Tisza e Cabello
Dancebatukeira @ Fazenda Cultural Ouroverde - Bahia 05/09.08.09

THE REVIEW

In short, if concerts can be reviewed, maybe the editors will also publish this humble piece of mine on dancebatukeira.

It's not my intention to bore you by telling you about my vacation, which was well-deserved considering that I haven't left Pernambuco for three years (lack of funds; thanks dad for the euros, I love you). Nor do I want to bore you with the thirteen-hour bus journey separating Recife from Salvador and the nine hours from Salvador to Hileus in the company of my wife, my daughter, and my (semi)new iPod that came to me from Italy through convoluted means, on which played primarily Melvins and Don Caballero by day and Robert Fripp by night.

The whole experience becomes more interesting after the six hundred meters of dirt road that separate the "Fazenda Cultural Ouroverde" from the asphalt of Serra Grande, surrounded by a dense Atlantic forest and small cacao plantations, leading us to a splendid clearing complete with a lagoon. You notice four small buildings about two hundred meters apart; the first is a changing room with bathrooms, the second the cafeteria with a kitchen, then the house of Tizsa and Cabello, and finally the space where the activities take place.

Dancebatukeira is a cultural event that takes place twice a year, featuring capoeira angola, Afro dance, and percussion. Lessons are held both in the morning and afternoon, and it's a great way to sweat, learn and have fun, followed by a nice bath in the lagoon, and in the evening, after a delicious dinner, there's more music and singing. It's not necessary to be musicians, the hosts make us feel at ease, guiding us in approaching various rhythms, and the evening where we formed a samba ensemble under Cabello's direction was marvelous.

The event is in its twelfth edition, takes place in an enchanting location, and the food is great, with a maximum of thirty-five participants.

At the last event, there were Americans, Israelis, a Finnish person, a Mexican, and an "italianão" (me), in addition to Brazilians, with the pleasant participation of Mestre Cobrinha and a Mãe de Santo, that is, a priestess of candomblé, who held a small conference on Afro-Brazilian religion and her challenging life.

It was a very intense and emotional experience; perhaps only capoeiristas can fully understand what I want to express, feeling the vibrations flowing between individuals in a magical atmosphere like this, as in a capoeira roda. Yet, unlike classical capoeira gatherings, which are for "insiders," dancebatukeira offers a range of cultural proposals that could appeal to anyone. Such an experience could surely awaken that latent internal rhythm within us all, illuminating those unfamiliar with Afro-Brazilian culture.

"I no longer want to be just a spectator of others' art, but to be a protagonist myself, giving and absorbing, contributing by participating, nourishing my self-esteem with collective energy. It doesn't matter being among the best, but being part of the whole. There's no age or condition to create something beautiful; passion is enough."

This new mindset is perhaps the best gift I've given myself in recent years thanks to Brazil and capoeira.