Our founder
Julia Solis is a samba dancer, teacher and performer. With a background in a variety of dance styles, she is now specialized in Brazilian Samba no pé. Julia is known for her dedication and passion for samba culture. She is a passista of one of the main samba schools in Rio de Janeiro (Mocidade Independente de Padre Miguel) and has paraded multiple times in the Sambadrome in Rio. In addition to the big stage of the Sambadrome, she has also paraded as a passista in the street parades of Intendente Magalhaes.
Besides performing, she has trained with various samba schools, participated in multiple congresses and worked closely with the best artists in the community. Beyond Rio de Janeiro, Julia has performed in various events across Europe, such as the Samba Festival in Coburg, International Samba Congress and Karnaval der Kulturen in Berlin. In the Netherlands, she provides regular samba classes and shows. She speaks four languages (Portuguese, Spanish, English and Dutch) and is thereby able to tailor her classes to an international audience. All year round, she trains and studies samba technique with Alex Coutinho and other artists, always improving the quality of her work. In her work, she aims to share the beauty and energy of Rio’s samba culture, with respect and understanding of its roots.
Our Story
A passion for Samba
Our company was created from a seed of passion for samba culture and a need for connection with its roots. Viva Samba Dance was founded by Julia Solis after her return from Rio de Janeiro to the Netherlands, to create a cultural bridge.
Our mission is to share and support authentic Brazilian samba no pé. We do this through classes, workshops, performances and events. We work closely all year with different artists from the samba community, to ensure our work is always connected to its roots. Besides dancers and choreographers from Rio, we also ensure that all our costumes and materials are hand-made in Brazil.
Samba is about so much more than just dance or music: it is a very strong cultural movement that brings communities together and empowers its people. With Viva Samba, we want to create connection, build a community and share the beauty of the art of samba and help to spread authentic samba across the world.