Rodson de Jesus: An Amazing Dancer and Dance Instructor

Rodson de Jesus

If you are looking for a fabulous (yes, fabulous) dance class, you must try Rodson's class on Tuesdays or Sundays at Casa de Cultura in Berkeley. He is an exceptional dancer, amazing teacher, and San Francisco's Carnaval King.

If you are still not convinced, let me tell you about Rodson. He is a Brazilian native who has performed and taught all over the world. A former ‎Balé Folclórico da Bahia and Dance Brazil dancer, he is known for his energy and talent. The man can really dance!

Rodson's classes are fun, lively, and a great workout. Carefully, he breaks down the steps and guides students through various moves while playing Brazilian songs by some of my favorite artist.

Whenever I attend his class, I am always impressed by his attention to details and caring personality. For instance, after showing a move, he guides students through the same move before adding on the next step. It's odd to say but his teaching style puts me at ease, so I end up really enjoying myself and getting a great workout.

Here is a beautiful performance from ‎Balé Folclórico da Bahia

Beijos and enjoy your week!

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False Lashes

As a performer, I've come to accept that false lashes is as important to a performance as accessories. Somehow, the lashes make my eyes and make-up pop! However, I have a difficult time putting false lashes on. Somehow, it ends up lopsided or it comes off at unexpected times.

See how my eye pop. Love it!

To remedy this shortcoming (Really, I'm a hot mess when it comes to applying false lashes), I have included a tutorial from Camila Coelho, my favorite blogger.

Can you guess which of the dancer are wearing false lashes? 









Beijos and enjoy your week!

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Disneyland, Here I come!

A Week in L.A.

My little munchkin just turned 4 and what better way to celebrate than a week at Disneyland. Of course, being the devoted parent that I am, I figured that after having a photo op with Cinderella, I could also squeeze in a few fun, grown-up activities.

Since my father and I were traveling with two small kids and would be alone until my hubby and mother's arrival later in the weekend, I knew I had to prep ahead of time.

1. Clothing: I don't know about you, but I'm a horrible packer. When traveling, I always pack too much or too little and nothing works together. I often feel like a hot mess and regret bringing most of my outfits. But I am now a born-again packer. After religiously following Camila Coelho's YouTube channel, I found a packing tutorial with amazing and very helpful packing tips (It's as if she read my mind). Thus, the week before the trip, I planned 8 daytime outfits and 3 nighttime outfits. I placed each outfit and matching accessories in a ziplock back. This may sound crazy, but it was great to wake up, grab a bag, and get dressed in just a few minutes and before my bundles of joy began asking for breakfast. Best of all, I felt comfortable, confident, and cute.

2. Places to Visit: Ideally, I wanted to take a dance class, dive into the ocean, and eat pao de queijo and acai at a quaint but very busy Brazilian cafe. Well, it did not happen this way. Did you know that everything in L.A. is an hour away--Everything!!!!

Though I did not make it to some of the places below
, I hope you can.

• Brasil Brasil Cultural Center: Great place for dance classes and Brazilian stuff. In 1 hour, you can buy a Brazilian-cut bikini, show off your favorite dance moves, and learn more about the Brazilian community in L.A. They know it all!

My little girl showing off her moves at an Aquarela Carnaval rehearsal. Next time, I will definitely take her to a dance class in L.A.

• Daily News Los Angeles: This is a great site with upcoming Brazilian-related events in LA. I suggest you look at the site prior to your trip.

• Fogo de Chao: I am fortunate to have a gaucho (aka South American cowboy) as a dad. Some of my best memories of my father involves a Brazilian-style BBQ steak and potato salad. He is such an amazing cook that I often wonder if hubby married me because of my winning personality or because of my dad's cooking. Being the case, I often don't eat at steakhouses. I actually rarely order red meat or chicken when at a restaurant. It sounds crazy but I know that my dad can make it better, and believe me, he does. However, if you have not been invited to one of my dad's BBQs, you should definitely visit Fogo de Chao. The food is amazing and very authentic. FYI: It is a little pricey.

