bc07878f

The power of community

thebaileproject@gmail.com (Anna Marques) — Fri, 16 May 2025 10:33:18 GMT

Normally when we check this kind of text on the internet it is about the business idea of community and even though I'm a business woman myself, we’re here more to talk about a personal perspective of how I think the future is indeed community. With my own personal journey of transformation on it and how that connects with our baile movement, which is after all, community based.

According to a study Harvard Study, embracing community help us live longer and happier, (you can see the full article here )

That comes with no surprise, but now scientifically proven – in times of overconsumption, unachievable beauty standards and burnout – the solution isn’t on the material or status, as we are pushed to believe, the solution is on the connections we make with other people; maintaining good relations can actually make us live longer and healthier, facts that can impact even more than genetics

And how do you do that when you move to a different country alone for example? How do you connect with the locals, or how do you make friends?

As an adult this can already be a challenging question, but on my personal journey I had absolutely no idea how hard that was when I became an immigrant.

I remember being a kid coming back from school and telling my mom i made 20 friends that day, first day of school – i would feel so proud and fueled with joy by telling her that – and in the back of my mind i remember being so easy to do that; as you grown it just becomes harder and harder, we want to be accepted, but we often don’t accept ourselves, and those struggles mixed with more and more and we have the perfect recipe of loneliness , but that’s just my point of view

Seeing myself in a new country, without speaking properly the language, seeing a culture that was completely different, habits, atmosphere, everything, it would feel exactly like my first day of school – and endless world of possibilities – but crushed by the reality of it’s-not-that-easy to actually connect with people here

I’ve felt like an outsider, which I was and am, but outside of what? Because the world is just one and we’re all humans right? But I was outside of home, I had to build a new home, and that was one of the hardest things; you want to be accepted, but by who? How?

And just how i started by dancing journey in brazil at 15, coming out of a deep depression, with a friend inviting and insisting for weeks for me to join a dance class with her, while i honestly felt like i didn’t had the strength to get up, and actually joining that dance class changed my entire life – the story repeated itself, when i saw myself in a new country, and one friend suggested me to join a dance class

and when I finally went, I never looked back, again.

The thought of “how do I make friends here, how do I connect with people here?” suddenly disappeared because when right there, dancing with other people on a 1h class, with me teaching or not, all i needed to do was to look to the side

Suddenly you might be surrounded by a community of people that just like you, didn’t feel that they “belong” at some part of their life. Suddenly you’re all belonging to the team of “i don’t belong” and by that, you are in fact, belonging. You are in fact, part of something, part of a movement, of a community.

When I created the Baile Project, I had/have the same motto. The same motivation. We might add “Art changes people” “Art changes the world” but what in fact changes the world is people, and who changes people? People.

Art is the tool

A fantastic tool, a universal language; a reminder of who we are, our childhood instincts - in which we often learn how to dance even before we learn how to walk

And I crafted every strategy of Baile to reflect on that, every program, every event or class, to be about that – that people would enter in the room, in the event, whatever, and feel better about themselves when they leave, a place that they felt safe to be themselves no matter looks or where they came from. And as we grow into a team, now a movement of “we”, our flag is the same at its core.

That’s why, when I talk about baile, i’m not talking about a dance studio, i’m not talking about a space, i’m talking about a movement, a community movement

In which I see the impacts of it every time I come to teach another class, and see the transformation of people.

People that entered feeling shy, feeling so self-judgemental, maybe going through struggles that I cannot even imagine they do – i know they do, because I do too. And people leaving that same class every week feeling transformed, with time, being more bold, more assertive, more confident in their own skin, more open to connect with other people, more emphatic

Feeling accepted and like they don’t need to be accepted by all.

Feeling like they belong, because they do, they always did

.A transformation on the individual that builds bridges into a community transformation

and now I do know that too.

– and guess what? I do come home often shouting again – there was 20 people at class today, they are all so nice and friendly, and welcoming. And those 20 people that keep coming suddenly are now friends;

and I call my mom in Brazil to tell her about the new 20 friends I made at this new country and i feel l so proud and fueled with joy by telling her that.

Hugs,

Your Brazilian Amiga,

Anna Marques

@annartmarques

[foto Is by Luis Filipe]

Brazilian Funk goes abroad!

thebaileproject@gmail.com (Anna Marques) — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 11:51:48 GMT

You can't love the culture and hate the people that created it:

Brazilian Funk goes abroad!

