Grupo de Batuque Finka-Pé (2)

Suddenly, without apparent signal, a woman will come forward and dance, hypnotically, sensually. Fortunately, I had positioned myself behind the group, not knowing that the dancer mostly faces the group, rather than the audience. This meant that I could really study their expressions and imagine that traditionally, the dances would last a long time and that they could go into a trance. Their faces all conveyed this. Even the youngest.
The dances would start slowly and build up into an extraordinarily rapid gyrating of their hips.
To judge by theexpressions we see of the predominantly white Portuguese audience, they had never ever seen anything like this.







I believe that it took a lot of courage for these women not to form the group for themselves, but to take the batuque to the public. Remember that their lives in Amadora, working long hours mostly as cleaners in the homes and offices of white Lisboa, are far from one continuous round of singing, dancing and celebration. They are modest, respectful, proud and dignified.