Read Online Black Dahlia by Tiffany Patterson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Tiffany Patterson
Tags: Black Burlesque
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existed, not that she was familiar with martial arts.
Raul looked just as excited to talk about it, as she was in learning. “It’s a Brazilian martial art. It was developed by enslaved Africans who were brought over by the Portuguese. Slaves were forbidden to practice their African martial arts, for obvious reasons. The enslavers didn’t want the slaves developing a resistance, but they did allow them to get together and practice dancing. It was seen as a way to keep their spirits up, which would increase productivity. What they didn’t know was that the Africans came up with an ingenious way to disguise their practice of martial arts...”
“They hid it in their dance,” Mercedes guessed. Raul smile and nodded.
“Wow,” she said in awe.
“How did you learn it?” she asked.
“It was through Capoeira that many slaves were able to escape their enslavers and formed groups known as Quilombos. The Quilombos fought against the Portuguese and escaped into the deeper rain forests beyond Portuguese control, creating communities of freed slaves. One of the most well-known of these communities is Palmares. My paternal grandmother is a descendant of the people of Palmares. For generations, our family passed down Capoeira from one generation to the next. My grandmother and father taught me when I was really young and I’ve been doing it ever since...”
Mercedes was amazed as she continued to listen to the story Raul shared with her. She’d known that Brazil had been involved in the slave trade, but she’d never heard of the resistance of the slaves, or of Capoeira. She was enraptured as Raul shared his family history with her and the bond he shared with this grandmother who taught him all about their family’s history. She could see the admiration he held for his grandmother, and the passion he had about the topic of his family history. She learned that Raul, like most Brazilians was a mix of Afro-Latino, Indigenous, and Portuguese. Mercedes wanted to ask Raul to teach her, but didn’t know if it was something that he was willing to share with someone who wasn’t family.
They continued to eat and talk for a while longer, before Raul checked the time. It was after nine-thirty. They’d spent an hour and a half talking about his family, dancing, and Capoeira. Mercedes had shared with him her love of dancing and how she got started in burlesque. She’d clammed up when he asked about her family, however. Her family didn’t know this side of her. She knew her parents, especially her father, would not like that she performed half naked in front of a live audience. She knew what her father would refer to her as. Her grip tightened on her cup as she thought about the ugly words her father would hurl at her if he found out about her burlesque dancing.
“Are you okay?” Raul looked at her with concern in his eyes. She realized her thoughts were displayed on her face. She pushed the thought of her parents away.
“Yes, I’m fine. Just thinking about the parts of my costume I have to complete before we leave this Thursday.” It was Tuesday, and they were scheduled to leave Thursday evening for New York, where she had performances on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.
Raul’s gaze continued to linger on her as if he was trying to figure out if she was telling the truth. Whatever he saw must have convinced him to not push and he dropped the subject.
“It will be fine. I can help you if you need it,” he offered.
Mercedes laughed. “Oh yeah, you know how to sew or glue sequins on a corset?”
“Don’t underestimate my skills. I’m a man of many talents.” He winked at her. Mercedes felt the butterflies rise in her stomach as she stared into those brown pools he called eyes. Once again she thought this man was beautiful. She noticed the wrinkling of the outside of his eyes when he smiled. Her gaze moved down to his upturned, full lips. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from licking her licking her
Raul looked just as excited to talk about it, as she was in learning. “It’s a Brazilian martial art. It was developed by enslaved Africans who were brought over by the Portuguese. Slaves were forbidden to practice their African martial arts, for obvious reasons. The enslavers didn’t want the slaves developing a resistance, but they did allow them to get together and practice dancing. It was seen as a way to keep their spirits up, which would increase productivity. What they didn’t know was that the Africans came up with an ingenious way to disguise their practice of martial arts...”
“They hid it in their dance,” Mercedes guessed. Raul smile and nodded.
“Wow,” she said in awe.
“How did you learn it?” she asked.
“It was through Capoeira that many slaves were able to escape their enslavers and formed groups known as Quilombos. The Quilombos fought against the Portuguese and escaped into the deeper rain forests beyond Portuguese control, creating communities of freed slaves. One of the most well-known of these communities is Palmares. My paternal grandmother is a descendant of the people of Palmares. For generations, our family passed down Capoeira from one generation to the next. My grandmother and father taught me when I was really young and I’ve been doing it ever since...”
Mercedes was amazed as she continued to listen to the story Raul shared with her. She’d known that Brazil had been involved in the slave trade, but she’d never heard of the resistance of the slaves, or of Capoeira. She was enraptured as Raul shared his family history with her and the bond he shared with this grandmother who taught him all about their family’s history. She could see the admiration he held for his grandmother, and the passion he had about the topic of his family history. She learned that Raul, like most Brazilians was a mix of Afro-Latino, Indigenous, and Portuguese. Mercedes wanted to ask Raul to teach her, but didn’t know if it was something that he was willing to share with someone who wasn’t family.
They continued to eat and talk for a while longer, before Raul checked the time. It was after nine-thirty. They’d spent an hour and a half talking about his family, dancing, and Capoeira. Mercedes had shared with him her love of dancing and how she got started in burlesque. She’d clammed up when he asked about her family, however. Her family didn’t know this side of her. She knew her parents, especially her father, would not like that she performed half naked in front of a live audience. She knew what her father would refer to her as. Her grip tightened on her cup as she thought about the ugly words her father would hurl at her if he found out about her burlesque dancing.
“Are you okay?” Raul looked at her with concern in his eyes. She realized her thoughts were displayed on her face. She pushed the thought of her parents away.
“Yes, I’m fine. Just thinking about the parts of my costume I have to complete before we leave this Thursday.” It was Tuesday, and they were scheduled to leave Thursday evening for New York, where she had performances on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.
Raul’s gaze continued to linger on her as if he was trying to figure out if she was telling the truth. Whatever he saw must have convinced him to not push and he dropped the subject.
“It will be fine. I can help you if you need it,” he offered.
Mercedes laughed. “Oh yeah, you know how to sew or glue sequins on a corset?”
“Don’t underestimate my skills. I’m a man of many talents.” He winked at her. Mercedes felt the butterflies rise in her stomach as she stared into those brown pools he called eyes. Once again she thought this man was beautiful. She noticed the wrinkling of the outside of his eyes when he smiled. Her gaze moved down to his upturned, full lips. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from licking her licking her
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