We had the good fortune of connecting with Renee Veloz, Managing Director of Sambabom Brazilian Dance Company, and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Renee, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?The two most important and critical factors behind our success have been :

1. Diversity.
Sambabom is one of the most culturally diverse teams I have danced on, and each one of us brings so many strengths to the table.

2. Foundation.
Dance training and foundation laid down by two key mentors (Flavia Dos Santos Rocha and Christina Trumbach)
These two mentors greatly contributed to the way we perform and present (Theatrical style vs Passista street style).


Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

Sambabom Brazilian Dance company was originally founded in 2010, by Flavia Dodson (nee Dos Santos Rocha). Over the years, she naturally began to connect with like-minded dancers and instructors who shared the same love for the samba art. Twelve years later, the team has evolved into a diverse group of professional, Houston-based dancers and instructors. We continue to improve and grow with mentors here and in Brazil.
My name is Renee Veloz, and I am currently the Managing Director of Sambabom Brazilian Dance Company, also known as Sambabom Dance Houston. I have a background of 6 years in samba no pé, and over 15 years in traditional Latin dance (salsa, merengue, bachata, and traditional Puerto Rican dances of bomba and plena). My dance foundation also includes ballet and modern dance. I am a passista for G.R.E.S.E. Império Da Tijuca and paraded with their International Passista Ala in the Rio carnaval, 2020.
Our team blends together the skill and mastery of the following talent:
Felica Woodard- Houston Carnaval Queen, 2019, Samba/ Afro Contemporary Dancer,  BA in Dance, MA in Cross Cultural and Global Studies. Co-Founder of dance collaborative “Pretty Cultured”. Artist in Residence with Dance Source Houston, and part of Houston Ballet’s HIVE (2019). Professional dance and yoga instructor. Business Owner: Sacred Line Home Services.
Edith Rojas- Capoerista (Brazilian Martial Artist), Stilt Artist, Professional Samba dancer with over 10 years of dance experience in samba no pé
Domonique Leger – Singer, Actress, Former local TV Host (Meeko TV), Professional Samba dancer and instructor with over 7 years of dance experience in samba no pé
Elizabeth Rodriguez- Professional Dance Instructor, Choreographer, Professional Samba dancer with over 7 years of dance experience in samba no pé, and over 10 years of experience in Latin dance and ballroom, Business Owner : Elizabeth  R Dance
Nel Lopez-  Houston Carnaval Queen, 2017, Professional Model, Performance Artist with over 10 years of experience in Latin Dance, Samba Dance Instructor, Business Owner: Nel Lopez Dance Co.
Lindsay Gary- Author, Professor, Performance Artist, Educator, Choreographer, Founder and Artistic Director of Dance Afrikana, LLC, Business Owner and Entrepreneur

As a director, my vision for the company includes the exploration of Brazilian culture and tradition, learning and self improvement, performing, teaching, and fostering the skills of other dancers. As a company, we are focused on continuous improvement and the preservation of authentic carioca style samba. As a team, our goal is to present authentic carioca style samba and share our passion and energy with our audience.

This has not been an easy journey. We work long hours in the studio, practice at home, attend in-person and virtual workshops and we also teach. We commit a large part of time to the art. Some of us are mothers and teachers; most of us have fulltime jobs. No matter the situation, we always find the time to dance together, because we love the art.

Our team is rich in cultural diversity and ethnicity. Afro-American, Afro-Latin, South American and Mexican-American culture and roots are inherently embedded into our dance styles. Our samba journey has always been about learning Brazilian culture and understanding the significance of samba as an expression of freedom. We support the samba schools and artists in Brazil as much as we can, and we are excited to explore the similarities (and differences) in all of our cultures and bring them to the stage.


Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
A celebratory breakfast at A’Bouzy is a must for any visitor!

Sugar Land Town Center’s Japaneiro’s and Bar Louie are two of my favorite places to sit down and talk, so we could spend evenings there.

We might swing by Vino & Vinyl for frozen wine, if it isn’t too cold out.

I would definitely take my friend to see the Menil Collection because its one of my favorite museums. I would then take them the Rothko chapel , which is a work of art in silence.

We could catch a concert at the House of Blues, or even a DJ set at Stereo Live.

Festivals are always fun; downtown Houston is full of hotspots. Salsa socials are a favorite thing for the team to do.

No week would be complete without visiting Thai Gourmet and Banana Leaf for Thai and Malaysian food!
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Flavia Dos Santos Rocha- Founder and Creative Director of Sambabom Brazilian Dance Company, Professional Instructor and former passista for G.R.E.S. Acadêmicos do Salgueiro. Without Flavia, none of this would be possible and she remains an inspiration to the group today. She showed us how to dance together as a unit, and use both charm and power to command the crowd. She truly motivates us and pushes us to do our best work.

Christina Trumbach- Professional instructor and former passista for G.R.E.S. Mocidade Independente de Padre Miguel. We would not know the meaning of ‘passista’ without Christina. She taught us how to dance on instrumental queues and with her, we explored street style dance. She encouraged us to embrace our attitude and our own personal style.

The Team!
Renee Veloz, Felicia Woodard, Edith Rojas. Domonique Leger, Elizabeth Rodriguez, Nel Lopez, and Lindsay Gary.

Website: www.SambabomHouston.com

Instagram: @SambabomDanceHouston

Twitter: @SambabomHTX

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sambabomdancehouston/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzyl0xtwwl8vjwFpq_poAJw

Other: TikTok : @SambabomDanceHouston

Image Credits
Photographer: Josue Palito De Leon Instagram: @professor_palito

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutHTX is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.