The founding story behind:
The European Forró Federation (FoFed) was founded on December 18th 2020 with 32 founding member organisations. It began as an initiative to create better communication within the European Forró scene, to facilitate collaborations within the community and to encourage the growth of Forró across the continent. Before our founding, we gathered virtually, many times, with up to 60 individuals who are involved with the professional world of forró in Europe. These meetings were announced publicly on social media. We formed democratic working groups to decide on the name, the structure, the statutes, the membership fee, the benefits for founding members who made the first investment in the Federation and the process of electing the board of administration.
Together we democratically built what is now the first Federation of forró organisations in the world!
We believe that our strength is in uniting Forró organisations around Europe through professionalisation, visibility, exchange, and communication.
The founding story behind:
The European Forró Federation (FoFed) was founded on December 18th 2020 with 32 founding member organisations. It began as an initiative to create better communication within the European Forró scene, to facilitate collaborations within the community and to encourage the growth of Forró across the continent. Before our founding, we gathered virtually, many times, with up to 60 individuals who are involved with the professional world of forró in Europe. These meetings were announced publicly on social media. We formed democratic working groups to decide on the name, the structure, the statutes, the membership fee, the benefits for founding members who made the first investment in the Federation and the process of electing the board of administration.
Together we democratically built what is now the first Federation of forró organisations in the world!
We believe that our strength is in uniting Forró organisations around Europe through professionalisation, visibility, exchange, and communication.
The founding story behind:
The European Forró Federation (FoFed) was founded on December 18th 2020 with 32 founding member organisations. It began as an initiative to create better communication within the European Forró scene, to facilitate collaborations within the community and to encourage the growth of Forró across the continent. Before our founding, we gathered virtually, many times, with up to 60 individuals who are involved with the professional world of forró in Europe. These meetings were announced publicly on social media. We formed democratic working groups to decide on the name, the structure, the statutes, the membership fee, the benefits for founding members who made the first investment in the Federation and the process of electing the board of administration.
Together we democratically built what is now the first Federation of forró organisations in the world!
We believe that our strength is in uniting Forró organisations around Europe through professionalisation, visibility, exchange, and communication.
What is Forró?
Forró is the vibrant music and dance of Brazil’s Northeast, rooted in community, celebration, and resilience. Popularized by Luiz Gonzaga, Forró combines accordion, zabumba, and triangle, telling the stories of rural traditions and overcoming cultural barriers.
Evolving from the countryside to global stages, Forró now incorporates diverse influences like rock and salsa, sparking debates about authenticity while maintaining its core essence of connection and joy.
Discover Forró through music, dance courses, festivals, and cultural resources—an ever-living tradition uniting people worldwide!
What is Forró?
Forró is the vibrant music and dance of Brazil’s Northeast, rooted in community, celebration, and resilience. Popularized by Luiz Gonzaga, Forró combines accordion, zabumba, and triangle, telling the stories of rural traditions and overcoming cultural barriers.
Evolving from the countryside to global stages, Forró now incorporates diverse influences like rock and salsa, sparking debates about authenticity while maintaining its core essence of connection and joy.
Discover Forró through music, dance courses, festivals, and cultural resources—an ever-living tradition uniting people worldwide!
What is Forró?
Forró is the vibrant music and dance of Brazil’s Northeast, rooted in community, celebration, and resilience. Popularized by Luiz Gonzaga, Forró combines accordion, zabumba, and triangle, telling the stories of rural traditions and overcoming cultural barriers.
Evolving from the countryside to global stages, Forró now incorporates diverse influences like rock and salsa, sparking debates about authenticity while maintaining its core essence of connection and joy.
Discover Forró through music, dance courses, festivals, and cultural resources—an ever-living tradition uniting people worldwide!
Team
Board/ Department Leaders
Each board member/ department leader takes the responsibility for one core task area of the federation, which is vital for the federation to flourish.
They can delegate tasks to volunteers, but they are responsible that the tasks for their area getting done.
The members of the Forró Federation elect each January new board members for the year. Representatives from all members can apply to become board members. Max. two representatives from each member can join the board to ensure many members are represented on the board. Of course, everyone is invited to help as a volunteer.
As a Board Member, you commit to contributing at least 1-2 hours a week by participating in working and decision-making sessions.
