A parade with participants wearing colorful costumes with large feathered headpieces walking down Missions Street in San Francisco. Spectators watch from the sidewalks, and buildings with signs and trees are visible in the background on a sunny day.

Who We Are

Sambaxé (Sam-Ba-Shay) is an inclusive, Brazilian-inspired music & dance company based in San Francisco. Founded by Creative Director, dancer, and choreographer, Raffaella Falchi-Macias and Musical Director, Alfie Macias, we’re celebrating 20+ years of sharing Brazilian culture through dance classes, percussion classes, performances, and music and dance retreats.

Join us for classes and performance workshops at ODC Dance School in the Mission, or join us for the Carnaval San Francisco Grand Parade!

All ages, gender identities, and dance experience levels are welcome.

A group of diverse women participating in an outdoor dance fitness class on a sunny day, with a gymnasium and trees in the background.

  • Check out our classes

    Open level classes are held year-round at ODC Dance Commons in San Francisco on Thursday evenings. Performance workshops are held in the fall. True beginners are welcome!

    Sign up at ODC

  • Join us for Carnaval

    Carnaval San Francisco hosts a Grand Parade over the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend each year. We love sharing the celebration with newcomers, including kids in our community. Find out how to get involved!

    Learn more

  • Support our mission

    Raffa’s mission is that no one is turned away from participating in Carnaval due to finances. Donations help us fund participation for low-income and youth members, so that sharing this cultural experience is not cost-prohibitive. Your donation allows us to share the gift of Brazilian dance in the Bay Area!

    Donate
Women dressed in elaborate gold costumes with feathered headdresses participating in San Francisco Carnaval Parade.

Raffaella Falchi-Macias

Raffaella Falchi-Macias is the Founder and Artistic Director of Sambaxé Dance Company, founded in 2005. She began studying Brazilian dance in 1996 and has studied extensively with dancers and choreographers in Rio de Janeiro & Bahia, Brazil. She has been teaching Brazilian-inspired movement & dance to both adults and youth in San Francisco for the last decade and is passionate about continuing to share Brazilian culture through music and dance retreats in Brazil, Cuba and Mexico. Her company has performed in theaters, dance festivals and events locally and internationally.

In addition to leading Sambaxé, she is a Brazilian Samba Dance instructor at ODC/Dance. Outside of dance, she is the Executive Director at Youth Art Exchange, which offers free visual and performing arts classes to San Francisco public high school students. She holds a MArch from California College of the Arts and a BA from UC Berkeley in Psychology and Art.

Reach her at sambaraffa@gmail.com

A man wearing black sunglasses and a patterned shirt playing a drum with drumsticks during an outdoor event.

Alfie Macias

Alfie Macias is an accomplished artist and educator who has dedicated his career to fostering youth development and empowerment through music.

For 12 years, Alfie served as the Co-Musical Director of Loco Bloco, a renowned youth performance group based in San Francisco's Mission District. After leaving Loco Bloco in 2010, he moved to hold the role of Musical Director for Sambaxé, where he continues to lead today.

Alfie has spent 15 years as a Music Instructor at Youth Art Exchange, imparting his knowledge and passion to aspiring young artists. As a visionary, he has created the Traditional Percussion Internship in collaboration with SFJAZZ and Youth Art Exchange, providing invaluable opportunities for budding musicians to explore their craft and the musical traditions of the African Diaspora. Notably, Alfie's youth performances and social justice initiatives were featured in the closing of Harry Belafonte's Documentary film, "Sing Your Song," showcasing his ability to blend artistic expression with important societal issues. Alfie's dedication to working with at-risk youth from underserved communities is reflected in his collaborations with San Francisco and San Mateo incarcerated youth through his music mentorship programs.

Reach him at @bateriasambaxe on Instagram

  • Two performers, a man and woman, dressed in shiny, elaborate costumes, stand on a pier at sunset, with a city skyline in the background. The man is holding a drum, and the woman is wearing a feathered headdress with bright lighting.

    My Love Affair with Carnaval

    By Raffaella Falchi

    Read the article
  • Group of women in gold costumes and high heels posing with a woman in a patterned top on stage with red curtains.

    Creating a safe space to learn: A conversation with Raffaella Falchi

    By Maya Kitayama

    Read the article
  • Group of women in colorful, sequined costumes with tall feather headdresses, participating in a parade or festival

    Saving Carnaval: The Woman Enticing the Mission’s Tech Newcomers into the Samba Spirit

    By Marica Petrey

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San Francisco Carnaval Parade Awards

  • Colorful decorative background with large pink peacock feathers and a banner announcing the 2026 Grand Parade third place award for the Brazilian Samba, featuring soccer ball graphics and an illustrated trophy.

    2026: 3rd Place Brazilian Category

  • 2024: 2nd Place in the Grand Parade

  • A colorful award plaque celebrating the 45th anniversary of Carnaval in San Francisco, with a vinyl record design, and text highlighting 'Grand Parade 2023,' 'First Place Brazilian', and 'Samba X' as the winner.

    2023: 1st Place Brazilian Category

  • A woman outdoors holding an open booklet or program for a parade, with colorful banners hanging above, green trees, and parked cars in the background.

    2022: 1st Place Brazilian Category