About The Edinburgh Samba School

Loud and lively, energetic and dynamic - The Edinburgh Samba School (TESS) is a regular and popular feature of community festivals and special events in Edinburgh and elsewhere in Britain and Europe.

We are a colourful Samba percussion and dance group, specialising in authentic rhythms from the flamboyant Carnival culture of Brazil. Samba is the heartbeat of this culture of celebration, street parties, dance and fun. Founded in 1992, TESS is a community project with charitable status.

Our popularity is reflected in the number of high-profile events at which TESS has performed, eg. the Scottish Cup Final, the Edinburgh Festivals' Cavalcade, Edinburgh's Hogmanay, the opening of the Scottish Parliament and headlining at the National Day of Percussion.

Book us for your street festivals, private parties, community or corporate events, club gigs, whatever the scale - in fact, any event needing a lively party spirit.

All funds raised by TESS are used to sustain the group's activities in the community - teaching, rehearsing, maintenance and purchase of instruments - as well as a variety of outreach projects.