Boase’s knowledge and ability with samba rhythms is of an extremely high standard and is surely one of Australia’s finest sambistas. The sound of Beleza School of Samba is testament to Michael’s skill, have a listen for yourself.

Michael Boase has been performing since the age of 16 when he joined the “The Curry Boyz”, a 6 piece percussion outfit performing a mixture of African and Latin rhythms. This is where Michael’s passion for samba began. He showed a special flare not only as a drummer but as an all round showman. The first years out of high school, Michael worked with Paul Barrett of Freo Samba and the Curry Boyz performing around Perth in various festivals and events including the Exmouth Water Festival, Rottnest Festival, Fremantle Festival, The Perth Royal Show.

His interest in African music was further enhanced as Michael studied under South African born, Alastair Van Schoor, now based in Perth. Together with Alastair as Dunumba, and the help of government funding through Healthway, the duo conducted workshops in schools and small communities throughout Western Australia, wowing audiences with their complex rhythms and beautiful singing harmonies. Boase worked closely with Alastair for many years and it is during this time he gained a lot experience in workshops, singing, percussion and stage performance.

Both Michael and Alastair also worked with Ziggy Diagne, Senegalese master percussionist and lead drummer of African groups Ziggy Bay Jan and Ngewel Kora. At least one memorable occasion being their support act to OZOMATLI in Perth’s Kings Park.

Michael is a founding member of the immensely popular Brazil/Australia band Sambalicious with whom he has appeared playing drums, percussion and at times, even guitar! New Years Day 2008, Sambalicious supported the Australian reggae fusion band “Bomba” in Fremantle. Sambalicious has maintained a regular gig every Thursday for over four years! Although Michael has not been a part of this the entire time, he has definitely been part of the action, often performing with his new bateria under the name of Beleza as a special appearance. Michael and Beleza are now a regular feature alongside Sambalicious, a unique musical relationship that helps to further the growth and understanding of Brazilian music.

During 2007 Michael travelled to Brazil to perform and record in Sao Paulo with Sambalicious. For a further two months whilst in Brazil he had inspirational lessons with musicians from Rio de Janeiro including Monobloco, Pedro Lima, Clarice Maghales and Luiz Brasil. Since seeing the big samba schools in Rio, Boase has been suffering from ‘SAMBA FEVER’ as he calls it. His first trip to Brazil was aimed at doing some groundwork so that when he returns he has many musical contacts. Michael plans to make several trips to Brazil, each time to draw new knowledge and inspiration from the vibrant country.

In his career Michael has been asked to perform and record with many well regarded bands. He has performed and recorded with artists such as The Crux, Saritah, Deredjeff Dubar, Chameleon Brass Band, African Music Congress, The Groovesmiths, Lysistrata, Ziggy Bey Jan and many more.
Michael Boase was given the honour of being the touring drummer for the Funk Club National Tour, which visited four capital cities and even had him playing at the Sydney Opera House Bar right next to the harbour. Other tours include one with The Groovesmiths, performing in Darwin, Byron Bay, Sydney and Melbourne.

“All I want to do is share the passion that I have for Samba with as many people as I can. There is so much to love about this style of music and how it can bring the community together. We have an opportunity in Australia to recreate samba with a fresh perspective!”

M. Boase

Yamina "Soreya"

Originally trained in ballet since the age of 5, Yamina discovered samba, when asked to join the group Sambagogo in 2005 in France, where she trained with professional dancers. Parallelly, Yamina has been performing the art of bellydance for over 10 years and has been teaching her unique world fusion style since 2003 in Scotland UK, France, Sydney and eventually Perth WA.

In 2006, she joined Terezka Drnzik's bellydance school in Sydney and trained at a professional level in Egyptian dance (including saidi, veil and drum solo), Turkish dance (Rom and Gypsy fusion), Indian bellydance fusion and sword dancing. Yamina features in two of Terezka's dvds, the latest being filmed at Mind Body Spirit Festival with a 5 piece arabic band!

In 2007, she joined Belyssa's Academy of Danse Orientale and performed occasionally with her troupe Desert Fire at various events : WAMED, Festival of Lights, Farha Tour, Harem of Ubar, Love Death and Rebirth, Mind Body Spirit Festival etc.)

