Forró at Columbia University: Exploring Brazilian Dance, Rhythm, and Music
Updated: 17 hours ago
October 29, 2026 | Teachers College, Columbia University | New York City
On October 29, 2026, I'll be leading a two-hour Brazilian forró dance workshop at Teachers College, Columbia University, in New York City. The event is supported by BSA and Graduate Student Life & Development at Teachers College and will take place at Everett Lounge from 6:00 to 8:00 PM.
Designed as an introduction to Brazilian forró, the workshop will explore the dance's cultural background, history, music, and rhythms while giving participants an opportunity to learn basic steps and experience forró as a social partner dance.
I'll also be sharing some of the ideas and experiences we've developed over the years at Forró New York, connecting movement, musicality, and social interaction through an accessible, hands-on learning experience.
Bringing Two Worlds Together: My Journey in Music, Dance, and Education
Long before founding Forró New York in 2017, my professional life was already deeply connected to music, education, and the academic world.
I studied at UNICAMP in Brazil, completing a combined undergraduate degree in Classical Composition and Brazilian Popular Music Performance, with saxophone as my principal instrument. I later earned a master's degree in Studio Jazz Writing and a Doctor of Musical Arts in Jazz Composition from the University of Miami.
Throughout my career as a composer, arranger, and educator, universities and academic institutions have played an important role in my artistic development. Beyond my formal education, I've participated in music conferences such as ISJAC (International Society of Jazz Arrangers and Composers) and JEN (Jazz Education Network), where I've had opportunities to present my compositions and receive awards. I've also led educational workshops and maintained close connections with academic communities. In January 2027, I'll be returning to the University of Miami as an invited artist-in-residence for a special concert dedicated to Hermeto Pascoal.
Parallel to this musical career, I've spent nearly two decades exploring forró as a dancer, teacher, and cultural organizer. Since founding Forró New York in 2017, this work has grown from a local initiative dedicated to Brazilian dance and culture into an educational project that includes weekly classes, online courses, festivals, and workshops across the United States, Canada, and Europe.
Although music and dance have developed into different areas of my professional life, I've always seen them as deeply connected. My musical background influences the way I teach forró, while my experience with movement, rhythm, improvisation, and social interaction has also shaped my understanding of music and education.
One project where these two worlds came together in a particularly meaningful way is Forró Sem Palavras, an instrumental music project I created in New York in 2018. I wanted to explore what would happen if the forró I knew from dance floors could also find its place in chamber music, jazz ensembles, and orchestras, without losing the energy and connection to movement that make this music so special. Since then, the project has taken many different forms, with performances in cities across the United States, Canada, and Brazil.
A documentary produced by SescTV for its Passagem de Som series offers a glimpse into this connection. Filmed during a Forró Sem Palavras concert in São Paulo and a dance workshop I led in Campinas, it brings together two sides of my work that don't often appear in the same video: composing, arranging, and conducting music, and sharing that music through dance.
Bringing forró to Columbia University is particularly meaningful to me because it creates an opportunity for these two worlds to meet. It allows me to share a cultural and educational project I've developed over many years within an academic environment that has always been an important part of my artistic and professional identity.
Beyond the Steps: What I Hope to Share at Columbia
One of the things I enjoy most about teaching forró is helping people discover how much there is to explore within even the simplest movements.
We often introduce forró through basic steps and patterns, but the interesting part begins when we start paying attention to what happens between those steps. How does the music influence the way we move? How does a change in timing affect the dance? How can two people interpret the same music differently while still dancing together?
These are questions that have fascinated me both as a musician and as a dance educator, and they're part of what I hope to explore during our time at Columbia.
Of course, a two-hour workshop can only offer a glimpse into the richness of forró. Alongside learning the basic movements, we'll introduce some of the history, musical traditions, and cultural influences that have shaped forró in Brazil. I hope this experience sparks curiosity, whether participants are discovering the dance for the first time or already have some familiarity with Brazilian music and culture.
For anyone interested in exploring further, I've included some resources below about the music, the dance, and the cultural movements that have shaped forró over the years.
A Meaningful Moment for Forró New York
As we approach our tenth anniversary in 2027, bringing our work to Columbia University represents a meaningful moment in this journey. It reflects the opportunities that have emerged through years of teaching, community building, and sharing Brazilian music and dance with people from different backgrounds.
More than anything, I hope this experience sparks curiosity about forró and leads to more opportunities to share Brazilian music and dance in educational spaces.
Workshop Details
Event: Forró Brasileiro: Dance Workshop
Date: Thursday, October 29, 2026
Time: 6:00-8:00 PM
Location: Everett Lounge, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York City
Organizations featured: BSA and Graduate Student Life & Development, Teachers College, Columbia University
Instructor: Rafael Piccolotto de Lima, Founder and Educational Director of Forró New York
Workshop focus: Introduction to Brazilian forró dance, its history, musical rhythms, and basic partner dance movements.
Editor's note: This article was published ahead of the October 29 workshop and will be updated with photographs and reflections following the event.
CONTINUE EXPLORING
Interested in learning more about forró? Explore our classes, online programs, and articles about the music, dance, and cultural traditions behind this Brazilian art form.
Learn and Dance with Forró New York
Join our weekly classes in Manhattan, welcoming beginners and experienced dancers.
Explore structured online courses covering fundamentals, rhythm, musicality, movement, and partner connection.
Explore Forró Music, Dance, and Culture
Discover the musical traditions, rhythms, artists, and styles that shape the diverse world of forró.
Explore the foundations of forró as a partner dance, including movement, rhythm, connection, and improvisation.
Learn how forró expanded into urban and university communities in Brazil, influencing its music, dance, and cultural identity.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rafael Piccolotto de Lima is the Founder and Educational Director of Forró New York, as well as a Latin Grammy-nominated composer, arranger, and music director.
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