• Huntington Beach, California: Next time I visit the LA region, I am staying at Huntington Beach. I loved the city and beach. The sand was scalding hot, the beach goers were friendly, and the lifeguards were cute (If only they wore speedos). Surprisingly, the beach was only 30 minutes and not an hour from Disney and the weather was great.   

This is how I envision future lifeguards of America. 

  Beijos and enjoy your week!

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Getting Ready for a Show

Show prep time!!

Over the years, I've come to understand and except that clients want to see an Amazon-looking dancer or a dancer who oozes out Latinness (I can't believe it took me so long to figure this out!). They want the tanned skin, long and voluminous hair, impeccable makeup, and eye-catching outfit. And though I resisted this idea for some time, I have now come to accept it and embrace it. I now LOVE getting ready for a show.

Getting ready for a show takes some planning but it's always worth it. First, it's imperative that I know where I'm going to perform. I once wore flip-flops and shorts to a backyard party that turned out to be a Google company event (Some backyard party. I still cringe at the thought). Not only did I stand out like a sore thumb, but I felt like an idiot for most of the day. In knowing the location and sponsor of the event, I can then plan my look.

Though the outfits vary, I have a few musts. For one, I start with great shoes. "Why?" You may ask. I have no clue; I just love fun and eye-catching shoes. It can be a pair of heels or flats; it doesn't matter. They must, however, stand out. Next, I accessorize like there is no tomorrow. This means the earrings are bold and the bracelets are abundant. If I don't jingle (not jiggle), I'm not happy. Once the outfit is done, I work on my makeup and hair. I love big hair and believe that I, in my past life, was Rapunzel or Chaka Khan's twin sister. As for my makeup, I load up on dark, shinny eye makeup and keep my lips neutral until the show. The intense eyes with neutral lips give me a sexy and mysterious look. To wrap up the Brazilian samba dancer look, I spritz a little perfume. After all, no self-proclaimed Brazilian leaves the house without perfume; it's a cultural must. Done!


Getting ready may seem like a whole day event but it actually takes me less than 1 hour.  In the end, I feel comfortable and confident when I arrive at a show and am happy to meet the client's expectations. By God, they want a samba dancer, so I will give them one!

Show time!

Beijos and enjoy your week!

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Costume Makeover: Black Top

Costume Makeover: Black Bra Top

Like a woman with blue eye shadow, teased bangs, and a perm, my costumes were outdated and lacking the oomph much needed in the samba business. They desperately needed a makeover.

For months, I've been planning the makeover of my black bikini but did not have time to put my ideas into fruition (This parenting thing is taking up all my time).This week, however, I finally got around to working on my costume.

Now, my black costume bikini top looks amazing. The new embellishments really pop, and best of all, it makes my small boobs look huge :)

Steps 1: To completely remake the top, I stripped the wire-bra frame of all beads and embellishments. I then covered the wire with black ribbon and felt. This process took longer than actually decorating the costume.

Step 2: After breastfeeding, my boobs have gotten much smaller (Damn this parenting thing!). However, the triangle shape top is still too small for my small boobs (dam it, again!). With a piece of cardboard, I cut out a circular shape, covered it with felt, and attached it to the triangle bra cup. 

  

Step 3: At Joanne Fabric Store, I found a beautiful rhinestone-pearl pendant to serve as the focal point of the bra and glued it on the circular cardboard shape. To finish the look, I glued pre-strung sequence and individual rhinestones around the pendant and finished off the front of the bra by outlining it with pre-strung rhinestones. Bedazzling the bra was the best part.

Completed top

Step 4: Years ago, a neighbor gave me a bag full of mismatched or broken jewelry--Yes, I'm becoming a hoarder and will soon live in a house full of ostrich feathers, old carnaval magazines, damaged costumes, and broken samba shoes. To finish off the top, I added an old rhinestone earring given to me by my neighbor to the center of the bra and used ribbons as bra straps.

