Juliana Pinheiro Landim
A native Brazilian, Juliana’s passion and energy for Katumba radiates throughout the group with vibrant nature and Brazilian flare.
Juliana Pinheiro Landim: Movement/Artistic Director & Co-founder
A native Brazilian from the North Earth city of Recife – the home of Maracatu – Juliana’s passion and energy for Katumba radiates throughout the group with her vibrant nature and Brazilian flare.
Talented in both percussion and dance, she is Liverpool’s only resident Brazilian in the field, giving Katumba a unique authenticity in its activities.
Juliana’s expertise and vivacity has seen her dance, drum and direct for a range of groups including
- Batala Washington D.C
- Maracatu N.Y
- Batala Lancaster
- Batala Liverpool
Since moving to the UK in 2008, Juliana has focused on using culture as tool for community development, working with local, national and international groups to develop projects in Liverpool’s underserved areas.
In 2012 Juliana founded not-for-profit company Brazuka, which took young people from Anfield to a favela in Rio de Janeiro for cultural exchange.
Eager to combine her passion for drumming, dance and community enrichment, in 2015 she co-founded Katumba with Ritchie Tunstall.
Alongside her strategic role, Juliana choreographs all the movement and dance elements of the band, creates/sources Katumba’s visual identity, and is a workshop facilitator, teacher and band leader.
Juliana is also a certified yoga teacher! Specializing in alignment and anatomy (which, along with drumming, helped her get back on her feet – literally), she teaches and manages a diverse programme of yoga and dance classes at Katumba Culture Hub.