Katia Leonova
Forró Stockholm
Stockholm, Sweden
Responsibilities
- Updating and implementing a communication strategy
- Managing social media
- Updating the website
- Managing the newsletter
Ciarán Carroll
Tuvens.com
Dublin, Ireland
Responsibilities
- Managing the accounting
- Making and keeping an annual budget
- Acquiring external public and private funds
- Managing projects such as Call for Projects, Congress and other projects
Thiago Lima
Ai Que Bom
Paris, France
Responsibilities
- Making the federation/ forro known by connection with National & Regional & Brazilian Institutions
- Creating cooperations
- Generating funds from official sources
Tiago Mazza
Quinta Clandestina
Porto, Portugal
Responsibilities
- Brand alignment across channels
- Website administration
- Institutional relations
Volunteers
We are very thankful for everyone who likes to help!
Send us a message, if you also like to help! 🙂
Johanna Sontheimer
Graphic design
Stockholm, Sweden
Responsibilities
- Brand design
- Designer for Social Media
Leonie Schmidtmer
Administration
Paris, France
Responsibilities
- Managing payments and bookkeeping
- Answering questions about finance and legal topics regarding the federation
Parisa Naserzade
Social media & communications
Istanbul, Turkey
Responsibilities
- Telegram
Renata Perito
UX Research
Berlin, Germany
Responsibilities
Conducting UX research on challenges of forró creators, including event promotion and curation.
Portuguese Teachers
Forró Federation has been providing online Portuguese classes since early 2024, taught through the lens of forró and Brazilian culture.
Julie Anne Caldas
PT Teacher | ES / EN
Madrid, Spain
About Julie
- Portuguese teacher for English and Spanish speakers, based in Spain.
- Experienced Portuguese teacher, also enrolled in teaching yoga, hosting language exchanges and writing books.
Regianne Ferreira
PT Teacher | FR
Toulouse, France
About Regi
- Portuguese teacher for French speakers, based in Brazil, ancient member of Toulouse community.
- Portuguese teacher for foreigners for 8 years, translator, Anthropologist, and host for language holidays in Itacaré – Bahia – Brazil.
Lilian Fleuri
PT Teacher | AU/NZ
Brisbane, Australia
About Lilian
- Portuguese teacher for non-Portuguese speakers; based in Brisbane (Australia)
- Language teacher for 25 years, PhD in Linguistics, lecturer of Latin American Studies at the University of Queensland. Fluent in English, and Spanish, and understandsItalian and French well. Has lived in Canada (Montreal), USA, Italy and Mexico.
Danilo Buckentin
PT Teacher | EN / DE
Lisbon, Portugal
About Danilo
- English and Portuguese teacher, based in Lisbon.
- Experience in language teaching and involvement with Forró.
Alex de Almeida
PT Teacher | DE
Stuttgart, Germany
About Alex
- Accordionist and language teacher, living in Greece.
- Experience in teaching Portuguese, Spanish, and German.
Team
Board/ Department Leaders
Each board member/ department leader takes the responsibility for one core task area of the federation, which is vital for the federation to flourish.
They can delegate tasks to volunteers, but they are responsible that the tasks for their area getting done.
The members of the Forró Federation elect each January new board members for the year. Representatives from all members can apply to become board members. Max. two representatives from each member can join the board to ensure many members are represented on the board. Of course, everyone is invited to help as a volunteer.
As a Board Member, you commit to contributing at least 1-2 hours a week by participating in working and decision-making sessions.
Thiago Lima
Ai Que Bom
Paris, France
Responsibilities
- Making the federation/ forro known by connection with National & Regional & Brazilian Institutions
- Creating cooperations
- Generating funds from official sources
Katia Leonova
Forró Stockholm
Stockholm, Sweden
Responsibilities
- Updating and implementing a communication strategy
- Managing social media
- Updating the website
- Managing the newsletter
Tiago Mazza
Quinta Clandestina
Porto, Portugal
Responsibilities
- Brand alignment across channels
- Website administration
- Institutional relations
Ciarán Carroll
Tuvens.com
Dublin, Ireland
Responsibilities
- Managing the accounting
- Making and keeping an annual budget
- Acquiring external public and private funds
- Managing projects such as Call for Projects, Congress and other projects
Volunteers
We are very thankful for everyone who likes to help!
