So as you'll all know from reading my posts, my friend Spike Lee showed up a couple of times to samba rehearsals at the samba school I paraded with, Vila Isabel.
Me and my mate Spike, hanging out
Now I know why...
He was scouting for his latest "joint", which turns out to be a film for something calling itself 'Pepsi Beats of the Beautiful Game'. The song, entitled "The Game" is sung by Miss Kelly Rowland, and video has a story of its own.
The video tells a fictional tale of a young football fanatic living in Vidigal (a favela in Rio's South Zone). "Pixote's Game" stars my fellow passista, Pedro, as a 'John' (or a pimp, not quite sure...) as well as the mestre and other members of the bateria of Vila Isabel.
I started writing this to you a right after the PARADE OF MY LIFETIME. But then life got in the way, Rio de Janeiro turned CRAZY in anticipation of the World Cup, and so it's only now that I'm sharing this with you. On my last night in Rio*.
On THE NIGHT! photo courtesy of Emily Ainsworth
Arriving here back in October, my mission was clear - to live the life of a Passista (samba dancer). If I didn't get in to parade with a samba school from the Grupo Especial (Special Group), I would at least go to their rehearsals and try to improve to increase my chances of one day being accepted. My ambitions were lofty, but the stars aligned and Unidos da Vila Isabel (my first choice) accepted me, and I started to live and love it. In fact, it's a Saturday night, two and a half months have passed, and I'm still getting my head around the fact that I don't need to start gathering my Show Things together for another night of sambão at the Vila Isabel quadra.
I know what you all want to know: how was the parade? How was it? You started learning samba when you were 19 and 10 years later you're parading with a samba school in the SPECIAL GROUP in Rio de Janeiro's SAMBADROME! Was it amazing? Was it? WAS IT???
In a word... No.
But, would I do it all over again?
In a freakin heartbeat.
Last month I spent the day at a seminar that has changed the way I think about life. It was hosted by an amazing, inspirational woman, Sidra Jafri who shook me, and a room full of attendees, by the shoulders (not literally, but she might as well had) and told us to stop making excuses, break down those self imposed barriers and start opening our eyes and minds to the opportunities all around.
For a long time I've been really struggling to find some balance in my life. There's been a whopping great imbalance between immersing myself in things that I love but that have become safe, vs those that I needWANT to do for myself, but require more work, and are all together more scary. It's left me feeling like I've lost a bit of myself, and the sense of detachment from achieving some of my goals have left me frustrated and sad at times.
After Sidra's workshop, I've felt more at ease with myself and my situation, and I've been more aware and capable of changing what I don't like. One thing that she positively branded onto my mind is this: when the Universe, God, life or what ever higher being/purpose you do or don't believe, in drops an opportunity at your feet you, you pick it up! DON'T waste it through fear or doubt. Last week I had a great lesson in this.
My Wednesday last week turned from being a normal humpday to a good day and then great a day. Why? Because I let it - simple. I woke up feeling good. My plan was straighforward enough, to have a morning run (I've had runners block for nearly a year) and this was going set me up for a day of writing. But before I had even left the house for that run, the Universe had already been conspiring to make this Wednesday into a goodun.
This year I missed out the on Women of the Women (WOW) Festival at Southbank Centre :(.
Weave vs Natural debate at the WOW Festival 2013
Last year, it was awesome. Three days of talks, seminars and debates about the issues that face women today. One of the things I made sure not to miss out on last year was Weave vs Natural? The Politics of Afro Hair. WhileI'm eagerly awaiting this year's Weave vs Natural discussion from WOW 2014 to be uploaded to Youtube, I found this warm up discussion from BBC4's Women's Hour last Thursday. Journalist Hannah Pool, who chaired last year's and this year's Black Hair discussion at WOW, debating the topic of with Black hair with hair and make-up artist Editi Udofot. Find out what the ladies had to say about Weave vs Natural HERE. Kanika x
These past couple of weeks, I have mostly been not sleeping.
I am teaching English here in Rio, which I enjoy very much, but irregular working hours to coincide with students' regular working hours means lots of travelling, useless hours missing from my day and very little time for effective daytime napping.
But mostly to blame is samba. Carnaval is soon approaching and boy don't we know it. Before Christmas, rehearsals were Wednesday and Saturdays. Now there has now been a Sunday rehearsal added into the mix. Last week, Tuesday evening was for rehearsing in Sapucai, aka the Sambadrome aka the passarela (catwalk). The hallowed Avenida that sambistas sing about all year round in the run up to this one time of year they are able to show the world what they've got. They are able to be whoever they want to be. The Avenida is where dreams are made, and in my case, come true.
Edson, the Director of the Passistas
So one Sunday after a street rehearsal (my favourite kind), the Director Edson (left) told us all we needed to be at the Sambadrome at 19:00 in our blue and white to practice with the bateria (drumsssss). I don't know if you know, but dancing with a bateria is maybe one of my favourite things to do in the whole world. And I was about to practice with this school I loved, on the same ground I've seen from the stands and on YouTube and on pirate Carnaval DVDs. And when I stepped onto it in my heels, I felt overcome with emotion and pride.
First things first, I don't
like being called 'Gringa'. A Gringa or Gringo, is a boorish outsider, willingly ignorant to the ways of the place they are visiting... but I've accepted to a point that a "Gringa passista" is
how people will see me - and indeed refer to me - initially, once they realise that not only am
I not from the neighbourhood of Vila Isabel, but I'm not from Rio. In fact, I'm not even
from Brazil. But here I am.
I'm sure some of you have been wondering what I've been up to recently. You knew I came to Rio but then apparently disappeared (and for that I apologise). So what am I doing here?
