History

This information can be found at  http://wiki.worldsamba.org/index.php?title=SambaL%C3%A1_Samba_School

SambaLá Samba School is a traditional samba school in the United States that currently resides in Pompano Beach, Florida. SambaLá was founded in Long Beach California but in 2015, moved to southern Florida. SambaLá continues to grow in Florida with active members living in Florida, California, around the country, and in Brazil.

History of SambaLá

SambaLá Samba School was founded in early 1994 by David de Hilster in response to his wife’s Doris de Hilster homesickness for Brazil. David thought that creating a community for Doris in the United States, that she would not want to return to Brazil. The grand opening of the school took place at the Foothill Club (since razed) in Signal Hill California on the day of the final of the Soccer World Cup in 1994. SambaLá quickly grew with the local population. SambaLa also had celebrity Brazilian cook to the movie stars Remi Vila Real help with cooking for school events.

SambaLá first paraded in Long Beach California with MILA Samba School (now disbanded) during the Long Beach Carnaval in 1995. In 1996 with the Long Beach Carnaval having ended, SambaLá started the Brazilian Street Carnaval which hosted several parades and groups on stage and was free to the public.

In 2001, SambaLá Samba School moved to Tony’s French Dips Restaurant which at that time was owned by David and Doris de Hilster. There, SambaLa put on weekly shows for the public and often hosted.

In 2008, SambaLá hosted a successful Carnaval Ball at Vault 360 in downtown Long Beach which featured a samba parade, various artist, and carnaval marches including a brass band. There was also food cooked by Brazilian Chef to the stars Remi Vila Real.

In 2009, president David de Hilster and Doris de Hilster along with their daughter were flown to New York City for the Brazilian Day in Los Angeles to be honored for their community work with SambaLa by Regina Caze with a live song dedication by Brazilian rap artist Marcelo D2.

In 2010, SambaLá paraded for the last time in Long Beach during its annual Brazilian Street Carnaval, with the school and its directors taking over the Brazilian Day in Los Angeles in the years 2011 to 2012.

Florida

In 2014, David de Hilster and Doris de Hilster moved to Boca Raton Florida becoming executive directors of the school leaving Valeria Ruggieri and a new directorate in California. After over a year, a new directorate was formed in Florida and SambaLa officially moved to Florida.

SambaLá Samba School paraded for the first time in Florida in September of 2015 at the Brazilian Beat Festival in Boca Raton Florida. Since then, it has paraded four more times in 2016 and 2018 in Boca, in Pompano Beach at the Pompano Beach Festival, and also at the Brazilian Day in Ft. Meyers.

In 2016, SambaLá also rented it own rehearsal space in Pompano Beach Florida where it currently gives classes, has meetings, and stores it instruments and costumes.

International Work

In April of 1995, SambaLá became the first samba school to have a website on the internet. Mangueira of Brazil soon followed and then Imperio do Papagaio was the third. In 1997, David de Hilster registered the domain worldsamba.org which was to help organize the Unidos do Mundo samba school which paraded in the Sambadrome in the champion’s parade in the year 2000.

People

Here are the notable people who have made up SambaLá Samba School since its founding in 1994.

President

Carnaval Artist

Dancer Instructor

Bateria Director

Rainha da Bateria (Samba Queens)

Madrinha da Bateria (Samba Goodmothers)

Current Directorate

Notable Parades

  • 1996-2010 Brazilian Street Carnaval, Long Beach, California
  • 2000 Parade of Champions, Rio de Janeiro
  • 2010 Rose Parade, Pasadena California, with Jack-in-the-Box

Notable Shows

Current Information

SambaLá Samba School is currently active in Southern Florida and will soon be giving classes, doing shows, and parading annually in southern Florida.