This was the first of what I hope will be many times experiencing the prévias in Olinda. We got there early so we watched as people filled in the space and groups began rehearsing. After a few hours, they finally started marching through the streets and we joined the crowd to follow them. We heard lots of maracatu, like the group Batuques de Pernambuco, and I was transfixed by the way the women danced with their shekeres. We also heard the brass sounds of the Pitombeira dos Quatro Cantos, who were accompanied by young frevo dancers from the group Frevança. By this time, we were packed shoulder to shoulder and were no longer walking, but instead being pushed from side to side and eventually moving forward.
Olinda, Brasil. 21 de janeiro de 2018.