Since 2009, when I started dancing with the London School of Samba (LSS), I've watched videos of amazing passistas (samba dancers) making this complicated dance look so easy and
graceful and magical. I wanted to be them. I chose Rio's Vila Isabel samba school because I liked what it
stood for: history, tradition, love and samba. I had been invited to
audition for Unidos da Tijuca – another incredible, prize winning school, known
for its constant innovation and explosive parades. However, as a
dancer, there was always something about the passistas that I didn't
quite connect with. At Vila, I would always see a variety of styles,
elegant sensuality but mainly ferocious samba no pé (basic samba step). And as for the male dancers, the
malandros,... I have no words. So yes, Vila Isabel was my first choice. The perfect place to
grow, learn and improve on what I'd learned from my amazing dance teachers
in London. As champion of Carnaval 2013, Vila Isabel was probably the
most ambitious one to try, but there I was, trying anyway.
I arrived at the quadra (samba school's base) of Vila Isabel one Wednesday in October for an ensaio communidade (community rehearsal) with my boyfriend by my side for
support. My aim – lofty as heck – was to find whoever was in
charge of the ala passista (passista section) and convince them to let me join and parade in Carnaval 2014.
I found the Director, Edson, and
introduced myself.
“My name is Karla, I'm here from London and I
just want to know what it would take to join the passistas and dance
with you guys.”
He first suggested that I could take
samba classes, some of the passistas were teachers and I
could have lessons from them. But I glanced at my boyfriend (who had
earlier told me to not be afraid to big myself up “fake it til you
make it, babe”) so I looked Edson in the eye and said “Oh, I
KNOW how to samba...” After a beat, he told me that there
isn't an exam to be a passista for Vila – you just have to
show him what you can do. Show him that you're worth it.
“Mostra, e eu vejo.” - Bring it and
I'll see...
So the following Saturday, this time
with my friend Natasha and soul sister Ana, I dressed
up, put my heels on and went to a Feijoada (a party where the traditional Brazilian dish is served) in the quadra. Edson had
told me that it would start at 14:00. I arrived at 17:00 (this was
Rio after all).
The show started at 19:00. This Carioca
timing does take some getting used to...
Once the bateria (drum section) started, the passistas
created a roda (dance circle) and each entered to shine. When they were done, Edson
came over and invited me into the circle with a male passista for
company. It was all a blur. I had been worrying about slipping out of my
shoes and making sure the fly on my shorts didn't come down but the
second the beat came in, I let the rhythm of the bateria take me because, YOLO. I went for it. Danced my heart out. I didn't realise it until the end when I looked up, that the women
were smiling at me and Edson, unsmiling, was nodding his head. At the
end of the roda, I went over to ask what he thought.
“Come on Wednesday. 20:00. Wear blue
and white – little shorts or a skirt and bring high heels.”
#Proud #Nailedit #OMGWHATdoIwear!?
After a rehearsal. Sweaty and happy.
Photo courtesy of Joel Bergner via Instagram
Since then, I've gone to every
rehearsal. Wednesdays for the community rehearsal with all of the
alas; and Saturdays for the shows (except one as I was visiting
Salvador). It's important to show dedication, and there is a register
for you to sign to make sure you're there. Miss two rehearsals with
no valid excuse and you, dear dancer, are OUT. The shows are always
amazing and this close to carnival there are often celebrities
visiting, Like the time Seu Jorge waltzed in with Spike Lee, later
followed by Mart'Nalia. Other samba schools visit too. Since I
joined, we've hosted samba schools such as Cubango, Innocentes de Belford Roxo, as well as
a carnival party to which 17 schools attended and Carlinhos do
Salgueiro and his Acadêmicos do Salgueiro dancers brought this...
Video by Karla-Jayne Thomas
Yesterday (Saturday, 18th
January) I realised pretty early in the day that I wouldn't be able
to dance that night, but I knew I had to go anyway to show my face
and sign that damned register. When I arrived, there was a LOT of
commotion, cameras and clevage. The competition to elect the Gay
Queen (Rainha Gay) of Rio was to take place in the quadra of Vila. Many of Rainhas of samba schools from all over Rio were there as judges, including Ana Paula Evangelista
(Mocidade Independente de Padre Miguel), Raissa de Oliveira (Beija
Flor), Sabrina Sato (Vila Isabel, of course), Patricia Nery (Portela) and Carla Prata (Rocinha). Rainhas or Queens are highlight dancers who act as Muse for the bateria, dancing in front of them during shows and parades.
During the break in the competition (which was incredible and
glamorous, by the way) the bateria played some classic enredos (samba songs) and
some of the queens came down to dance in the middle of them. I always
feel dejected when I think about how many queens pay for the
privilege of being there, but there was a moment when Raissa de
Oliveira was dancing with the caixa section, singing all of the words
to an old Mocidade enredo (Vira, Virou for you samba geeks) and Ana
Paula joined her, that I saw all the pure joy and elation that samba
brings to me. I felt it while I was queen of the London School of Samba at every gig, and
ultimately it's what led me here to Rio.
So what if I have to work a little harder to
prove myself to the Carioca passistas at Vila (most of whom are
extremely nice) because I'm new and because I'm not from there. So what if I
have to work a little harder to get Edson to pick me out to dance
solos like the other girls. So, I have to root around Rio to find the
shoes they wear or to find a seamstress that they seemingly all have
had since birth but can never remember the names of. But I will do
it. Because I love it.
This little nugget I found it thanks to @leannerimes while perusing twitter, will be making its way to a wall near me asap.
Being comfortable and sticking with what you know will not get you what you want to achieve. I know this, we all know this right, and somehow it's something that many of us have to constantly remind ourselves.
I know for sure that I could do with a daily reminder of this.