According to the Economist article - Brazilian Funk is close to becoming a mega international movement and we’re totally here for it and also 0% surprised.

Movement headed by the main and number one funk ambassador worldwide - Anitta - The article says that the interest of international artists and producers on the rhythm from the favelas is growing strong, and highlights influences even on Beyoncé music

We are proud to say that at the Baile Project we’re the first and only cultural center in the Netherlands – and one of the few in Europe – working strongly to diffuse the brazilian funk dance culture through dance classes, inviting main artists of the style directly from Brazil and always putting the funk as style and culture that has incredible cultural richness and it is a product of the minds of the brazilian communities in the favelas of Rio – and they should have the protagonist on it.

The reason? even though the style is gaining more respect and recognition, the very people that created it are still struggling with structural racism, discrimination, low resources and inequality in many senses; and we can’t ignore that

The fact that the culture and style is growing abroad is one of the reasons the style is even starting to be respected in Brazil by the big mass, which come as no shock, same kind of process happened with Samba – which was once criminalized in Brazil – gained national respect when it got to the “approval” and recognition of the white western man

Brazilian Funk wasn’t excluded from this process, there have been efforts to ban funk music entirely, with critics labeling it as morally corrupting. For instance, a petition to criminalize funk gathered over 20,000 signatures and was presented to the Brazilian Senate. Such actions reflect a broader moral panic rather than addressing underlying social issues. Started in 2000, we still see actions trying to criminalize the style.

You might think this is an isolated process in Brazil, but we’re here to prove that there is much more than that and the main cause is structural racism.

Another style that faced the same backlash? Reggaeton. Faced heavily discrimination, and was criminalized for some time in 1990 in Puerto Rico

*Check 1995: Operation “ Mano Dura Contra el Crimen” (Iron Fist Against Crime) in Puerto Rico

Gained international recognition in 2004 with Daddy Yankee’s “ Gasolina” → Reggaeton breaks into the international mainstream.

Another style? Jazz (USA), Capoeira (BRAZIL), Cumbia (COLOMBIA), Rock and Roll (USA), Dancehall (JAMAICA) (...)

The list goes on, same pattern – backlash – criminalization or/and censorship – breaks into international mainstream – global success often followed by cultural appropriation and/or whitewashing

But why does this happen in the first place? I told you before it was racism, but let me explain that better. What do all of these styles have in common? They were ALL created by marginalized Black/Afro and/or Latin Communities

500 years of slavery DID leave deep marks on our society, that’s why we talk about structural racism. It’s in every structure of society, and THAT is the reason why this culture’s where once decriminalised/censorized and/or criminalised.

And what do we do now? How do we fight against this process? How can we learn about the culture with responsibility?

As we like to say “You can’t love the culture and hate the people that created it”

That’s how.

If you like the culture, like the Brazilian funk, the Reggaeton (...), you can support the culture by reading about the main artists that created it, the people that are still there, the roots of it.

Sharing their video, or at least knowing who they are

Supporting latino owned culture business, supporting black/afro owned business – sometimes support means just share, give visibility

Learning about the culture; that can also mean having the best time at a dance class, why not.

I’ve heard countless times “But am I appropriating it by dancing to it?” NO. not at all!

The style is for ALL! Dance is for all , and doesn’t matter where you come from. If you love it tho, it’s nice to be aware of this process and support when you have the chance to, even sharing a video makes all difference. It’s nice to be aware the problems that these communities still face, the discrimination, the racism. Speak out and support when you have a chance

If you’re benefitting from the culture—whether that’s through joy, community, or even professional opportunities—it’s a beautiful chance to also contribute back. Honoring its creators and its roots doesn’t mean guilt or restriction—it means growing in awareness, celebrating the originators, and addressing responsibly the protagonism. It’s about being part of a movement that uplifts, rather than one that extracts.

We at the Baile Project feel that we have a huge responsibility to honor the roots of Brazilian Funk. That means not only acknowledging the genre's origins, but actively challenging the systems that criminalized and marginalized it in the first place. This responsibility goes beyond words — it requires real work, real investment, and sometimes choosing the harder, less profitable path. It means taking the time to research and invite artists directly from Brazil, especially those still in the favela communities who built this culture from the ground up. It means writing texts like this, creating accessible educational platforms, and using our space and voice to uplift those who deserve the spotlight.

Yes, it takes more energy. Yes, it’s harder. But we believe it’s worth it.

