Capoeira Luta da vida

After much planning, re-planning and thoughtfulness the batizado finally happens. Contra-mestre Sandalia and I (PicaPau) was up at 7:00 to place the cordão, get the instruments in place, place the clothes for the club shop etc. 9:00 the rest are supposed to show up because thats when Serginhos workshop is supposed to start. Sandalia tells me that he’s relatively confidant that everyone will show up closer to 10:00.

As mentioned, the people show up just after 9:20, must however mention that Palmerão showed up long before 9:00, well done!

Just before 10:00 we’re all gathered and Bezouro holds the warm up wich i felt was a warm up for him and a military hard training  for me. Soaking in sweat and out of breath Mestre Serginhos workshops starts, wich was very usefull and interesting, Mestre Serginho has a very interesting way to teach, a wonderfull personality and an incredible attention to each individual student. I felt that there was alot of movements and sequences to take in all at once but i will surely keep a few clearly stuck in my mind.

"Mestre Serginho showing a new sequence"

After a long workshop with Serginho it was time for lunch, huge thanks to Josef (Albins father) who provided the raw materials and to Instrutora Gata who cooked food the whole Friday well into the night and of course to the rest who helped to set up everything and serve. The food was some kind of chicken casserole with chickpeas, it was really good and after lunch we had one hour to rest and talk about Serginhos workshop.

Now it was time for Afro-Dance led by Instrutora Gata, it was terribly funny and everyone else also seemed to think so.

Then it was time to learn how to play the various instruments that we use in capoeira, Mestre Serginho helped us with this. I feel a lack of instrument training, wish more of this during the regular training sessions.

"Mestre Serginho teaching the kids about the music of capoeira"

Now, the children will change their cordão, everyones standing up, clapping their hands and singing while those who will graduate are sitting down and one by one are being invited into the roda to play and show off what they have learned, everyone are really good, it’s amazing how much children pick up in such a short time.

Now that all the children have recived their cordão it’s time for the adult to graduate, of course there’s some tension but once inside the roda everything progresses as it should. Later Kleber gives out thanks to the visiting capoeiristas from the other clubs, handing out medals to some individuals that have assisted and supported the group and of course a big thanks to Mestre Serginho who has travelled here all the way from Brazil.

"The instructors gathered"

After graduation, I am asked to attend the register at the café, so i’m left to sit in relative solitude, stuffing my face with fruits and sandwiches.

I hear from where i’m sitting that a Samba de Roda has started and other fun stuff, very boring to be left in the café.

Cleaning remains, and all are comitted, after cleaning we’re about 15 people left who will continue on to restaurant Ipanem for a little samba tonight. But first we powered up the sauna so that we can relax our aching muscles after such a long day of capoeira.

A wondeful ending to a crazy day! I wonder how much crazier a batizado would be in Brazil.

Written by: PicaPau

Welcome to the new section of the Capoeira Luta da vida blog - In English!

This section is as much for our international members as for capoeirstas around the world. Here you'll find important information about our training and events, as well as some basic information about us, Capoeira Luta da vida.

First out - the schedule for spring training i Göteborg, Sweden (Jan 18th - June 4th 2011).



Please note that the open training has moved from Saturdays to Fridays at 19.00-20.30. This is partly due to our new project (Mångfaldsprojektet), which means that we now give capoeira classes six days a week to fourteen different groups. Our trainers need at least one day off per week, and the only possible day for them to rest is Saturdays. Since we're only tenants, we must follow the landlord's rules when in the local. For this reason, along with the insurance company's policy,  we cannot allow members to train alone, without an instructor, on Saturdays.