Instagram: The conundrum!

To Instagram, or Not to Instagram, that is the Question

For years, I have struggled with the idea of having an Instagram account. Having another social media account to manage and follow just overwhelmed me. Call me old-fashioned but I like an electronic free day.

At the same time, it is all around me. My friends and students rave about it and I can see the social and marketable benefits associated with it.

I finally gave in and signed up for Instagram. I now love it! (Not the idea of having another app on my phone or another account to manage, but all the great photos I see). I follow some of my favorite artist and carnavalescos (carnaval producers).

Below, I have included the names of some of my favorite pasistas (samba dancers) and carnaval lovers:





Facarnavaloficial: Managed by Claudio Medeiros

He uploads the latest and most beautiful Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo carnaval photos.

Laurakelleroficial: Managed by Laura Keller. 

Beautiful pasista and beautiful costumes.

Neguinhasambista: Managed by Neguinha Sambista from Aquarela.
She is a social butterfly, so you are bound to see the latest on SF Bay Brazilian events.

Renatasantosoficial: Managed by Renata Santos. 

She was recently selected the muse of Mangueira samba school in Rio de Janeiro

Evelynbastoss: Managed by Evelyn Bastoss.
She was Mangueira's rainha da bateria (queen of the percussion section)

Dominique425: Managed by Dominique 

 She is one of Aquarela's principal dancers. I simply love following her because of her style and taste. Plus, she follows the best sambistas.  

Giljungoficial: Managed by Gil Jung, an Brazilian bikini line. 

They include great photos of carnaval sambistas and their bikini line. 

K-riocasambashow: Managed by Samba K-Rioca Show. 

They include photos from their latest events, so you are bound to see photos of Brazilian bands, sambistas, and promoters.

Graoficial: Managed by Gracyanne Barbosa. 

She is a Brazilian fitness model and pasista. Unlike the above, Gracyanne includes loads of videos. 

Caju93: Managed by yours truly 

I'm new to the Instagram game, but I enjoy following and posting anything related to samba.

Beijos and enjoy your week!

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Brown rice and Broccoli

As a samba dancer, I have come to accept that physical appearance is just as important as my dance abilities. Really, think about it. When performing, one is not just showing off one's dance moves;  the dancer is also living up to the expectations of the audience. Thus, when out on the dance floor, I must live up to the image of the perfect samba dancer, an Amazon-looking lady who is fit, tanned, stylish, and looks great in a g-sting. Needless to say, this is not always easy, especially when I open another can of condensed milk.

To keep me motivated, I follow my "Brown rice and Broccoli" mantra. Let me explain. Before retiring, Maria Sousa, the founder of Aquarela, would attend rehearsals regularly, give us constructive criticisms, and gently say, "The Carnaval Ball is coming. So brown rice and broccoli for everyone." We always smiled but were aware that the smack down had to begin.

Unfortunately, denying myself of any food has never worked for me. Like a moth to a flame, I instantly gravitate and want what I can't have. The minute I vow to never eat red meat or open a can of condensed milk, I find myself with a plate full of churrasco or brigadeiro. I just can't do it! So, I turned "Brown rice and broccoli" into a mantra reminding me to exercise, eat right, and stay healthy.

Brown Rice and Broccoli Routines and Habits:

Rehearsal time with Dominique

After dinner and when the hustle and bustle of begin a mom is all over, I walk or job on my treadmill for 30 minutes 3-4 times a week (The number of days depends on the number of rehearsal days). The exercise clears my mind, makes me a happier person (Really, I feel positive and energized the next day), and keeps me in shape. If I miss a day, I get upset, for I really really enjoy those 30 minutes of me, Netflix, and treadmill time.

As for my eating habits, I try to follow the French. Why not? They eat cheese, bread, and wine like it's going out of style and still manage to say in shape. So like the French, I eat 4 times a day: I have breakfast, lunch, snack (usually a cup of coffee with a pastry), and dinner. On the weekends and only on the weekends do I enjoy a can of condensed milk poured over fruits, yogurt, or plain (usually the latter!). I also make a point of sitting down when eating (This can be a huge challenge when my little munchkins are around). By putting my food on a plate and sitting down, I become more conscious of what I eat and how much I am eating.

It took me a while to establish healthy habits and routines, but I am glad I did. Somehow, it all works for me and keeps me sane, happy, healthy and fit.

Beijos and enjoy your week!

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Goals for the New Year 2014

Goals for the New Year

Every year, I see friends and family members set New Year's resolutions and for a hot minute, I think of doing the same. Then I remember I don't believe in them. Instead, I like to set goals, which I accomplish and then am free to set new goals throughout the year. This year, I will do the same.

For now, I have simple goals. After all, I no longer have a master's degree program hanging over my head (Yeah!). This means, I am free to enjoy my nights and weekends and no longer have to lock myself in a room and study the day away. I digress. My goals for now are to (1) enjoy those around me, (2) complete unfinished projects, and (3) plan a baby shower for a good friend and former San Francisco Carnaval Queen--no pressure!


Goal 1: Aquarela's Bring in the New Year Party
To simplify things and take away the pressure of attending another holiday party in December, we decided to celebrate in January with a Welcome the New Year Party. The event was carefree and relaxing, allowing me to have a great time with some of my closest friends and some of the best samba dancers in the San Francisco Bay Area.


Goal 2: Finish my red Carnaval bikini
It's official, red is my new favorite color. The rhinestones and swarovski stones in the bikini bring a glitz and shine to the bikini that I was never able to achieve with just beads. The headpiece is also fabulous with color that I just can't find in the American feather market.
Update: I finally finished the bikini and love it. As an added bonus, I have a shoulder piece from a previous carnaval that goes well with the costume.

Goal 3: Baby Shower
This shower thing is a great deal of work but loads of fun. I have even created a Pinterest board with my ideas and have decided that when I come back in my next life, I want to be an event planner. The time and effort that goes into planning a single event is impressive but so much fun.

FYI: You may ask why this picture. As I mentioned before, she is a SF Carnaval Queen so even her maternity photos are hot. Really, hot!


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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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

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.

 

A Musa do Caldeirao--the Muse of Carnaval 2012

Musa do Caldeirao 2012

Every year, Luciano Huck, a prominent Brazilian talk show host, holds a Musa do Caldeirao competition. For a month or so, samba dancers from top Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo samba schools complete for the title. The winner not only is labeled the muse of his show but also receives noted praises and opportunities for the remaining of the year. Needless to say, I can't let this major Brazilian samba event go unblogged.

Below are some of my favorite dancers or costumes!
I'm not crazy about Joice's performance but I do love her top and hat...wow!!


Decorated arms must be my next project. I love the look and the attention it calls to the arm movements of the dancer. Check out Neia's costume.

I'm a little bias but I love Camila's performance. She has grace, style, and amazing footwork. My pick for Musa do Caldeirao!

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find a video of Evelyn's performance, but I did include a photo of her. She is the official Musa do Carnaval 2012.