Alternate Vision

I find it extremely challenging to keep a fast, steady samba de roda or samba reggae beat when drumming for Marcia's samba dance class, partly because the rhythms are complex, but mostly because the dancers make the job difficult by being the perfect distraction. There isn't much more to it really. They spend the first half of class doing a variety of stretches and movements that make yoga look easy. Once they've built up a healthy sweat, the real dancing begins as we (drum ensemble) kick it up a notch. One usually comes out of these sessions drenched in sweat, sore, spiritually and mentally cleansed, and energized. It's one of my favorite ways to forget the mundane. You can tell the Brazilians from the Americans not just by their looks but also by how they move their bodies. And then there's the half Indian-half something else...yet to figure that one out..who has her own style which is equally sexy. Accompanying K and T for free is great practice for me; so I show up religiously every Thursday and walk away a tad bit more confident about playing the timbau or leading with the repenique. T came over after class for some chocolate and wine and we looked at pics from their Burning Man trip. Definitely something on my 'must do before I die' list. The music scene in this State is worth raving about over and over. In Pittsburgh, I was deprived. Here, I'm having to be selective and prioritize. No complaints though.