Simeon Smith
 
Simeon Smith is a community musician, based in Dublin. 
He has achieved a BA is English and Sociology and an MA in Community Development, both from NUIG, and in 2007 achieved a primary qualification as a counsellor in Reality Therapy/Choice Theory. In 2023, Simeon was awarded a PhD in Arts Practice from University of Limerick, on the theme of music education.
Simeon has been playing samba for 30 years, and is a founding member of MaSamba Samba School. He has received formal and informal training from many of the top practicioners in the field, and facilitated many top samba artists to visit and teach in Ireland, and has developed a repertoire of many of the popular styles of Afro-Brasilian music.
Simeon delivers over 500 workshops a year, primarily with children and young people. Recently, he has delivered programmes for the National Concert Hall Music in Mind Programme, Creative Ireland, and Music Network, amongst others. 
Simeon also performs regularly with Masamba Samba School.

Niall Gregory
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Niall started his music career around 1990 in Drogheda Ireland. At first playing drum set, then entering the world of percussion by joining Ireland's first Samba school. He has performed with and studied extensively with Brazilian master drummer “Dudu Tucci”. He has also made several trips to the Caribbean to study with some of Cuba’s master drummers. While in Cuba he met and studied with members of Clave Guaguanco, Afro Cuba de Mantanzas, Rumberos de Cuba etc.
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On his return he has become one of Ireland’s most sought after teachers of Afro Latin percussion. He currently leads his own Latin percussion group “Cachimbo” who have just released there latest album “Si Emi Ilu” (Spirit of the drum) .
 
He has toured internationally with Dead Can Dance and is a member of Sully Erna of Godsmacks solo group . Their first album Avalon made its debut at no 22 in the USA billboard charts and the group have toured the USA and Canada in support of the album.

Fernando Debiasi Basqueroto
 
Fernando Basqueroto has been immersed in the world of samba since his adolescence, learning many of the fundamental aspects of samba and pagode. 
In the early 2000s, he completed an intensive course in percussion at Unidos de Vila Maria, gaining insight into the foundations of all instruments comprising a samba school drum section. He contributed to the Unidos de Vila Maria drum section in São Paulo for three years, from 2005 to 2007, under the leadership of Master Mi, playing the malacacheta and repinique.
In 2008, he led a carnival block in the local community for one year. 
In 2015, he moved to the USA and became part of the samba and pagode group, Samba BRO, performing across the state of Florida and opening for renowned Brazilian artists such as Claudia Leite, Molejo, and Marquinhos Sensação.
In 2022, he relocated to Ireland and joined the 353 Samba Club, the leading pagode group in the country. The band has been performing throughout the country, and will soon undertake a short tour of Portugal.
In 2023, Fernando joined the team at Masamba School of Samba as a tutor, where he remains to this day. In this journey, he takes pride in working as part of a team of colleagues deeply committed to preserving and disseminating the rich tradition of Brazilian music. Together, they impart knowledge with respect and fidelity to the teachings they have received, thus cementing a lasting legacy in the international musical culture.

Marcio Carvalho da Silva
 
Marcio was born in Jaboatão dos Guararapes, in Pernambuco, Brazil. He was born a percussionist, he was always had music in his life.  He grew up living the Pernambuco culture: Mangue beat, coco de roda, maracatu, frevo, ciranda, rock, reggae, cavalo marinho, samba and forró. 
 
In the last couple of years, Dublin has been the stage for many great Brazilian musicians and Marcio took part at the openings of concerts of musicians such as Martinho da Vila, Planta e Raiz, Hypnotic Brass, Emicida, Maneva, Rael, Delcio Luiz, Arlindinho and he also took part in the production of Criolo’s concert, Thiaguinho, Wesley Safadao, Diogo Nogueira, Revelação, Maíara e Maraisa He also recorded some EPs with:
Band Profunda Estima (REGGAE), Sexy Tadhg, Deleh Wilson, Miguel Siso (Latin Grammy winner 2018) Boye and Colours Afrobeat, Ellen Be and a many more independent artists.
 
Currently, Marcio is  working on several music projects: Brazilian Reggae Night, Forró Namangaia, Zeembass, Boye and Colours Afrobeat, Brazilian Jazz ÁjoArkestra, Tá Tum Tum(kid's project), 353sambaclub, sexy Tadhg, In addition to that he collaborates with:  Axé and ,Tributo Rock, Event Band.
 
Somehow, Marcio finds time to spend his days teaching percussion to children and young people as part of Masamba’s workshop team.

Kelly Baldonado

Kelly Baldonado has formal qualifications in Tourism Studies and Health and Fitness, but began her dancing career at the tender age of 10, performing at small festivals, theatres and school shows. By the age of 16, Kelly was teaching Afro-Brazilian dance at a gym, where she worked for two years.

In 2005, Kelly moved to Ireland, mainly to improve her English, and quickly became involved with the MaSamba Samba School. Since then, she has taken part in three St Patrick’s Day parades (2 as Queen of the Drums), as well as numerous TV shows, promotions and festivals such as the Lord Mayor’s Parade in Belfast, Oxygen and the Electric Picnic.

Kelly has also appeared in ‘Fair City’ and ‘The Tudors’ and has done numerous photoshoots for many of Ireland’s leading promotional agencies.

Kelly is the Dance Director at MaSamba Samba School and has performed with us throughout Ireland, the UK and Germany.