Send us a message, if you also like to help! 🙂
Johanna Sontheimer
Graphic design
Stockholm, Sweden
Responsibilities
- Brand design
- Designer for Social Media
Leonie Schmidtmer
Administration
Paris, France
Responsibilities
- Managing payments and bookkeeping
- Answering questions about finance and legal topics regarding the federation
Parisa Naserzade
Social media & communications
Istanbul, Turkey
Responsibilities
- Telegram
Renata Perito
UX Research
Berlin, Germany
Responsibilities
Conducting UX research on challenges of forró creators, including event promotion and curation.
Portuguese Teachers
Forró Federation has been providing online Portuguese classes since early 2024, taught through the lens of forró and Brazilian culture.
Julie Anne Caldas
PT Teacher | ES / EN
Madrid, Spain
About Julie
- Portuguese teacher for English and Spanish speakers, based in Spain.
- Experienced Portuguese teacher, also enrolled in teaching yoga, hosting language exchanges and writing books.
Regianne Ferreira
PT Teacher | FR
Toulouse, France
About Regi
- Portuguese teacher for French speakers, based in Brazil, ancient member of Toulouse community.
- Portuguese teacher for foreigners for 8 years, translator, Anthropologist, and host for language holidays in Itacaré – Bahia – Brazil.
Lilian Fleuri
PT Teacher | AU/NZ
Brisbane, Australia
About Lilian
- Portuguese teacher for non-Portuguese speakers; based in Brisbane (Australia)
- Language teacher for 25 years, PhD in Linguistics, lecturer of Latin American Studies at the University of Queensland. Fluent in English, and Spanish, and understandsItalian and French well. Has lived in Canada (Montreal), USA, Italy and Mexico.
Danilo Buckentin
PT Teacher | EN / DE
Lisbon, Portugal
About Danilo
- English and Portuguese teacher, based in Lisbon.
- Experience in language teaching and involvement with Forró.
Alex de Almeida
PT Teacher | DE
Stuttgart, Germany
About Alex
- Accordionist and language teacher, living in Greece.
- Experience in teaching Portuguese, Spanish, and German.
Team
Board/ Department Leaders
Each board member/ department leader takes the responsibility for one core task area of the federation, which is vital for the federation to flourish.
They can delegate tasks to volunteers, but they are responsible that the tasks for their area getting done.
The members of the Forró Federation elect each January new board members for the year. Representatives from all members can apply to become board members. Max. two representatives from each member can join the board to ensure many members are represented on the board. Of course, everyone is invited to help as a volunteer.
As a Board Member, you commit to contributing at least 1-2 hours a week by participating in working and decision-making sessions.
Thiago Lima
Ai Que Bom
Paris, France
Responsibilities
- Making the federation/ forro known by connection with National & Regional & Brazilian Institutions
- Creating cooperations
- Generating funds from official sources
Katia Leonova
Forró Stockholm
Stockholm, Sweden
Responsibilities
- Updating and implementing a communication strategy
- Managing social media
- Updating the website
- Managing the newsletter
Tiago Mazza
Quinta Clandestina
Porto, Portugal
Responsibilities
- Brand alignment across channels
- Website administration
- Institutional relations
Ciarán Carroll
Tuvens.com
Dublin, Ireland
Responsibilities
- Managing the accounting
- Making and keeping an annual budget
- Acquiring external public and private funds
- Managing projects such as Call for Projects, Congress and other projects
Volunteers
We are very thankful for everyone who likes to help!
Send us a message, if you also like to help! 🙂
Johanna Sontheimer
Graphic design
Stockholm, Sweden
Responsibilities
- Brand design
- Designer for Social Media
Leonie Schmidtmer
Administration
Paris, France
Responsibilities
- Managing payments and bookkeeping
- Answering questions about finance and legal topics regarding the federation
Parisa Naserzade
Social media & communications
Istanbul, Turkey
Responsibilities
- Telegram
Renata Perito
UX Research
Berlin, Germany
Responsibilities
Conducting UX research on challenges of forró creators, including event promotion and curation.
Portuguese Teachers
Forró Federation has been providing online Portuguese classes since early 2024, taught through the lens of forró and Brazilian culture.
Julie Anne Caldas
PT Teacher | ES / EN
Madrid, Spain
About Julie
- Portuguese teacher for English and Spanish speakers, based in Spain.
- Experienced Portuguese teacher, also enrolled in teaching yoga, hosting language exchanges and writing books.
