Skip to main content

Up Next

Episode 5: The Calling

The Calling

Season 4 Episode 5
53:05
When Whales Could Walk

When Whales Could Walk

Season 51 Episode 1
53:31
Back to Show
If Cities Could Dance

Follow a Capoeirista’s Journey From the Bay Area to Brazil

Season 5 Episode 10

Ricky "Malandro" Lawson II has practiced capoeira for 25 years, traveling often to its birthplace, Salvador, Bahia, to better understand the art form’s origins, and experience the deep ancestral energy in the most African city outside of the continent. Malandro returns to share how capoeira was birthed, efforts to ban it, and the legacy of Mestre Bimba, who brought it back from near extinction.

Support Provided By
Season
How Hula Dancers Connect Hawaii’s Past and Present
6:42
Hula instructor Snowbird Puananiopaokalani Bento teaches the story behind hula dance.
How Black Roller Skaters Carry Forward LA's Iconic Scene
6:33
LA Black skaters push the culture forward amidst a pandemic and economic downturn.
Boogaloo: The Dance That Defined Oakland's Culture
8:33
Originators of Oakland's 1970s funk boogaloo reflect on the birth and impact of the dance
LGBTQ+ Choreographer Amit Patel is Changing Bollywood Dance
6:55
Dancer Amit Patel is reinventing Bollywood dance for queer expression
J-Setting: From Southern HBCUs to the Clubs of Atlanta
5:12
The Dance Champz of Atlanta want to take this underground LGBTQ+ dance to the next level.
Zydeco in Houston: Black Cowboys, Trail Rides & Creole Roots
5:58
Once known as La-la, Zydeco dance and music thrives in Houston
Albuquerque's Native American Hip-Hop Dance
6:03
Albuquerque’s hip-hop & freestyle dance scene is influenced by various Indigenous tribes
Dancers Across the U.S. Unite in Chain Letter
4:02
Sixteen dancers from across the country, representing a range of dance styles, move as one
Puerto Rico's Bomba, A Dance of The African Diaspora
6:34
Sisters Mar and Maria Cruz are preserving the legacy of this dance of resistance.
San Francisco's Dance Crew Blends Tap and Mexican Footwork
5:59
The women of La Mezcla call on the history of percussive dance to create their own style.
Go-Go Music Inspired This Street Dance in Washington, D.C.
6:56
Beat Ya Feet is the street dance empowering a new generation of Black D.C.
Miami's Alma Dance Theater
2:56
The contemporary dance company shapes feminist messages into sensual moves.
Active loading indicator