Carnaval Parade: Countdown Begins

San Francisco Carnaval Parade 2007. My year as the queen of carnaval. I had fun this year.


San Francisco Carnaval Parade 2009. I was 8 months pregnant with my little Camila.

We now begin the countdown for this year's San Francisco Carnaval parade! With less than a month to go, my group is now scrambling to get costumes done, decorated floats ordered, sound systems reserved, and participants excited.

With so much to do, I almost don't know where to start and the stress makes me want to shut down. If only I have a magic wand, I could conjure up a gorgeous hot pink costume to match the well-designed, colorful, and large float that I would also conjure up. But the show must go on! Thus, I will probably spend the next few weeks mustering up courage to work on my costume and eventually produce something that not only I love but will also make this year's Carnaval parade special and unforgettable.

Feliz Carnaval!

Rehearsals

As anyone in a dance group knows, there is a great deal of prep work before a show. Dancers work on costumes, lighting needs to be arranged, choreographic need to be created, and rehearsals need to take place. Yes, rehearsals!!!

Every Thursday, my group meets for its weekly rehearsal. It is during our meeting that we learn the latest choreographies, review old choreographies, prepare for shows, and more. However, it is during rehearsals that I am reminded of the care and love I have for my group members. It was during rehearsal that I told my best friends of my pregnancy and the purchase of my new home. In between choreographies, a fellow dancer and friend explained the process of raising chickens in her own backyard (She lives in Berkeley, so raising chickens is acceptable and encouraged!). To us, rehearsal is a time during the week, in which we as friends share the triumphs, struggles, and make our busy lives more enjoyable.

In many ways rehearsal is like happy hour at a bar. Though we don't have drinks to inspire us to open up and share, we have loud music and a whole lot of energy!

Aquarela's 25th Anniversary

Malandro Choreography. This was a fun choreography that I hope we use again!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VshvERlPKHY&feature=player_embedded


Without a doubt, last night was one of the most meaningful performances of my dance career. Together with some of the San Francisco Bay Area's best samba dancers, we celebrated Aquarela's 25th anniversary. Past and current Aquarela dancers came to pay homage to Maria Sousa, founder of Aquarela, and to celebrate the group's success.

It was during our last performance that I was once again reminded of the love and care I have for Aquarela and its dancers. For the past 14 years with their help and support, I have performed, grown, and thrived as a person and dancer. During my time with Aquarela, I became San Francisco's Carnaval Queen, married an amazing man, had my first child, began my career as a high school teacher, and made lasting friendships. All was done with the support and encouragement of my Aquarela family and last night was the culmination of my 14 years with them.

The men and women with whom I've had the pleasure of performing have become a second family to me. I truly am blessed to have them in my life and know that I'm a better person because of them...Thank you Aquarela.

Thicker than a Sunday Paper

Tatiana Pagung

"Dang, you're thicker than a Sunday paper!" A voice rang out as a friend and fellow dancer walked towards the check in counter at the airport. While I LOVE the comment, it got me thinking about a dancer's body type and size.

Does size matter? Let me clarify--I'm talking about the size and shape of a dancer's body and not other things.

Though I would love to say, "No," the size and shape of a dancer is relevant and just as important as stage presence and dance abilities. Fortunately, there is a style of dance that fits every body type! Thus, find a style of dance that works for you and dance your heart off :)

What's Love Got to Do with It?

"What's love got to do with it?" A great question that I ask all the time.

According to a recent article published on the Washington Post, dancers and choreographers have the highest divorce rate when compared to other professions. The highest!

Though I feel disappointed, I can agree and accept the information. If you think about it, a good dancer is constantly rehearsing with his/her partner and must develop a close understanding of the body and movements of the other dancer. The combination of close contact along with chemistry is a recipe for sex or at least intense flirting!

This does not mean that all dancers are doomed to a lonely life. It just means that we need to find the right one, hold on to him/her as if your life depends on it, and remember that the passion and attraction towards other dancers come from their talent as a dancer and not because they are the right one--right?

A Memorable Life

Shakespeare once wrote:

Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player

That struts and frets his hour upon the stage

And then is heard no more. It is a tale

Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,

Signifying nothing (MacBeth 5.5.24-28).

If the shadow walks around in 4" heels and the player turns out to be a samba school bateria from Rio de Janeiro, will I be able to have a more memorable life?

This morning, I spend a significant amount of time planning the last making period before the end of school. My goal when creating the lessons was to meet the CA State Standards and to educate, entertain, and "guide" (teach kids tolerance, acceptance, kindness, patience, and fairness--for some reason these traits are not in in the CA State Standards). After coming up with tentative plans, I felt confident and excited. Most of all, I felt a sense of happiness in knowing that not only I love my job and the students I have the pleasure of teaching everyday but I have a meaningful life that walks around in 4" heels :)

A Little Recognition--2011's San Francisco Carnaval Queen and King Competition

Every community has a red carpet day and last night was no exception. Everyone in the San Francisco Carnaval community attended the San Francisco Carnaval Queen and King competition (Wow! That was a mouth full). Yes, the 4" heels, fake lashes, and colorful and tight outfits accentuated the bodies of beautiful dancers, who were draped on the arms of tanned, muscular, and just as talented male dancers--it really was a sight to see!

However, the show really began when competitors stepped on stage. With their elaborate costumes, audience member's cheered on their favorite dancers. In the end, 1 male and 1 female dancer were crowned 2011's Carnaval Queen and King.

As I walked out draped on the arm of my favorite male dancer :) I could not help think that no matter who you are, we all want recognition from those we care, admire, and respect. Last night was no exception.

Below is a photo of this year's queen and king:

Though she did not win, I found her style of dancing and energy amazing and worth noting. I believe she is going to be a great local dancer:
Past queens and kings dance on stage:
I just love my Brazil dress!

When the going gets tough, do something you love.

As a full time teacher, I enjoy the benefits of long vacations and occasional weekly breaks. However, when on vacation I don't exert the same amount of physical and mental energy as I do when working. This can be a real problem!

Last night I was unable to sleep. After reading pages of Farm City, daydreaming of future events, and contemplating life, I still could not drift off into the world of the unconscious (I believe some call it insomnia but I refuse to accept or refer to my occasional problems as such--I'm in denial). So I did the next best thing; I worked on Carnaval costumes!

My costume pet right now is an old black hat that has seen better days. Yes, this hat has been around since the beginning of my samba career and for some time was the only costume I had. Thus, it's loaded with memories and personal value. To make a long story short, I ended up going to bed a 2:30 with the pleasure and satisfaction of having a "new," gooooorgeous black hat--OMG! It's beautiful.

As I crawled under the covers so not to wake up my better half, I realized that when the going gets tough, do something you love! It can be as simple as gluing rhinestones to a beat up hat :)

Below is the final product.

Hanging Up My Samba Shoes

As I give new life to an old Carnaval costume, I ask myself when I should stop dancing/performing (Long pause as I digest the question, hold back tears, and regroup)?

To be completely honest, I simply can’t answer the question with a simple answer. In fact, as I try to answer the question, more questions come into light. For example, I want to say that one should stop dancing when the time is right, but when is that? Should one’s decision depend on social views or personal expectations? Or should the decision be as simple as “I just wanna stop?”

As you can see, “When should one stop dancing/performing?” is a complicated question that deserves more than a simple answer. Fortunately, since I can’t answer my own question, I suppose the logical step is to continue dancing until a detailed and reasonable answer comes to mind!

Below is the costume that began it all.