Fela!

My mom was in town for the past week, and we went to see the show Fela! on Broadway. It was phenomenal! I've never been so inspired after leaving a show. The stage, and the entire theater was turned into a spectacle in itself. The costumes, singing, acting, and the music were incredible! It didn't hurt that we were sitting front row, center. We were so close that a couple of times the dancers looked down and saw me drawing and gave me a wink.

The story is of Fela Kuti, a Nigerian musican who created the Afrobeat music style (which is impossible to not dance to!) and became a political activist of Black Power and pan-Africanism.



Fela was inspired by his mother, Kunmilayo Kuti, who was a political activist for women's rights. She was killed after the government responded violently to Fela's anti-government album when she was thrown from a second story window. The woman who played her was incredible. Her voice gave me chills every time, and when she was done with her songs I felt like passing out.



In the second act, in a religious sequence, the entire stage goes into black-light in the dark. It's beautiful. This is also where I noticed the most beautiful woman (one of the dancers). I'm sure I missed a lot of the show just watching these women dance.



Their dancing was completely mesmerizing. It's as if each section of their body was a completely different organism, but all of them were moving to the beat somehow.

Everyone, go out and see this show! You won't be disappointed!

Sledding!

This last Friday we had a blizzard, and on Saturday I went up to the MET where I saw dozens of kids and their parents sledding on the hill behind the museum. It looked like someone had tossed a bunch of Skittles onto the hill! I was a little jealous. I wish I had brought my snowpants out from Colorado.