Batala: DC's Brazilian Drumming Group

     According to Encyclopedia Britannica, Batala is a city in the Punjabi state of India. The city’s principal industries include cotton ginning, weaving, sugar refining, rice milling, and manufacturing. Thousands of miles away, Batala, is known as an Afro-Brazilian/Samba-Reggae percussion band with chapters in France, Belgium, United Kingdom, Africa and Washington, DC.  Founder Giba Gonçalves, began Batala when he was living in Paris, France.  Now Batala, has over 300 percussionists around the world.

     Brazilian native Gibo Goncalves created Batala when he lived in Paris, France.  He wanted to bring a sense of home  during his stay.  Today, there are Batala ensembles in numerous countries around the world.   All of the Batala chapters throughout the world perform the same music pieces created by Gibo Goncalves, thus there isn’t much variation in sound between the groups.  However, according to DC Batala member April Thompson, Brazil is much faster than DC.  That seems to make sense since Brazil is the birthplace of Afro-Brazilian/Samba.  Despite this, DC’s Batala group is different from all of the Batala chapters.  DC’s Batala group is the only all-woman percussion group of the Batala franchise.  Thus, as the 40+ members of the DC ensemble perform, the empowerment of women resonates as the women dance and beat the drums with pure strength and joy.   

     The heart thumping, hip-shaking sounds of the DC Chapter of Batala can be heard in the Farragut North/Dupont Circle area as they rehearse every Saturday from 10am to 1pm.  Passersby can’t stop but have their souls stirred and move to the beat; such was the case at the Imani Temple’s 20th anniversary concert. 

     On a warm summer Friday evening, Batala, walked in the Imani Temple with their black, red and white uniform.  They walked in with the large drums on their heads.  They took the stage with force mostly because of the size of their drums and the large number of the group. The first drumbeat shook the congregation, causing many to cover their ears with their hands.  However, within a few measures, the patrons rose to their feet, moved their hips, waved their arms in the air with their Bibles in their hands and they danced down the Church aisles;  joyous scene as one elderly woman had tears of joy as she heard the music.   The band members played complex Brazilian/Reggae beats, and squatted down as they danced while they played.  One member even threw the biggest drum over her head as she played along with the groupl.  Infectious smiles radiated from all of the band members.  The performers could not fake the genuine love for the music as they  jammed away.  Their joy oozed out of their pores and into the crowd.  Only happy faces and stomping feet could be seen in the audience. 

     The drumbeats changed from samba, to reggae all without any glitches.  Mid-way through the percussion set, the energy slowed down as the rhythm became repetitive.  The crowd’s hips didn’t shake as much as the crowd seemed to get bored.  However, once the drums played new more distinctive rhythms, the hips moved faster and interest perked up.  Batala left the stage raising the bar for the following performers to match their showmanship, a tough act to follow, that was for sure.

     Batala is a percussion group not to be ignored.  To those who try to ignore the sound of 40+ empowered women with drums on their hips beating an unmistakable shake to your bones rhythm,……good luck!