Regianne Ferreira
PT Teacher | FR
Toulouse, France
About Regi
- Portuguese teacher for French speakers, based in Brazil, ancient member of Toulouse community.
- Portuguese teacher for foreigners for 8 years, translator, Anthropologist, and host for language holidays in Itacaré – Bahia – Brazil.
Lilian Fleuri
PT Teacher | AU/NZ
Brisbane, Australia
About Lilian
- Portuguese teacher for non-Portuguese speakers; based in Brisbane (Australia)
- Language teacher for 25 years, PhD in Linguistics, lecturer of Latin American Studies at the University of Queensland. Fluent in English, and Spanish, and understandsItalian and French well. Has lived in Canada (Montreal), USA, Italy and Mexico.
Danilo Buckentin
PT Teacher | EN / DE
Lisbon, Portugal
About Danilo
- English and Portuguese teacher, based in Lisbon.
- Experience in language teaching and involvement with Forró.
Alex de Almeida
PT Teacher | DE
Stuttgart, Germany
About Alex
- Accordionist and language teacher, living in Greece.
- Experience in teaching Portuguese, Spanish, and German.
Team
Board/ Department Leaders
Each board member/ department leader takes the responsibility for one core task area of the federation, which is vital for the federation to flourish.
They can delegate tasks to volunteers, but they are responsible that the tasks for their area getting done.
The members of the Forró Federation elect each January new board members for the year. Representatives from all members can apply to become board members. Max. two representatives from each member can join the board to ensure many members are represented on the board. Of course, everyone is invited to help as a volunteer.
As a Board Member, you commit to contributing at least 1-2 hours a week by participating in working and decision-making sessions.
Katia Leonova
Forró Stockholm
Stockholm, Sweden
Responsibilities
- Updating and implementing a communication strategy
- Managing social media
- Updating the website
- Managing the newsletter
Thiago Lima
Ai Que Bom
Paris, France
Responsibilities
- Making the federation/ forro known by connection with National & Regional & Brazilian Institutions
- Creating cooperations
- Generating funds from official sources
Ciarán Carroll
Tuvens.com
Dublin, Ireland
Responsibilities
- Managing the accounting
- Making and keeping an annual budget
- Acquiring external public and private funds
- Managing projects such as Call for Projects, Congress and other projects
Tiago Mazza
Quinta Clandestina
Porto, Portugal
Responsibilities
- Brand alignment across channels
- Website administration
- Institutional relations
Volunteers
We are very thankful for everyone who likes to help!
Send us a message, if you also like to help! 🙂
Johanna Sontheimer
Graphic design
Stockholm, Sweden
Responsibilities
- Brand design
- Designer for Social Media
Parisa Naserzade
Social media & communications
Istanbul, Turkey
Responsibilities
- Telegram
Leonie Schmidtmer
Administration
Paris, France
Responsibilities
- Managing payments and bookkeeping
- Answering questions about finance and legal topics regarding the federation
Renata Perito
UX Research
Berlin, Germany
Responsibilities
Conducting UX research on challenges of forró creators, including event promotion and curation.
Portuguese Teachers
Forró Federation has been providing online Portuguese classes since early 2024, taught through the lens of forró and Brazilian culture.
Julie Anne Caldas
PT Teacher | ES / EN
Madrid, Spain
About Julie
- Portuguese teacher for English and Spanish speakers, based in Spain.
- Experienced Portuguese teacher, also enrolled in teaching yoga, hosting language exchanges and writing books.
Lilian Fleuri
PT Teacher | AU/NZ
Brisbane, Australia
About Lilian
- Portuguese teacher for non-Portuguese speakers; based in Brisbane (Australia)
- Language teacher for 25 years, PhD in Linguistics, lecturer of Latin American Studies at the University of Queensland. Fluent in English, and Spanish, and understandsItalian and French well. Has lived in Canada (Montreal), USA, Italy and Mexico.
Alex de Almeida
PT Teacher | DE
Stuttgart, Germany
About Alex
- Accordionist and language teacher, living in Greece.
- Experience in teaching Portuguese, Spanish, and German.
Regianne Ferreira
PT Teacher | FR
Toulouse, France
About Regi
- Portuguese teacher for French speakers, based in Brazil, ancient member of Toulouse community.
- Portuguese teacher for foreigners for 8 years, translator, Anthropologist, and host for language holidays in Itacaré – Bahia – Brazil.
