Celso Paco
VITAL festival
Elder of Rhythm
House Band, Percussion & Storytelling
Celso Paco is our Rhythm Elder—a master percussionist from Mozambique.
He grew up surrounded by both curandeiros (traditional healers) and the Zion Church, where drums and rhythms have been used in various ways for generations to connect with the spirit, the earth, the community, and healing.
Today, Celso is a renowned musician based in Sweden, from where he tours internationally with his band, Dynamo Deluxe. His greatest passion, however, is playing for dancers. In the Mozambican tradition, rhythm and dance are inseparable—they are two expressions of the same life force.
On VITAL, Celso shares not only his music but also the wisdom of Ubuntu, the South African philosophy of life that reminds us:
"I am because we are."
Workshop 1:
“Life is Rhythm”
In southern Africa, rhythm and dance are central elements of everyday life.
Rhythm accompanies people from the moment they wake up—in cooking, working, walking, celebrating, and mourning. It is not merely a means of self-expression, but a way to stay connected to life, the community, and oneself.
When we maintain the rhythm, we’re less likely to get carried away by our emotions or get stuck in difficult moments.
The rhythm helps us regulate ourselves, stay present, and move together.
Li will facilitate a conversation with Celso and the Hodi Dance Company about Ubuntu, and about what it means to live in community and treat one another as brothers and sisters.
The conversation will be followed by playful, traditional dances from Mozambique, where everyone is invited to experience these principles through movement.
Workshop 2:
Traditional Mozambican dance
Traditional African dances often stem from everyday life.
The movements tell stories of cooking, harvesting, celebration, love, protection, and community. Every rhythm has a purpose, and every dance reflects a special relationship with life.
In this workshop, Celso, along with Manuel, Nyles, Erzénia, and Vick from the Hodi Dance Company, will introduce a selection of traditional dances from Mozambique and invite participants to discover new ways to express themselves through rhythm, movement, and joy.
You don't need any dance experience—just curiosity and a desire to move.
Workshop 3: "
" Drum Circle
Come join us in one of the oldest forms of collective co-regulation we know: drumming together.
Celso, our master of rhythms, will join forces with Manuel from Hodi to inspire you to let your soul flow through your hands. Bring a drum—or whatever else you can use to keep the beat. We also have a limited number of instruments available to borrow.
If you don't feel like drumming, you're more than welcome to dance, listen, or just enjoy the atmosphere.
We gather around the fire and let the rhythm connect us
—with ourselves, with each other, and with life.
Workshop 4: “
” The Elders Roundtable
Welcome to one of the festival’s most unique gatherings, where all of our Elders come together for a shared conversation.
Celso, Hivshu, LeAnn, Linda, Kay, and Govind will join Li in a panel discussion on what it means to be a mature person in our time.
Together, they will explore questions such as:
How can we bear witness to the world’s challenges and accept them without succumbing to fear or shame?
What role does the body play in human development and transformation?
How do rhythm, sound, dance, and movement support our personal growth?
How do we honor both community and the sense of unity while remaining true to our authentic selves?
The discussion will conclude with an opportunity for participants to ask their own questions and engage in direct dialogue with The Elders.