The makeover took a total of 4 hours. In the past, I sewed most, if not all, of the embellishments to my costumes. This time, I decided to use a combination of hot glue and fabric glue; let me tell you, it saved me loads of time.

I look forward to wearing my new costume at Ivete Sangalo's U.S. Bay Area show.

Beijos and enjoy your week!

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Samba in Paris

Samba in Paris 

I recently petitioned Father Time for a 5-year extension on my 40th birthday. I figured since my actual bday is in 2 years, I would have 3 years to prepare emotionally for the big day.

My petition, however, did not go through. Either Father Time is ignoring me or he is too busy dealing with the bureaucracy of keeping things running on time (I like to think it's the latter).

You may think I'm crazy, but when I turned 27, I had an emotional breakdown as I walked out of my bday party.  I found myself drinking pink champagne (not the best choice) and crying at the realization that I, in 3 years, would turn 30. 3 YEARS (I do not like to procrastinate. In fact, "why do it later if I can do it now" is my motto).

Micaela           

Perhaps to appease my craziness or because she simply understands me, Micaela, a dear friend, suggested I along with her and Lea, another dear friend, enter my new decade drinking lattes in Paris. Paris!!! Yes, the capital city of all that is beautiful and regal, the current residence of Mona, the origin of croissants and lattes. I must go there!

                                                                                                 
 Why didn't I think of this before? I simply love the idea (Though with the time difference, I will actually celebrate my 40th ahead of schedule and will probably do it while drinking pink champagne). Best of all, Lea, Micaela, and I are all Aquarelinas who love to dance, so I am guaranteed a great time.

                                                                                                                   
Lea (FYI: She is wearing a g-string bikini under her seemingly conservative outfit)            

To prep for my trip, I began searching for samba related activities in Paris. Here are some great sites:

• Information Page: 
• French Samba Home Page
•  Baterias (Percussion Groups):
• Aroma do Samba. 
• Batala 
• Misto Quente
• Classes and Cultural Center: 
• Allez Samba   
• Samba School: 
• Sambatuc

Paris, here I come (in 2 years)!

Beijos and enjoy your day!

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Private Samba Lesson

Private Samba Lesson

I'm a teacher at heart. As a kid, I would often line-up dolls and giving them wonderful, well-planned, engaging lessons. Needless to say, when the chance to teach a dance class came up, I was thrilled. The plan was that I, for 1 hour, would give a privet samba lesson to 6 lovely ladies.

My goal was to give the ladies a fun samba lesson and a great workout. For this, I knew I needed to prep ahead of time. Of course, I began with my outfit--girl gotta look good and it totally supports my teaching goals. I wanted something cute, colorful, and inexpensive, which I  accidentally found at Forever 21; love the store. I then put on large earring, loads of bracelets, and braided my hair--again, girl gotta look good. Next, I wanted the ladies to feel beautiful, feel sexy, and have a great time, so I asked each of them to bring a pair of dancing heels. Finally, I wanted to create a fun and enjoyable atmosphere for them and for me, so I selected some of my favorite songs.  See the list below:

Warm-up

• Cabelo Raspadinho by Chiclete com Banana. This song has a fast beat but repetitive lyrics, making it easy to move around while focusing on just a few moves. Remember, the ladies are learning samba, so repetition is key.

Stretches and Cool-Down

• Sozinho by Caetano Veloso. This is the perfect break-up song. I always imagine the singer sitting at home with a bottle of wine (Vinho Verde if possible) and a box of chocolates. The song also happens to have a great melody and is perfect for stretching. Next time, I'll picture the singer drinking wine and eating chocolates while doing a downward facing dog. 
• Terra and Sampa by Caetano Veloso. I just happen to like Caetano and know he is a prominent Brazilian singer known by many non-Brazilians. 

