Mmmmm Brazilian Food! What's your favorite? Pao de queijo, pacoquinha...

C-A-P-O-E-I-R-A!

Class pics May 2010

Carmelo's batizado

Congratulations to Cynthia Nwoke who won the raffle! THANK YOU to everyone for your support!

Parabens Congratulations! Batizado May 2010

Fundraising Raffle for $75 Gift Card to Carmine's Restaurant (or Virgil's, Gabriela's, Artie's too)!

Win a $75 Gift Card to use at any of the Alicart restaurants, including Carmine's, Virgil's, Gabriela's, Artie's. See website http://alicart.com/ for list of restaurants and locations. Raffle tickets are $3 or two for $5. The drawing will be Friday May 21st and the winner will be notified via email and phone. We will either hand deliver or mail your gift card. The winner will also be announced on this blog. Proceeds go toward Batizado fees and purchase of uniforms for Vanguard High School students. THANK YOU for your support!

Special thanks to Susana Chacon's father for donation of the gift card!

What are some of your worries, or fears for our upcoming batizado?

Being Silly: The Capoeira Electric Slide

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Fundraising Food Sale! Thursdays in May: Remember to bring your money for a delicious lunch plate.

Sat May 15th 2010: BATIZADO Graduation Ceremony!! Invite your friends/family!

Time: 12-2p
Location: PS 321 Auditorium @ 180 7th Ave. between 1st and 2nd Sts. Brooklyn, NY 11215
Directions: Take 2/3 to Grand Army Plaza, F to 7th Ave, or Q to 7th Ave.

Questions: karikokka@gmail.com, 917 512 1314
rouxinol@capoeirabrooklyn.com, 646 492 4221, http://www.capoeirabrooklyn.com/

Mestre Foca Raizes do Brasil Capoeira Brooklyn

Mestre Foca, Capoeira Instructor from Thirteen.org on Vimeo.

Who are you inviting for your May 15th Batizado graduation ceremony? What are you most excited about? (Research "capoeira batizado" online!)

What are you interested in learning more about? (ie. history, origins, maculele, puxada de rede, music, Angola, regional, groups, candomble)

What is the most fun and/or interesting aspect of capoeira for you? Why? Explain!

What do you think your strengths are in capoeira? (floreios, kicks, esquivas, instruments,singing, etc)? What are you trying to improve?

What suggestions do you have for our March 24th show (international day) and/or for our Batizado Show in May?

What is something new that you learned today?

What's your favorite aspect of capoeira?

What did you think of the videos you watched?

Upcoming Field Trip in March: Dance Brazil

Jan 12, 2010 Show: Vanguard HS

2009 Batizado opening

What Capoeira song can you most relate to?

Bahia Comenca Com B

We sing "Bahia Comenca com B, Bahia temina em IA." Well duh. I think it's rather obvious the word begins with 'B' and ends with "ia." But on to the good stuff...

Bahia is one of the 26 states in Brazil where Capoeira is played. What is capoeira you ask? Have you ever played the game Tekken? Well then you've answered your own question...

Capoeira began over 400 years ago. It was a form of self defense for slaves against their owners. They disguised the mixed martial art to appear as a dance so that they wouldn't think anything of it. When capoeiristas play, they do so in a "roda" pronounced joda. Which really just means circle in Portugese. When you "buy the game" and decide to play with someone, you usually incorporate several kicks, esquivas, and aus. Forgive me, I forgot how to make accents on this keyboard. But in any case, music is very important while were playing. We play instruments such as the berimbau, the atabaque, the pandeiro, and the agogo. The berimbau controls the other instruments, and also the tempo of the roda. We also sing. It's really fun.

Lastly, what most people don't know is that there are two main styles of capoeira. In Kari's class we play capoeira regional. Additionally, there is another style called angola. Mestre Bimba developed capoeira regional. It is fast paced, opposed to angola which is much slower but doesn't involve as much acrobatics. Angola was developed by Mestre Pastinha.

A blogger once said "If one picture is worth a thousand words, one capoeira roda is worth a thousand articles." I couldn't agree more. Here are some photos..

To the left, one capoeirista is flipping, whereas the other is esquiva-ing decida basica so that he doesn't get hit. (capoeira regional)

In this photo to the left, they are playing capoeira
angola, and as you can see the game is much closer.

I hope that you have learned more about Capoeira, and also about the class. I hope that more underclassmen join so that when the seniors leave they can also train. I am excited for the next batizado in June, so I can get a new cord. :D

What's your favorite song?

There is always something to improve on, but what are you working on right now?

What's your nickname and why do you think that was given to you?

Why do you play capoeira?

Na vida se cai

Na vida se cai, se leva rasteira
Quem nunca caiu, não é Capoeira
Na vida se cai, se leva rasteira
Quem nunca caiu, não é Capoeira
Na Capoeira eu cresci com o passar
Nesse tempo tão ligeiro rapido como um piscar
Ontem eu era um menino inciante,
Um capoeira errante mas não parei de treinar
Na vida se cai, se leva rasteira
Quem nunca caiu, não é Capoeira
A vaidade é ruim pro capoeira faz ele se achar o bom
Quando cai, cai de bobeira
Eu cai sim, cai mas me levantei,
Tropecei cai de novo consegui me afirmei
Na vida se cai, se leva rasteira
Quem nunca caiu, não é Capoeira