Weslei is a dance teacher and a performer, native to the favelas in Rio de Janeiro. He teaches a variety of dance styles across the Bay Area to dance enthusiasts of all ages. Some of the dance styles include Samba no Pé, Brazilian ballroom (such as Samba de Gafieira), and Baile Funk. He is the winner of the Brazilian National Bolero Champion “Estilizando Bolero” (2016). He also participated in numerous “comissão de frentes,” a highly selective performance section of the world renowned Rio Carnaval, and has appeared in popular Brazilian television shows. In the United States, Weslei also worked heavily on dance productions like “SamBrazil” as Choreographer and Director (2017, 2018), and the “Yemanja Arts Festival” with Brasarte. 

 

As an instructor, Weslei created Northern California’s first comprehensive “Dança de Salão” (Brazilian ballroom dance) program, and has helped hundreds of dancers fall in love with the art of Samba de Gafieira. He has worked with children including those with different learning abilities (Brasarte, Get Empowered). He served as Lead Choreographer of San Francisco’s first Samba de Gafieira ala for two years at the Annual San Francisco Carnaval festival. Currently, Weslei serves as Choreographer and Director of Talent Development for Estrelas do Samba dance company, and continues teaching ongoing classes and performing across the Bay Area.  

 

Recently, Weslei opened his dance studio in Berkeley California where he teaches weekly Samba no Pé, Bolero, Brazilian Funk, Samba de Gafiera, Samba de Roda and Forró classes. 

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His additional teaching and performance experience include the following:

 

- International Samba Congress guest instructor 2020 

- California Brazil Camp, guest instructor for 3 years (2017, 2018, 2023) 

- Guest performer Viva Brazil Colorado among other renowned Brazilian Talent Patrick Caravalho, and Queen of Carnaval 2022, Thai Rodrigues

 -Guest teacher in Los Angeles, International Samba Congress for the first time in the USA “Gafieira Express” 

-  Guest dancer/ performer with celebrity Brazilian Talent such as Jorge Aragão and Dudu Nobre

- Guest dance teacher in Washington DC, for Samba de Gafiera where he taught classes and created a choreography 

- Guest performance and instructed at the Unidos de Atlanta Samba School Parade in Atlanta 

 -Guest intructer and performance for the Santa Barbara Carnaval.