Slim Mello
“I wanna be ready”
(I’m so blessed having amazing opportunities in my Life).
I’ve been dreaming about this for the past 25 years. [2011]
By Dale Ricardo Shields
Slim Mello was born in Brazil (Salvador-Bahia). Salvador.
Considered the largest Black city outside of Africa with over 80% of the people being of African-Brazilian descent.
“The city of Salvador is notable in Brazil for its cuisine, music, and architecture, and its metropolitan area is the wealthiest in Brazil’s Northeast. The African influence in many cultural aspects of the city makes it the center of Afro-Brazilian culture.
This reflects a situation in which African-associated cultural practices are celebrated.” (Wikipedia)
Salvador, Brazil
Rockin’ in the Rhythm!!!
Photo by Joseph Gray
Slim Mello started to dance at the age of 15. He was always surrounded by the aesthetics of the arts and dance. He fell in love with a world in constant motion at a young age, before considering dance as a serious career. Slim, being from Salvador, was raised to have and respect many heroes and idols. He looked up to those Black leaders who have given him a chance to be standing where he is today, or in his case, deliberately moving proudly like a young graceful lion!
In Brazil, it is still hard to clarify and support the fact that men can do the Samba, but it is still new for men to dance ballet or modern dance, proudly.
Zeta Mello (Mother)
With all of the education and support Slim Mello received from his loving family and devoted teachers, he never had a problem with the responsibilities of being a male dancer. Like one of his idols, Zebrinha used to say, “In the beginning, dance was made for men, so be one.”
