Culture gaucho
The Western Folklife Center will welcome Brazilian gaúcho musicians Renato Borghetti and his quartet and Luis Carlos Borges, who will perform traditional Brazilian music featuring the button accordion, saxophone, flute and guitar. Master rawhide braiders Armando Deferrari and Pablo Lozano are traveling from their native Argentina to teach traditional gaucho skills to American braiders in two braiding workshops. Their work will also be on display at the Western Folklife Center as part of the Trappings of the Gaucho.
Brazilian Gaúcho Musicians
Renato Borghetti has played traditional Brazilian gaúcho music from the state of Rio Grande do Sul from the time he was a young boy. At the age of 10 he received his first gaita-ponto (8 buttoned accordion) from his father and Renato quickly mastered the instrumental folk music of his region. The Renato Borghetti quartet includes Renato on button accordion, Pedro Fiquero on saxophone and flute, Daniel Sá on guitar and Hilton Vaccari on acoustic guitar.
Luiz Carlos Borges grew up in the lush rangelands known as the Brazilian pampas. He is a true gaúcho and learned the traditional songs and customs of the herdsmen at a young age. Luiz Carlos began his musical career at the age of seven, playing traditional dance music with his brothers in a family band. He will be accompanied at the Gathering by Maurício Marques, one of the region’s top guitar players.
Dance gaucho
The dancers in our group are between the ages of twelve and nineteen. I've been dancing in the group for a year and a half. The class is hard because the teacher is strict and insists that we do everything exactly right. But I like it because we honor the Gaucho tradition. I like introducing people to the Gaucho culture, and our dances are one way to do that. Some people get very emotional watching us perform. They think it's beautiful that we dance with such happiness and are so excited to learn.
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