Se Essa Rua Fosse Minha: A Traditional Song from Brazil

For the past two years, Lebanon Valley College has been blessed with a cultural exchange program that has brought Brazilian students to our campus. During her sabbatical, Dr. Shelley Moorman-Stahlman an esteemed professor of music at LVC traveled to Brazil to perform piano and organ recitals, and in the process launched this cultural exchange program which has produced a reciprocal exchange of LVC students traveling to Brazil. The Brazillian students have blessed our campus with concerts and beautiful music making and during their recent visit taught me this beautiful traditional children’s song.

The song is entitled “Se Essa Rua Fosse Minha” translated to “If These Streets Were Mine”. The musical score can be found at www.mamalisa.com. When the Brazilian students were here they taught me a lovely dance that goes with tune.

Dance Formation and movement:

• Students gather in a circle and hold hands.
• Move counterclockwise to the beat.
• Step right foot to the side
• Then left behind right foot
• Right foot to the side
• Left in front of the right foot.
• *The right foot, steps on the strong beat.

Here is a great video of the song