Buenaventura, Colombia

The trip to Buenaventura, Colombia was great. Performed with Nsaa Dance Ensemble in 3 shows in 3 days in the Folklorical Festival del Pacifico. The crowd was HUGE! people young, old, and older inside the tent ready to party with us on the stage. Tons of people were even standing outside the tent in the rain. Best thing about the trip was performing. Being able to showcase West African dance for the Afro-Colombian Community was great. The dances and rhythms of the Afro-Colombian culture are so similar. Each show was FIYAH!

Our exchange with the people there was great. We visited the University and performed for the faculty and learned about the history of the festival. Mama Inez has been adopted by the group. She taught folklorical songs in spanish. (Sidenote) It was interesting how some people would admire the shirt you were wearing and ask you for the shirt off your back. One woman asked me for mine...umm no i don't do that sorry, you might wanna ask someone else. Sorry!

Once in Cali we visited the home of Senora Juana's home and had one of the best evenings I've ever had. We danced, drummed, and exchanged West African culture and rhythms with Afro Colombian rhythms and dance. It was amazing. I never felt so free. To move uninhibited felt great. who cares who's looking.

The food was good. I ate so much chicken I'm suprised i don't look like one. We ate at the same place everyday (can't mess with a good thing). Grilled chicken, potatoes, and salsa verde was banging. Soup is served with every meal and make sure you ask for a gasiosa con gas.

Walking around the city I definitely felt like an outsider. Not because my skin looked different, not at all. Most of the people looked like me, but there were a few difference. Number 1 the breast. It seems like when you cross into Buenaventura you must get a breast job. The women's breast were HUGE and they had Butt implants too. Woah. In addition, i didn't see anyone with natural hair either. I guess its a question of what's in the media that makes the people want to identify with those types of things. Beauty is definitely on the inside.

Enjoy the pics.

Inspired

Today I had a great opportunity to take  Hip Hop class from THE Luam. It was awesome. I'm so inspired. Even though Hip Hop isn't a dance style that I study most often, the movement is infectious. The way that one movement of your body can hit with different levels of intensity. Tricky, fun, and electrifying.

Before the class I was thinking umm I'm a tap dancer... am I going to be funky enough. I haven't really danced Hip Hop in a while and I'm not ready to embarrass myself at all. First step was I had to get my look right. Fitted top, baggy bottoms, high top nikes ok good to go. Walked into the studio and excited and nervous. Why? because everyone there has been studying the dance and I'm a little out of the loop.

Class begins with a warm up lead by Aysha Upchurch (beast dancer). Luam enters the room and everyone is excited. Choreo starts and i'm good up until you ask me to stutter a movement. wait ok I know what this is, my body is saying, but have to remember where to clinch the muscles to make it look right. Ok got that part. next couple of quick hit moves I'm thinking woah girl move to the back, but no, leaders lead form the front.

Umm I wasn't in the front, more like 3rd row middle, but keep your eye on the goal. After doing it several times, I finally feel comfortable with the choreo.

What you wanna go in groups. umm ok. I felt nervous. Not because i didn't know the dance, but because I was going to be dancing it in front of a room full of Hip Hop dancers who have been studying and grinding for this art and I don't wanna look stupid. So what do I do. ummm stand in the back.

I know booo not a good look, no way to be seen, no way to stand out and show that just because I'm known as a tap dancers I'm a versatile performer. But you know what... its kool. I know who I am, no need to prove a thing. So i stayed in the back every time my group was called and it was just fine.

I can't wait to fuse the energy with Tap. once I get it... it's on

Curbside Cook-Off

Today I performed with at the Curbside Cook-off with Melissa Frakman. The vibe was awesome. So picture this. Outdoor festival with nothing but food vendors. Throughout the crowd you see Tap dancers performing, on the other side you see the Beat ya Feet Kings rocking the floor,on the stage there's a DJ and graffiti artist, in the center you have Christylez Bacon killing it , and in the back Markus Young rocking with 2 female Hand Dancers. AMAZING!

The vibe was hot. We traded with all the artists and expanded what we can do visually as well. I'm still hype right now. Having a chance to vibe, network, and perform was great. The event was sponsored by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, glad to have that hook up.

After the event I felt like we need to create some type of place where multiple art forms can come together and just vibe and create. So I'll be adding that to my projects list. This list is getting long. Looking forward to the creative energy that will flow.

Janet Jackson Workshop

7:00 time to get it in with Janet Jackson workshop. Tons of women lined up in the studio "Together Again". Ready to learn how to rock "If", find their "Pleasure Principle". Ok so yeah those are the videos that I taught. We started out with a warmup to "When I think of you" and kept rocking the whole night. I had a blast. I do think some of the people reached their mental cap by the 3 choreography. thats cool though.

Women from all different dance levels and backgrounds showed up for class. One lady even drove all the way from Richmond, VA to take my class. Talk about dedication. What should be the next workshop? I heard a lot of Brittany Spears, which i definitely dig, but what artist takes you to the edge and back?