{"id":14447,"date":"2015-07-11T08:08:33","date_gmt":"2015-07-11T15:08:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nicknormal.com\/normalblog\/?p=14447"},"modified":"2015-10-31T12:29:29","modified_gmt":"2015-10-31T16:29:29","slug":"a-great-day-for-drumming-batala-batalanyc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nicknormal.com\/normalblog\/a-great-day-for-drumming-batala-batalanyc\/","title":{"rendered":"a great day for drumming | #Batala #BatalaNYC"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"cityhall_20150710-1280\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I’m still giddy at the thought with what happened yesterday. Sara Valentine (bottom-left) had an idea for Batala NYC<\/a> – an all-women Afro-Brazilian drum line\/marching band – to perform at the Ticker-Tape Parade<\/a> for the US Women’s National Football Team, for their victory in the 2015 Women’s World Cup<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Knowing who to talk to, I was able to connect the band with the Office of the Mayor, in >24 hours the band was able to scramble and organize, and then there they were on stage at the Keys to the City reception (not the Ticker-Tape Parade proper). And I’m deeply honored that the band asked me to hoist their banner at the event. I tried to bounce around a bit but it was a short set and there was an articulating camera-arm that kind of locked me in to one side of the stage. Also, nerves. Even I was nervous – so I can’t imagine how they do what they do all the time.<\/p>\n

Their energy is intense. Seek to 19:00 for Batala NYC’s performance:<\/p>\n