Lesson

• Batuque na Cozinha by Martinho da Vila. Matinho da Vila is a key figures in samba and Brazilian culture. I can't teach a samba class without including one of his songs. Plus, along with Zeca Pagodinho and Alcione, Martinho the Vila is one of my favorite Brazilian composers and singers. The strong batuque (drum beats) makes this a perfect song for samba. The students can easily hear the beats while following the dance steps. 
• Quanto Essa Onda Passer by Martinho da Vila. This song also has a great beat but a slightly faster tempo, allowing students to gradually speed up their samba steps.
• Quem Foi Que Disse? by Martinho da Vila. I used this song so I could keep the tempo the same. I wanted to focus on the footwork and allow students to feel more comfortable with the actual samba step.
• Mulheres by Martinho da Vila. This is a classic. Here, Martinho talks about his past lover but claims they never made him as happy as his current love. I absolutely love this song and was surprised that one of the students asked if Martinho, while mentioning his past conquests, also discusses his venereal diseases (Love it!). Obviously, the significance of the song was lost in translation.

For Fun: Bring out the heels!

• Ai Se Eu Te Pego by Michel Telo. Like a plague, this song has spread to the far corners of the planet and artists from various countries have remade the song. I have had random people ask me about it, really. Apparently, being Brazilian automatically makes me the ambassador of all things Brazilian, so next time a random person asks if I know Sandra who lives in San Francisco, I'm going to say I do. This song also happens to have a cute and easy to follow choreography.

• Maozinha by Tchakabum. Much like the previous songs, Maozinha has a simple and cute choreography that goes along with it. However, the rhythm of the song gradually increases until your  butt is moving at the speed of light. Best of all, you have to do it all while performing specific arm moves. It's CRAZY!

With my busy schedule, I can't regularly teach; it's just too much for now. However, I had a great time and look forward to occasionally teaching samba again. Call me!

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Beijos e tchao

Photo Shoot

Photo Shoot

Aquarela has been around for over 20 years and we are known in the dance community as a strong Brazilian dance group. We have 7 San Francisco Carnaval queens and 2 kings; by far, the most number than any other group. But as with anything that has been around for a while, Aquarela now needs a facelift :) Like Dolly Parton says, "If it's dragging, nagging, or sagging, I'm going to nip it, suck it, or tuck it."


The first bill of order ended up being our photos and website, and just like Congress, it took us a LONG time to decide on the photos, costumes, place, photographer, dancers, and rational, but we DID!


Micaela and Akiva took lead in the process. Micaela, our artistic director, focused on the creative aspect of the photo shoot. She selected the costumes, brainstormed the poses, and kept us focused. Akiva dealt with David Yu, the photographer, and logistics of the shoot. Their joint efforts made the experience enjoyable, seamless, and productive. In 3-4 hours, we got all our shots and still liked each other (having 7 opinionated woman in one room for 4 hours can be dangerous).

Steps: Once we were set on a date, and photographer, the process took only a few weeks. We began by brainstorming and practicing poses. (Remember that we are dancers and not models. Put me in front of a camera and I freeze up). Deciding and practicing the poses took us two full rehearsal days and numerous emails, but it was worth it. Once the poses were set, we began working on our appearance. For the first time in my life, I got a spray tan and loved it! I also got my nails and make-up professionally done. If you have never worn false eye-lashes before, you must. With my faux tan, full-out make-up and faux lashes, I felt like Kim kardashian at one of her weddings. Lastly, we arrived on time, set the mood with a little pagode and Beyonce (I secretly sang "Kiss" by Prince when taking my individual shots. Girl gotta do what a girl gotta do), and, for the most part, had a very friendly and positive attitude (remember we were 7 opinionated woman in one room for 4 hours. It was not always harmonious, but it was always exciting). I had a great time preparing for the shoot and loved the end result.

 I can't write about the experience without taking a moment to discuss David Yu. He is an amazing photographer, who made us feel comfortable and beautiful at the same time. He, with the help of his wife Cherry, gently guided us and took the time to make sure our smiles and eyes were perfect in EACH shot. Best of all, we got to work with an amazing local photographer who understands and is actively involved in the local dance community. Thanks David. 

