGUES
Rafael returned to Philadelphia on October 31, 2025, with Brazilian guest teacher Alice Rodrigues.
The visit took place during Alice’s first teaching trip to the United States and formed part of another short route connecting activities in New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.
The Philadelphia workshop was held in a University of Pennsylvania space used for cultural projects. Unlike a larger festival or multi-level intensive, this was an intimate encounter centered on fundamental movements and accessible partner-dance concepts.
After the workshop, a smaller group stayed for informal practice and dancing. During this time, a student asked Rafael and Alice to demonstrate how the movements introduced in class could appear in social dancing. The resulting video captured their first complete dance together and later became part of the Forró New York video archive, contributing to further reflections on movement, partnership, and the active role of both dancers.
2026 - A STANDALONE PHILADELPHIA WORKSHOP AND SOCIAL
On August 22, 2026, Rafael returned to Philadelphia for the first visit organized independently from a larger tour or guest-teacher itinerary.
Held at ASCAB Capoeira USA / Project Capoeira, the four-hour program included a two-hour workshop followed by two hours of social dancing. The event was open to dancers of all levels.
The workshop followed a structure similar to the educational format Rafael uses in New York. The first portion concentrated on foundations and essential technique, creating a shared base for the group. The second portion introduced movement vocabulary that participants could adapt and explore according to their experience.
This third visit marked an important development in the relationship with Philadelphia. Rather than functioning as a stop within a visiting teacher’s tour, it became a dedicated local program created specifically for the city.
FREE WORKSHOP RECAPS FOR WEBSITE MEMBERS
The Philadelphia workshops have been documented through photographs, demonstrations, educational videos, and short workshop recaps. Selected recaps organize movements, exercises, and ideas explored during class, giving participants a practical reference they can revisit after the in-person event.
A selection of these workshop recaps is available free to registered Forró New York website members. If needed, you'll be prompted to log in or create a free account before watching.
For more structured year-round learning, you can use the same account to explore the complete Forró New York online programs.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - FAQ
DOES FORRÓ NEW YORK OFFER WEEKLY CLASSES IN PHILADELPHIA?
No. Forró New York is based in New York City and does not operate a permanent or weekly program in Philadelphia.
Because the two cities are relatively close, occasional workshops and collaborations are possible when there is sufficient local interest and an appropriate opportunity to organize the visit.
WHO TEACHES THE PHILADELPHIA WORKSHOPS?
Rafael develops and teaches the Philadelphia workshops through Forró New York. Depending on the project, he may teach independently or in collaboration with a guest educator.
Previous Philadelphia workshops have included collaborations with Fiona Ladybird and Alice Rodrigues, as well as a standalone program taught by Rafael.
CAN BEGINNERS JOIN A FUTURE FORRÓ WORKSHOP IN PHILADELPHIA?
Most previous Philadelphia workshops have been designed as open-level experiences, with material accessible to beginners and additional possibilities for participants with more experience.
The format may change depending on the event, so each future listing will explain the level, focus, and whether any previous experience is recommended.
DO I NEED TO BRING A PARTNER?
Participation requirements may vary from one event to another. Each future workshop listing will explain whether a partner is needed and how partner practice will be organized during the class.
HOW CAN I FIND OUT WHEN RAFAEL RETURNS TO PHILADELPHIA?
Join the newsletter at the bottom of this page. Updates will be shared when a future Philadelphia workshop or local collaboration is confirmed.
CAN I LEARN WITH FORRÓ NEW YORK BETWEEN PHILADELPHIA WORKSHOPS?
Yes. Between Rafael's visits to Philadelphia, dancers can revisit selected material through the free workshop recaps and continue learning year-round through Forró New York's online courses.
The online programs cover different areas of forró learning, including foundations, musicality, solo practice, movement, and partner connection.
CONTINUING THE EXCHANGE
Philadelphia's proximity to New York has made continued collaboration possible through visiting teachers, local organizers, university-based collaborators, and dancers traveling between the two cities. The standalone 2026 workshop also opened the possibility for future Philadelphia activities independent of larger teaching tours.
Forró New York remains based in New York City. The Philadelphia workshops are not a local branch or permanent weekly program, but an ongoing educational relationship developed through occasional visits and community collaboration.
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