Saturday, March 1, 2008
Dance class with Afro-Brazilian dancer Antonio Cozido
We walked to the school we are connected with, Acbeu, and met a professional dancer and professor, Antonio Cozido to learn about rhythm and Afro-Brazilian dance. When we arrived at the studio, the AC was on full blast and the room was freezing. 15 minutes later we were dripping with sweat. He rounded us up into a circle and we did a few warm-ups to get used to coordination, choreography, and feeling movements from within. He claimed that he translated choreography from god and he's helping dancers understand the rhythms. We learned the basics of samba, and discovered there are three quick steps, making it sound like the trot of a horse. We synchronized our movements with different shouts to really put our all into it. We also made storiea with the steps, one of them being an angry confrontation with someone. We danced non-stop to Afro-Brazilian music and the music if Ile Aiye, the percussion group we have been working with. Cozido taught us how to feel the rhythm, in every part of your body - your hands, your head, your legs, your toes, etc. By the end we were exhausted and drenched, but we still did not want to leave. So we made a plan to return the next day for another crazy dance class. Definitely an awesome trip!
Friday, February 29, 2008
oye
Hey folks back at home! It rained the night we got here.
After waking up and having the craziest buffet breakfast, we were introduced to Clara, the woman from Acebu who would enlighten us with the program details of the next thirteen days.
Everything was so exciting and refreshing after being on airplanes and in airports the day before.
The schedule was jam packed.
The day was running a little late because of the lengthy introduction.
We intended on departing the hotel almost an hour before we did, but the drumming group we were headed towards was informed so all was safe.
The first activity of the day was drumming at Ile Aye.
WE were introduced to the different drums we would be working with all day.
I was still in culture shock when we went to the neighborhood where the drumming was.
The views from the window were like nothing i've seen before.
I have not traveled out of the country very much like a lot of the group.
The drumming was incredible.
Everyone was assigned certain parts.
There was a language translator- but that was it. it was difficult to understand portugese within the first twenty four hours.
The drum directions were difficult to understand at first, but they were pretty chill dudes.
It seemed like they didn't realize we were from another country and couldn't understand them.
The drumming united everyone and the time passed very fast.
As soon as it was over, we returned back to the hotel for a little pool time.
The short hour we had for the pool came and went.
After the pool, everyone boarded the bus for a tour.
The tour site in Salvador we traveled to on bus took awhile to get there.
The place we got a tour to is called Pelhourino
The tour guide was very friendly. His name is Freddy. Here's Freddy in front of the beautiful old tile walls of Pelhourino 
He has a very funny sense of humor.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
FLIGHT TO CAPOIERA!!
As electrical storms roamed the city of Salvador, we struck the capoiera maestros with our own moves. You would never know that RAD got no sleep last night! Everyone had a turn--several in fact--at crabwalking and samba and intro to capoiera.
