I don’t know what I was thinking wearing a long sleeve and jeans to learn an Afro-Brazilian dance. And I don’t mean for comfort, but more so because when we got into it, we really got into the dance! I should have known there was going to be sweat. The word Samba means to dance and invoke the African spirits . As a Nigerian woman, there comes a sense of pride knowing that the African culture is so rich here in Brazil, because prior to coming on the trip or even first learning about this particular study abroad program I didn’t know that the African culture played such an instrumental role in the shaping of brazil and its culture today. I didn’t even know that slaves were brought to this country to again have to build the foundation to another country. But, at the same time there was some part in me that was not surprised.
Pure exhaustion as I walked into the theatre of ACBEU where we were greeted by a wonderfully physically fit man named Antonio Cozido, which he could sense. Dr. Stauber assured me that this is something I would love and enjoy but at the moment, not even a box of Oreos would have made me more enthusiastic to get on the stage, and if you know me you know I live for some Oreos. As we got up on stage, everyone introduced themselves including Antonio Cozido, there was something about his energy that instantly lifted mine. We started off with some light movements and I can tell the majority of us felt very awkward. Antonio was quick to bust out the hip and butt gyrations which I wasn’t mad at! He started teaching us a routine that was choreographed for Michael Jackson’s song, “They Don’t Really Care About Us.” In a short time I could feel everyone else spirit lifted, including my owns. Regardless of coordination everyone looked like they loved learning this routine and it actually came together really well! By the end we had a full routine that we performed to the song itself.
Just when we thought it couldn’t get any better, here comes the Forro, a beautiful and what I take as a very intimate dance. Starting out with the basics from footwork to hip and arm placement, in no time many of us picked up the dance! Antonio had us paired up with partners and it made me realize you really have to be in tune with yourself, and then at the same time be in tune with your partner. I was feeling very feminine and in control of my body. I was very much into the dance; I love to dance as it is so this was one of the best parts thus far from the program. After learning two dance from the Afro-Brazilian culture, it only felt right to teach Antonio a dance from the United States! He learned the “JUJU on that beat dance” the dance that every teen and little child becomes a pro at. Antonio was a quick learner and I wouldn’t be surprised if he did it better than us the next time we see him!
By the end of the dance we all stood in a circle and Antonio wanted each person to share how they felt after learning the dances and what they took from them in a few short words. As a person who is very receptive of people’s energy I enjoyed hearing the positive things people got out of the lesson and his responses to each. One student mentioned something negative they realized. Antonio said something along the lines that once you have confidence in yourself, you can make anything look good; that its not that you don’t know how to do something, but realizing your insecurity and letting it go.