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