Baile exists to be a bridge — between cultures, between continents, and between the global spotlight and the favela where this rhythm was born. This is our mission. And this is the movement we’re proud to be a part of, that we know it’s only reaching a broader audience and a broader impact because you’re with us. You’re part of the change

Your Brazilian Amiga,

Anna Marques

ps: Check the documentary " Passinho " at Netflix. it's brilliant and talks about one style of Brazilian Funk, with much respect and protagonism to it's roots.

ps 2: check our You can't love the culture and hate the people that created it - T-shirt and Sweatshirt at our Merch Store here

A letter to you

thebaileproject@gmail.com (Anna Marques) — Fri, 31 Jan 2025 14:43:19 GMT

Baile Project: Connecting People Through Art

Hi!

I’m Anna Marques – Founder of the Baile Project

And today we start this blog – think of it as a chat, a coffee break – I’m sipping on my cafézinho right now.

Today, I want to share with you why I created the Baile Project and what it’s all about.

From Brazil to the World: A Journey of Culture and Identity

A few years ago, I moved out of Brazil to pursue many dreams of a better life. I like to think of every immigrant as a dreamer, and to be that dreamer, you need to be brave.

No matter how your journey started, I’m sure you’re not the same person you were when you left.

Maybe your experience was full of joy, simplicity, and excitement – or maybe it was challenging, lonely, and filled with ups and downs. Or maybe it was a mix of both.

Like most expats, I faced many challenges – from cultural shock and language barriers to finding my place in a new reality.

But at the same time, living here has also brought me moments of unexpected warmth. Going to a Brazilian market, grabbing a bag of frozen pão de queijo, hearing a Brazilian song in a restaurant, or attending a Brazilian or Latin dance class – these little moments instantly made me feel at home.

And feeling at home is something we all seek when living abroad.

Creating Baile Project

However, I also encountered something I wasn’t expecting – like xenophobia, in many forms, sometimes disguised as jokes.

There’s also the stereotype of Brazilian and Latin women – often seen as hypersexualized figures, portrayed as mere objects of desire. This is a problem we’ve historically faced, and one that continues to be perpetuated by the media and popular culture.

But the truth is, we are so much more than that.

Our culture is rich, diverse, and complex, with many colors, shapes, and stories. There’s so much depth to us that’s often overlooked or reduced to shallow stereotypes.

From this realization, I knew I had to create something that would reflect the true richness of our culture and show it in all its layers. That’s how the Baile Project began – as a performing arts initiative dedicated to Brazilian and Latin culture, with a focus on breaking down barriers and bringing people together.

What started as a dance class has now evolved into something much more. Baile is not just about dance – it’s about creating a space for cultural exchange, where people from different nationalities and backgrounds can meet, share, and learn from each other. As a cultural platform , Baile offers a wide variety of events, courses, and workshops related to art and cultural heritage, fostering connections between immigrants and locals, and building bridges across communities.

A Community Without Borders

Baile is proud to lead cultural innovation in the Netherlands and Europe, bringing heritage and knowledge of Brazilian funk and Reggaeton dance culture to the forefront, while highlighting Latino artists in a fresh and innovative way within the cultural landscape. Additionally, Baile is pioneering a unique initiative that connects immigrants and locals through art, fostering cross-cultural exchange and community building.

When I arrived in the Netherlands as an immigrant, I found it difficult to connect with the local community. Making new friends wasn’t easy. But through dance, art, and cultural activities, I found my way in. It’s this experience that inspired me to create Baile Project – a space to connect immigrants and locals, to bring people of different nationalities together, and to celebrate our shared humanity.

At the heart of Baile Project is a commitment to cultural exchange, inclusivity, and promoting conversations around important societal issues such as racism, xenophobia, gender inequality, and cultural preservation.

We are creating a society where people from all corners of the world can feel free to practice their culture, while also learning from and respecting others. A place where connection, understanding, and mutual respect come first.

The Baile Project is a cultural platform for expats, locals, internationals of all colors, ages, genders, and backgrounds – a place to meet, celebrate, and grow together.

Thank you for your continued support, and I can’t wait to share more with you in our next letter!

Warm regards,

Your brazilian amiga,

Anna Marques

bc07878f

The power of community

Brazilian Funk goes abroad!

You can't love the culture and hate the people that created it:

﻿ Brazilian Funk goes abroad!

A letter to you

Baile Project: Connecting People Through Art

From Brazil to the World: A Journey of Culture and Identity

Creating Baile Project

A Community Without Borders

Brazilian Funk goes abroad!