Bateria Batuki

A dynamic percussion, dance and vocal ensemble that’s played a vibrant role on San Francisco’s Latin music scene in recent years, Bateria Batuki can be found wherever Afro-Latin celebrations are taking place. From the CubaCaribe Festival to the Mission’s legendary Carnaval, Batuki delivers a thrilling fusion of Afro-Caribbean grooves, hip hop and funk expressed via complex polyrhythms and kinetic movements. The rhythms and dances of Batuki are inspired by “batuque,” the percussion practices that accompanied ritual dance and drum circles in Brazil’s Black communities, where people came together to worship, play and hone resistance skills. Formed in 2020 in response to the pandemic, Batuki held outdoor rehearsals and free performances throughout the Bay Area. A collective made up of teaching artists, cultural ambassadors and community workers, Batuki is a welcoming vehicle for deepening these relationships and making sure culture and communities thrive.