Maracatu Mar Aberto is an Afro-Brazilian percussion and song troupe playing Maracatu de Baque Virado and other rhythms derived from the same traditions. Translated to English as the Open Sea, our name represents the aggregated influences that have traveled from Africa to Brazil and onward to Toronto and beyond.

On stage or in the street, we are rhythm, song and movement. Our style is traced through the lineage of Maracatu Estrela Brilhante, Trovão das Minas, and Maracatu Nunca Antes. We are a living tradition of maracatu in a local context – not a folkloric representation- working collectively on the artistry and heritage that is Maracatu de Baque Virado.

Mar Aberto plays all types of events. We are culture. Through our artistry and community, through who we are and how we interact with each other and our world. Join the movement and check us out!

To get some more context on Maracatu and related expressions in Brazil, here is a link to an ethnography written by Maracatu Mar Aberto Artistic Director Alex Bordokas. Read it here.