A ton of people showed up for the seminar and grand opening last Saturday, and I’m betting it was for two reasons – 1) to learn from a sixth degree black belt with a ton of experience and stories to tell and 2) to see exactly where it was Dalla learned it all. You know, the boa constrictor type rolling, the dirty moves (chin in the ribs, cheese grater across the face, tickling for crying out loud….) and all the non-dirty but totally slick and sneaky moves that make you wonder – while you’re tapping furiously – what the hell just hit you.

How many purple belts does it take to hang a Brazilian flag?
Well, now it all makes sense. Jorge Pereira is not only a great instructor (also where Dalla learned it, I’m sure) but he’s enthusiastic in a non-H1N1 infectious sort of way. In other words, it’s easy to catch his enthusiasm, but you don’t feel crappy about it once you do. He showed a lot of moves from various positions, include a couple self defense moves. One in particular, an entry into an Americana, was so sneaky and under the radar that the group let out a collective “Oooh…” when he first demonstrated it. Now that’s my kind of move.

The seminar ended, as I had hoped, with a bunch of stories about his training with Rickson and Helio and other members of the BJJ elite in Brazil, and then, jackpot! Stories about Dalla, including his nickname. I won’t mention it here because Dalla’s still mad at me for posting our swim race online. You know, the one where I beat him.
Dalla’s grand opening of his new location followed, with a lot of people hanging out to chat, eat, check out the new place, and roll, work the heavy bags, etc. It really is a great place – if you haven’t come to check it out yet, you should. Lots of room to roll, climate control (woo!), music… what else could a girl want?






