I have been 26 for exactly one week now. It's a trip... I still can't say it. Mid-20's, woah. But, thinking back over the past year, I'm pretty okay with this. I made a "25th year to do list", and I am pretty damn pleased with myself. 4 out of 5 ain't bad (Making my bed everyday, OFCOURSE that wasn't going to happen!). I actually did celebrate my 26th birthday while living in another country. Woohoo!
On that note, my celebration made me realize how great my Guadalajara peeps really are. Laughing, singing, beer drinking, chocolate cake eating, salsa dancing fun... what more could I have asked for?
A few of my friends singing to me.
Later this night... we (plus some more) went to my FAVORITE place in Guadalajara- LA MUTUALISTA! Now, I'd been told of this place when I first got here, and went for the first time while my good friend Miguel was visiting. Live Salsa band, giant ballroom, plastic chairs, tacky photos on the walls, and a "here to have a good time" attitude- I was hooooooked! I've gone back almost every week/every other week since, and I still can't get enough of it! I'm telling you, if your ever in GDL and want to actually dance, have fun, and not have to give a shit about what about people are thinking, Go to La Mutualista! If you're ever in GDL and want to hear some good live music, Go to La Mutualista! If you're ever in GDL, period, I don't care who or what you are... go to La Mutualista! This place (among other things) makes me not want to leave this city. I feel like it is one of the rare places you can go and just have a good time sin sentencia. It is filled with all level dancers, foreigners, locals, older people, younger people.
(real video from La mutua, by the way).
There are also classes every monday and wednesday at La mutualista, but I am still yet to go to one.
With my birthday weekend ending at La Mutua, I was as happy as can be. And now, in my 26th year... I must say, I'm pretty excited. I'm here, for who knows how long. I just know that it will be an awesome one. Because... well, its what I do! Ja.
26th Year to do list
-Teach a dance class in Mexico
-Perform in Mexico
-Go to Central and/or South America
-Run in a race
-Make Tamales
-Learn to speak spanish in the past tense
And now to work on this years list... It'll happen. All of it!
Here's to beginning my second quarter century in Mexico! Woooot!
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Danza Africana!
Hace mucho tiempo desde mi ultimo mensaje....
Lots has happened out here in Guadalajara. But first... how is it already October?! Wow, I'm coming up on 3 months out here, but I swear I just got here.
Anyway, one of the highlights of the past few weeks was the taller de Danza Africana con Mariama! Now, as I've mentioned before, there is a huge Danza Africana scene here in Mexico. En serio.... HUGE. And, they are really into special workshops. Since I have been in Guadalajara, there have been 3 different Danza Africana workshops from 3 different native (of Africa) dancers.
Mariama taught at the Festival I went to in el bosque de Xalapa. This time around, however, was much more intimate, with less people. Mariama is from Conakry, Guinea. She currently lives in Sao Paolo, Brazil, and spent the past few months traveling around Mexico, teaching week long workshops from city to city. what a freakin' life, right?! This woman is amazing- her dancing, her thrill for life, and energy. I just adore her.
Each class was filled with crazy energy, jumps, live drumming (from the afro-drumming enthusiasts of Guadalajara, ofcourse), and the head tossing, hair flinging moves that I LOVE. We did different dances and rhythms each class.... one of my favorites being "Sorsonet." It is a dance that is performed after the harvest by the Baga people of Guinea. This video is a clip I found on the internet... not an actual video of us.
After the last class, we all headed out to Zapopan to dance in the center... yes, live drumming and all... dancing for the Mexican folk out enjoying their saturday night. Awesome good times... then the rain hit like wooooah! In spite of the maguage barrier, Mariama and I got along great, talking about the dances of Brazil and how much we LOVE that culture and flava of that country. We communicated pretty well, between spanish and french. But when it came time for her to ask me to translate... not even close. ha! Soon enough, my brain just wasn't ready. Great times, great week, awesome dancing!
On a side note- Mi familia de Guadalajara is amazing. I don't know if I've mentioned it before, but I live in a pretty international house- 1 Mexican (diego), 1 Swede (Sanna), 1 frenchie (Juanito), and 1 American (me). Our convos go from english, to french, to spanish... and then back again. Time with them has made home feel a bit closer.
Juanito not pictured... that taller Mexican is our friend, Omar.
And tonight... Salsa class a La Mutualista!! But more on that later...!
XO- V
Lots has happened out here in Guadalajara. But first... how is it already October?! Wow, I'm coming up on 3 months out here, but I swear I just got here.
Anyway, one of the highlights of the past few weeks was the taller de Danza Africana con Mariama! Now, as I've mentioned before, there is a huge Danza Africana scene here in Mexico. En serio.... HUGE. And, they are really into special workshops. Since I have been in Guadalajara, there have been 3 different Danza Africana workshops from 3 different native (of Africa) dancers.
Mariama taught at the Festival I went to in el bosque de Xalapa. This time around, however, was much more intimate, with less people. Mariama is from Conakry, Guinea. She currently lives in Sao Paolo, Brazil, and spent the past few months traveling around Mexico, teaching week long workshops from city to city. what a freakin' life, right?! This woman is amazing- her dancing, her thrill for life, and energy. I just adore her.
Each class was filled with crazy energy, jumps, live drumming (from the afro-drumming enthusiasts of Guadalajara, ofcourse), and the head tossing, hair flinging moves that I LOVE. We did different dances and rhythms each class.... one of my favorites being "Sorsonet." It is a dance that is performed after the harvest by the Baga people of Guinea. This video is a clip I found on the internet... not an actual video of us.
After the last class, we all headed out to Zapopan to dance in the center... yes, live drumming and all... dancing for the Mexican folk out enjoying their saturday night. Awesome good times... then the rain hit like wooooah! In spite of the maguage barrier, Mariama and I got along great, talking about the dances of Brazil and how much we LOVE that culture and flava of that country. We communicated pretty well, between spanish and french. But when it came time for her to ask me to translate... not even close. ha! Soon enough, my brain just wasn't ready. Great times, great week, awesome dancing!
On a side note- Mi familia de Guadalajara is amazing. I don't know if I've mentioned it before, but I live in a pretty international house- 1 Mexican (diego), 1 Swede (Sanna), 1 frenchie (Juanito), and 1 American (me). Our convos go from english, to french, to spanish... and then back again. Time with them has made home feel a bit closer.
Juanito not pictured... that taller Mexican is our friend, Omar.
And tonight... Salsa class a La Mutualista!! But more on that later...!
XO- V
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)