In her free time, Rodden serves as the musical director of Batala, an all-female volunteer drum band that performs around the region. She explains what keeps their beat going.
What is Batala? And how do you pronounce it?
The accent is on the last “a,” Batal-AH. It’s an all-women’s Afro-Brazilian drum corps and … we have two missions. One of them is to promote Afro-Brazilian culture … and the second part is it’s all about empowerment of women. We’re taking a traditionally male instrument … and we invite all women to experience it.
So how many women are involved?
Currently we have about 72 women in the band.
Where do you practice?
In the warm months — spring, summer and fall — we practice at Farragut Square in downtown D.C. And in the winter months we’re always on the prowl, on the hunt for a space that can accommodate a loud, growing drumming band. We’ve had many manifestations of rehearsal space but currently we’re over at the Lab School of Washington … in upper Georgetown.
Who are your fellow band mates?
Incredible, fascinating women of all walks of life. Our ages are pretty much young 20s all the way up to mid-60s and representing now I think 11 or 12 different countries. Everything from mothers, wives, grandmothers, girlfriends, single people, career women to people who don’t even think they can dance to people who have been drumming for a while now.
How many of your members are actually Brazilian?
Currently about eight to 10 members.
What kind of time commitment do band members have?
It can be five hours to … I can put in up to a 40-hour week with Batala. I was going to say it’s a labor of love, but it’s not even a labor at all. It’s exactly where you want to be and what you want to be doing.