Danilo Buckentin
PT Teacher | EN / DE
Lisbon, Portugal
About Danilo
- English and Portuguese teacher, based in Lisbon.
- Experience in language teaching and involvement with Forró.
Our Projects
FAQ about the Forró Federation
Here you find the questions that the federation gets asked most frequently.
If you have further questions please let us know that they are missing here, so we can add them here.
Why a “European” Forro Federation?
We asked ourselves the question too but we all agreed on one thing: We should start with what we know best, which is the Forró scenes and communities in Europe. In the long run we would love that other continents also take the initiative and create their own Federations. Perhaps one day, we can create worldwide forró federation as well!?
How was the idea of the Federation born?
The idea of an organised network of forró professionals in Europe existed long before we actually started the Federation. However, these kinds of ideas take time to grow and mature.
Due to the lockdown, five of us found ourselves with time to start this initiative and the first brainstorming began. It took us more than 6 months of preparation before we held our first constitutive general assembly on December 18th 2020 with 32 founding members from all over Europe.
Who can be a member of the Federation?
Members are not individual people, rather organisations, associations and registered freelancers that work with forró across Europe. But you don’t have to be a forró professional to get involved or seek out our services!
While we aim to support all forró in Europe, our members have some benefits as they take the initial leap to support and invest in the Federation by paying the annual membership fee (240 Euros a year). Member benefits include among other things:
- decision making privileges related to the activities of the Federation
- regular gatherings and communication with the FoFed members network
- promotion of events and projects on the Federation’s social media platforms
- updated contact list of Forró professionals across Europe
- personal support and consultation in applying for local funds as well as being able to use the name of the Federation in these applications which can provide credibility and legitimisation
Are you interested in joining as a member of the Federation? Apply for a membership here!
I am a dancer and want to join. Can I?
Only legal entities or legal entities to become can join as a member. But you can get involved as a volunteer! We are always looking for volunteers to help us with a large variety of tasks. Contact us directly or via your community leader!
Can everyone contribute to the Federation?
One simple answer – YES!
If you represent a professional forró organisation, come be a member here!
If you are an enthusiastic forró dancer in the community and have an idea for us or want to volunteer, we always need specialised help from people with a variety of skills! So get in touch! forrofederation@gmail.com
Do you want to write an article for the newsletter? Send an email to forroletters@gmail.com to become a contributor!
What does the Federation do for the wider community?
As a federation we are committed to:
- supporting the professionalisation of forró teachers, musicians, djs and organisers
- disseminating knowledge about Brazilian culture with emphasis on forró dance and music
- facilitating better communication within the community
- fostering international mobility within the global forró scene
- popularizing and representing forró among other social dance communities
- supporting the continued respect for diversity and human rights within the forró scene by facilitating spaces for reflection and discussion on critical issues in our community
Here some examples:
- Our forró database will give you information about all the concerts and workshops happening at your location so you can plan your way from one forró to the next.
- Do you want to find out what festivals are taking place and where? Go to our events calendar and see every upcoming forró festival!
to know more about the history and roots of forró culture you’ll find recommendations of books, theses, articles and documentaries on our resources page ! - Do you want to make a local fundraiser for a charity and do this by hosting a forró event? We can help by providing volunteers with previous experience to support you in your efforts!
- We will publish surveys to observe how forró is growing and changing in Europe and how this impacts the lives of so many individuals!
I don’t have a legal entity yet but would like to become a member, is that possible?
Yes. We have what we call a Newcomer Membership for persons or groups who plan to become a legal entity in the next two years. You can participate in all our activities during this Newcomer Membership. At latest when the two years are over, you either join the Federation as a regular member with your freshly created legal entity or you leave the Federation because your plans of a founding an organization didn’t not become reality. Newcomer members can’t be elected as members of the Board or enlarged Board and have half of the votes as a regular member in our annual elections. For more information, check out our statutes.
I want to start a community, where can I find advice?
Just contact us – we are here to assist you in all steps of the founding!
Please feel free to reach out to us and ask any questions.
We want to connect with you and we want to support you to grow Forró.
When you go through all the pages of this website you most probably have a great understanding of what the Forró Federation is doing.
To be up to date with our latest projects have a look here.
The federation needs every help we can get. Especially volunteers and member who are willing to maybe even become a board member are a huge asset to us.