Alma February 25, 2007 Club Deep – 16 West 21st Street Written by Eve Hyman Photographed by Gavin Mills

Alma is a monthly party that celebrates Brazilian music and dance in an NYC club setting. I’ve been to Alma at the Sullivan room, but I was excited to see the special Carnaval (Portuguese spelling) show and join in the festivities. For this party, Alma teamed up with 718 Sessions, another party with a solid following. Renowned DJ Danny Krivit joined Miller Cruz and DJ True of Alma to bring in Carnival in style at Club Deep in Chelsea.

My friend Elijah braved the snow from Brooklyn to dance off the President’s Day eve blues with me and a couple hundred other sweaty, smiling revelers. I immediately ran into friends who were enjoying the show – live drums by the Samba School of Social Justice and dancers in full parade costumes. Elijah and I enjoyed the view of the gorgeous dancers in plumed headdresses shaking it to the infectious drum rhythms. We also took in the sights provided by the diverse crowd - rhinestones, sneakers, leather, suspenders, etc. There was even a girl in shorts and pumps who kept attacking the floor in a frenzied, break-dancing fake out.

Alma is the kind of party that makes the crowd ritualistically return, snow or shine. In a city full of cabaret laws, where clubs have mandatory coat checks and a cocktail is $14, Alma is the party for real people who just want to dance their NYC tushes off.

For info on the next Alma “jump off,” go to www.almanyc.com. And if you like the shots, check out photographer Gavin Mill’s music at copyrightproductions.co.uk.