Ribeira, Afro-Brazilian Dance, and Salsa

My time here in Brazil is rapidly coming to an end. It's pretty incredible to me. I'm trying to enjoy every day I have left as the countdown begins. Last weekend, I went to Ribeira, a relaxing beach neighborhood with the most famous ice cream in the city. While on this trip, I've thought about how cool it would be if my trip, instead of being based on African influences in Latin America, was based on ice cream tasting in cities around the world. How amazing would that be...unfortunately, that will have to be my next trip if I never get another opportunity - "Ice Cream Cultures: Uniting the Different Flavors of the World." I'm still thinking in thesis title mode. Anyway, Ribeira was so much fun. Despite the elevated number of people begging in the streets, which is somewhat surprising because of how laid back the place is, it's just wonderful. The main road runs along the Bay of All Saints, and there are small stands with delicious mixed juice drinks and bars with families, lovers and friends laughing as forro and samba plays from car stereos. People are dressed as if they're ready to jump into the water at any minute. People are dancing and smiling wide on every corner. Some people were visually tipsy that day even though it was the middle of the afternoon. It was all around lovely, and my friends, my host sister Karen, and I had some good conversation as the smooth breeze from the water cooled down another blazing hot day. As we had drinks and discussed life in Bahia, we noticed some couples in the water really expressing their love for each other, in an X-rated sort of way. Even though it was underwater, I know thrusting when I see it. It was kind of disturbing that that was happening so out in the open, but I guess as long as you don't stare at it happening, it's all good for everyone - that was my rationale at least to make it less awkward...Ribeira is close to Igreja do Bonfim, which I saw shortly after arriving a few months ago. Yesterday I went to the beach at Boa Viagem right near the beach, which was really gorgeous.

Another highlight of this past week was my foray into Afro-Brazilian dance class. My friend Paula here takes the classes every week and invited me along. She told me that I would really sweat, and I had just come from the gym so I was a bit worried about looking extremely tired. But I made it all the way through. The class was funny, a good mix of gringos and locals. The teacher was a small woman with wide curls and TONS of energy. After 15 minutes, Paula told me we were still warming up, to which I replied, "What the hell?!" Some Olodum guys played the drums on the side, switching up the beat depending on the dance we were doing. It involved a lot of low to the ground dancing, a lot of stomping, quick feet movements, etc. My mom asked me if it was similar to some of the dances I know we do in Nigerian dances and I wasn't sure how to answer. I had no idea what separated the Brazilian aspects from the African aspects, but I guess that's the point. It definitely did resemble some dances I've seen my mom do with her women's group at parties or something like that. True to form, my shirt was see-through when the class was over, and it looked like I just washed ashore from the Atlantic ocean. I'm going to return this week to get some pictures of the class. After class and two giant acais (I am hooked on this stuff, completely addicted), my friends and I went to Geronimo and then to live samba and pagode in the Terreiro do Jesus. Then we went off to Sankofa for the salsa...

I still would like to have dinner at Sankofa soon because I think it's owned by Ghanaians. That same night we went though the place was transformed into a salsa club with a live band. Now I've never taken any salsa classes and I wouldn't say I know how to dance salsa, but I love to pretend. You just twirl the girl around as much as you can and throw in some dips here and there - not that hard. During the band's break, this guy came out dressed in traditional West African garb and plugged in his computer. Turns out he was the DJ for the interlude. He mixed some reggae with some West African highlife/Juju, which was awesome. It was funny too because every now and then he would play a horrible song, everyone would stop dancing, but he was so into it he didn't notice. So he just kept on dancing like everything was fine, a pretty symbolic way of describing life here - no matter what the happiness seems to remain.