La vida sería mucho mejor con luces moradas

So... While transitioning through the hallways of my school, I often let the kids know how they should be moving by saying different lights. Green Light means Go, Red light means Stop, etc. Suuuper boring, no? One day, we were all a little bit cranky and ready for the day to be over. One of my little girls was talking about different stoplight colors and talking about how much she loves purple, so I yelled, "Purple light!!" They all stopped and looked at me... until I yelled, "Dance!" We all started dancing on the playground and no one was cranky anymore. So I ask, WHY are purple lights not part of all traffic lights?! Wouldn't the world be such a better place if cranky 9 to 5ers started dancing in the middle of their daily traffic jam instead of flipping off the guy next to them? It would be like fun dance therapy. All I know is, our transitions through the hallway just got waaaaay better.

A couple of weeks ago, I had an Afro-Cuban show in Modesto. I didn't really expect it to go too well. I mean, how many Cubans actually live in Modesto? But, it sold out. We got some claps and cheers here and there. After ending our suuuuper cheesy, fun, amaaaazing salsa piece, we did a lesson. We had the audience join us and follow along for "Congo." The stage filled up with most of the crowd dancing. And they were all happy as F*!%. They all let loose, got down in their linen blazers, and didn't give a crap what the person next to them thought. It was like someone yelled PURPLE LIGHT loud enough for all of these grown ups to hear. I call for more "Havana Nights" in Modesto. I swear, dance parties change lives. 

I leave you with my all time favorite recorded son that STILL gives me tingles. I swear, the Son de Madera recording of "La Morena" made my heart jump the first time I heard it and I seriously get lost in it as soon as it starts. Maybe its the cajon, maybe its heart piercing voices, maybe its la melodia de la jarana. Whatever it is, this son is amaaaazing, and as cheesy as it sounds, was one of my main pushes in moving to Veracruz to study Son Jarocho. And, I get to see them again this Saturday!! Maybe followed by a fandango...? My kind of purple light time for sheez!!