Costume TLC

I love dancing, and much like teaching, it is something I was born to do. There is nothing like putting on a beautiful costume, stepping on stage, and performing your best dance moves. LOVE IT!

For me, a costume is a huge part of dancing. When I put on a carnaval bikini and step on stage, I transform into my alter ego, Jessica (I secretly love the name and often use it at Starbuck's). For the past few year, however, I have not been very kind to my costumes. In fact, I completely neglected them. Remember, I became a mom and was working on a master's degree. Costumes, unfortunately, were the last thing on my mind.

Needless to say, my costumes are now a hot, outdated mess. I have mismatched and incomplete outfits, dilapidated backpacks, and featherless hats. It's not pretty and it's beyond sad.

Now that I'm near the end of my master's, I have decided to fix my costumes and get back to costume making and dancing.




To begin, I'm fixing up my black samba bikini. I love the hat but know that the bikini needs major help.






Wish me luck!

Bra and boot covers in serious need of a little TLC.

 

Favorite Fashion Blog: SuperVaidosa

SuperVaidosa by Camila Coelho

Don't think I'm vain or superficial (okay, just a little). Really, listen. For the past 2 years, I have diligently worked on my research and now that I'm close to the end, I just want to have a little F-U-N.

To achieve my new and very beneficial goal, I have spent hours searching for new and mindless forms of entertainment. After all, I can't let my research skills die once I'm done with school. This is how I found Camila Coelho's blog, SuperVaidosa. Camila is the top fashion blogger in Brazil and recently started a YouTube channel. She now has two channels: MakeupbyCamila2 is the English version, and MakeupbyCamila is the Portuguese version. She has great tips on clothing, make-up, and other things related to fashion and beauty.

Recent videos I found interesting:

Lipsticks: I never owned more than 4 lipsticks. Call me old fashioned or strange but the idea of having a case load of lipsticks seems out of the ordinary. Well, Camila has loads and lets you know how to use theme. This  video is in Portuguese.

Nails: I'm proud my mom is a nurse and happy for her FDA updates on medicines and colds. But thanks to mom and a former professor, I am now afraid of visiting a nail salon. Really, I may contract some crazy, incurable disease, like Hepatitis C. My professor did :(
Well, to solve this issue, Camila gives a tutorial on manicures and nail care. The video is in Portuguese.

Bad Hair

Hair: After sporting a bad haircut for over 3 months, I am now on a mission to reestablish my Latinness and rock long, undamaged hair. For this, I, once again, turn to Camila.
Portuguese version.
English version.

Beijos.

Glue for Kids

Glue

Growing up, I marveled at my mother's ability to make something out of nothing. In fact, I often think of her as the female version of MacGyver. Really! If you put her inside of a sinking ship, she will conjure up a lifeboat out of plastic spoons and a bra strap; she's that good.


Recently, MomGyver came to the rescue, again. While getting materials ready for a homemade pinata, I noticed that I was out of glue. After hearing me bitch about it, mom suggested I make my own. WHAT?! Yes, homemade glue. Here it is:

• 1 1/2 cup of water
• 1/2 cup of cold water
• 2 Tbs of flour
• 1 Tbs of white vinegar
• Food coloring (optional)

Mix 1/2 cup of cold water with the flour. In a small pan, bring the 1 1/2 of water to a boil. When the water begins to boil, reduce the heat to medium and add the flour mixture. Stir occasionally for 10 minutes. Remove the mixture from the stove and add vinegar. Finally, add food coloring to change the color of the glue. This is not necessary but Camila loves everything pink. Let it cool before using.

The glue really works and I love that my little girl will, too, think of me as MomGyver. Some of my fondest memories is of my mom building or sewing an amazing art project.

Mom, thanks for being my mom. Happy Mother's Day.