Our columnist, Sebastian Modak, is visiting each destination on our 52 Places to Go in 2019 list. The pattering of long cylindrical atabaque drums, a sound like rainfall with occasional syncopated claps of thunder, bounced off the room’s white walls. Over a floor strewn with leaves, women dressed in billowing white dresses danced in circles while answering every sung call from the lead drummer. Occasionally, a dancer would fall into a trance, body shaking, head rolled back until another woman would approach her, rub her back and whisper words that would bring her back to this plane. For four and a half hours, the music barely stopped.

Source: International New York Times July 02, 2019 12:33 UTC