Yamina has taken workshops with national and international instructors such as Kaeshi Chai (Bellyqueen, Pure), Jrisi Jusakos (Hathor Dance), Devi Mamak (Ghawazi Caravan), Pr Hassan Khalil (Egypt), Jamil (Attar), Artemis Mourat (Serpentine), Julienne Saad (Iran), Esther Schelvis (Divinesque), Jillina Carlano (Bellydance Superstars, Sahlala Dancers, Bellydance Evolution), and Paola Blanton (Malaysia), Elisabeth Strong (USA) and Louchia (Russia).

Since 2007, Yamina has been teaching bellysamba at Beleza Samba School in North Fremantle, a style that fuses her two passions: bellydance and samba. In May 2009, Yamina taught a bellysamba workshop at WAMED for the first time! She also teaches the different styles of Brazilian dance such as samba no pe, samba enredo, miudihno, axe, samba-reggae, samba-funk and afrosamba.

Since January 2009, Yamina has been following the 12-month Stage Performance Training under the guidance of German dance practicioner and pilates instructor, Russya Connor (Orient Dance Art).

In February 2010, Yamina performed at the Road Show to Bellydance campaign in Indonesia, and then participated in the Bellydance Asia Competition organised by Hareem Queen Dancers, in front of a jury constituted of Jillina, Ozzy, Kaeshi Chai and Heather Aued. Yamina won 2nd Prize with her bellysamba fusion!

Yamina performs regularly at The Deen (Northbridge), the Istanbul restaurant (Fremantle) and has also appeared at numerous festivals in WA: Earthdance Festival, Joondalup Fest, Mandurah Stretch Fest, Capel Fest, Artrage, Fremantle Festival Parade, Big Day Out, Southbound etc. Yamina also toured Indonesia in Sept and performed at Kuta Carnival (Bali).

Energy, grace and freedom, are what express best her vision of dance...

See Bellyfusion for more information about Yamina "Soreya"!!

Testimonials :

"I have been learning a lot from Yamina - new material, new eye opener.. The students really enjoyed it. The show was great too : we all really had a blast! Thank you Yamina." (Venyci Yefriadi, Interlude Dance Academy - Jakarta)

"An amazing dancer who has taught me all kind of new styles. Someone who has always been an inspiration and lots of fun to be around... The best dance teacher I have ever had!" (Shayli Harrison, Fashion Design student - Sydney)

Richy Glasgow

In 1990 Richy was approached to run 6 Brazilian percussion workshops for the Artrage project “Bizircus’ which resulted in the founding of ‘Sambanistas’, currently Perth’s longest standing bateria, and second oldest in Australia after Melsamba.

The intervening years have seen Richy involved with running workshops and festival projects across Australia, New Zealand , and the UK , resulting in the initiation of several community percussion groups and the widespread use of his workshop techniques.

Richy studied with Carlos Ferriera and Ray Pereira in Australia, and Dudu Tucci and Inner Sense in the UK, before gaining an Australia Council Fellowship to - ‘study Samba and the street cultures surrounding Samba Schools in the two distinct styles of Salvador and Rio de Janeiro.’

More specifically Richy looked to rehearse in the semi formal Blocos de Carnaval and Escolas de Samba(Samba schools) and research organisational and management structures involved in rehearsing and staging an Escola De Samba performance with several thousand participants.

This was followed by examining and comparing structure, facilitation and management of community percussion on a local regional and national level in the UK as a possible development model for Australia.

Whilst in Rio Richy rehearsed with the Estacio, Viradouro and Porto da Pedra Escolas and performed in Carnaval with Monobloco and Bambas do Catete

In 1995 he was commissioned to compose a piece to open the Perth International Arts Festival and then create and direct a 500 strong percussion ensemble to play it.

More recently Richy visited the Jambalaya Festival in New Zealand to scope the opportunities of setting up a regional body to network and co-ordinate Samba activity in the Australasian region.

Richy is currently working to incorporate all this knowledge and experience into the structure of Beleza.