Carnaval San Francisco 2018

In response to Carnaval San Francisco’s 40th anniversary theme, “Roots of Carnaval / Raíces del Carnaval,” Batalá San Francisco commemorates the Afro-Brazilian roots of samba reggae. As the Bay Area’s contingent of the international drumming organization with over thirty sister groups scattered over the world, we honor the cultural legacy that grounds us in the Afro-Brazilian heritage of Salvador, Bahia. We take pride in the hands of diverse colors that activate our drums and…

2018 Women's March Oakland

Batalá San Francisco was proud to participate in the Second Annual Women's March in Oakland on January 20, 2018. Twenty-five drummers joined the thousands who marched in solidarity.

Batalá San Francisco's Fifth Anniversary

October 5, 2017 was Batalá San Francisco's fifth anniversary. We were grateful and excited to reach this amazing milestone. FIVE YEARS! It almost seemed like yesterday when we began our fledgling band. We've been through many wonderful times together--playing music together in so many wonderful venues. We've played together in burning heat and near darkness, traveled to play with our sister bands' together, climbed mountains together and walked the Golden Gate…

Carnaval SF 2017

Following Carnaval San Francisco’s overarching theme “El Corazón de San Pancho / The Heart of San Francisco” Batalá SF's 2017 carnaval theme w: “Our Hearts Beat in Unity / Nossos Corações Batem em Unidade.”

This theme sums up our mission to build community and breach difference through music and dance. It speaks both to the activist tradition of the Bay Area (Free Speech Movement, Anti-War Movement, Black Panthers, United Farm Workers, etc.) and to its current role as a stalwart community…

A two-year project organizing a massive reunion of 120 drummers from Batala sister groups all over the world took place from May 23 through May 30, 2016. Batalá SF organized seven days of events that spanned San Francisco and the East Bay--including a wine tour to Napa Valley, a round-robin drumming welcome event at Luka's, drumming and picnicing on beautiful Lake Merritt, a boat party with my inspirational daughter exciting the crowd with her music, two walking tours of SF, Black Panther tour of…

Nine members of Batalá San Francisco traveled to Mexico in November 2015 to join Batalá Mexico and Batalá Tepoztlán for Dia de los Muertos festivities. Members from sister bands Batalá Washington DC, Los Angeles, Houston, and Netherlands played together during workshops with Giba Gonçalves and performances, hiked together to the pyramids of Teotihuacán (outside of Mexico City) and El Tepozteco (outside of Tepoztlán), and took part in local festivities during a magical week in Mexico.

On October 5, 2014, Batalá San Francisco celebrated the successes of two years and joyfully anticipated its third year. About forty members, family, and friends met at the Middle Harbor Shoreline Park in Oakland, CA to celebrate together with food, conversation, games, and percussion.

We are proud to announce that Batalá Mundo Mestre Giba Goncalves has appointed our very own Executive Director, Mick Gardner, to the post of Communications Coordinator and Batalá Washington DC's Musical Director, Alison Rodden, to the position of Musical Coordinator of Batalá North America. Both Alison and Mick will continue their respective roles within their home groups, while assuming their new coordinating positions.

We look forward to growth and coordination for Batalá North America under their…

Five members of Batalá San Francisco joined members from Batalá Washington DC, New York City, Houston, Athens, Paris, London, Liverpool, Nantes, Brasilia, and Gwada for Encontro 2014. Organized by Batalá Washington DC, more than one hundred drummers converged on the capital, attended workshops with Giba Goncalves, performed, paraded in the DC Pride Parade, and partied together. Old friends met again and new friendships were forged.

 Photo by Antonio Skydad

 Photo by Antonio Skydad

Photo by Antonio Skydad

Batalá San Francisco played on the San Francisco Embarcadero for the first Sunday Streets event of 2013.

Check out the images from SF Chronicle.

Photo: Jessica Olthof