Fogo Azul New York City's most powerful women, trans, and non-binary community drumline.
Where empowerment, unity, and music come together to create magical moments
We Are Distinguished
Fogo Azul NYC is New York City’s best and most powerful performance group. The New York City-based all-women, trans, and non-binary Brazilian Samba Reggae drum line Fogo Azul (Blue Fire) was born at the intersection of founder and Buffalo, NY native, Stacy Kovacs’ passion for Samba Reggae, her deep respect for its cultural roots as a music of protest and resistance, her belief and activism in support of gender equality and her sense of civic duty in the current environment to publicly awaken and inspire people to resist oppression and exercise their power to uplift society —loudly.
Launched in 2016 as an extension of Marcus Santos’s Samba Reggae-based Grooversity education project, Fogo Azul NYC is an age and ethnically diverse community that spans the drummer spectrum from novice to professional.
We Are Unforgettable
Want to spice up that party, wedding reception, fundraiser, or corporate event?
Why not thrill and delight your guests with the live thunderous pulse of Fogo Azul?
With Small to large ensembles, we have experience in every type of event, indoor or outdoor, corporate and private parties, shows, restaurants, clubs, weddings, receptions, bar mitzvahs, bat mitzvahs, in store promotions, parades, sports events, museums, libraries, schools, festivals, and anything else you can imagine!
We look forward to providing you and your guests with an experience not to be forgotten!
STACY KOVACS
Founder and Artistic Director
Stacy Kovacs hails from sunny Buffalo, NY where she grew up playing piano and taking tap dance lessons at age 5 and percussion at age 8. She was in many different musical organizations as a drummer throughout her youth, and eventually learned trombone.
She is responsible for bringing Batala New York, an Afro-Brazilian Samba Reggae drumming project to New York City in 2011. As Founder, Creator, and Artistic Director of Batala New York, being part of a franchise was limiting. So, she started her own group, called Fogo Azul NYC!
DANY JOHNSON
Co-Founder and Assistant Director
Dany Johnson plays many percussion instruments and joins Fogo Azul from Batala NYC and brings her vast experience.
Most know her as the DJ at notorious NYC downtown clubs throughout the 80s and 90s, including Club 57, Mudd Club, Pyramid, Boy Bar, Area, Clit Club, The World, Mars.
Dany Johnson is a founding member of all-girl percussion based No Wave band Pulsallama.