#interviewofthemonth

[capoeira-hub-australasia]

Introducing ... | Contra-Mestre DVD

This month we have the pleasure of bringing you an interview with Contra-Mestre DVD (Deivide Correa) from São Paolo, Brazil. Contra-Mestre DVD is the founder of Ginga & Arte Capoeira Northern Beaches, in Sydney. DVD has been practising Capoeira since 1992, and brings a lot to the Capoeira community in Sydney, and Australia-wide. A keen and passionate musician, he has just launched his second Capoeira music album, 'Trazido de Luanda' ( Listen to it here ). 

Read on to find out more about Contra-Mestre DVD's journey and thoughts on Capoeira.

CH: How did your Capoeira journey begin?

CMDVD: My Capoeira journey began in 1992 after I watched a Capoeira display one of those typical June parties ( Festa Junina ) back home. I was so amazed with the Capoeira display that I could not take my eyes off it for the whole show. That night I went back home after the party and told my dad that I wanted to learn Capoeira no matter what. 

At first, he wasn't very happy about it as Capoeira was still seen as something that only thieves and bad people would practise. I had to convince him that it was an amazing sport and that to learn Capoeira I had to attend a Capoeira school, not on the streets. I convinced him after a couple of weeks and here I am learning about Capoeira day after day.

The first interstate trip that DVD made as an 'aluno' of his first Capoeira school in Brazil

CH: What brought you to Australia?

CMDVD: I had a friend living here. She was always trying to convince me to move over. It took me 3 years to decide to come to Australia. 

When I lost my job back home in 2007. I struggled to find another one. So, I decided to sell everything I had: furniture, vinyl records, musical instruments and move over here to try and start a new life. It is one of the best decisions I've ever made. I have a beautiful family, great friends and I do one of the things I love the most ... CAPOEIRA.

DVD and Fominha as Capoeira Brazil students in the Bateria together

CH: What made you choose to teach Capoeira in Australia?

CMDVD: I was training under my great friend Formando Fominha (Grupo Capoeira Brazil) in 2008. After one year of training, he asked me if I wanted to join the Capoeira Brasil team officially. I accepted this, as my Master in Brazil had stopped teaching Capoeira. After some time training with Fominha, he asked if I was interested in taking over the classes as he had another big Capoeira project happening and he was unable to continue teaching in the Northern Beaches. I started teaching the classes since then and never stopped. I left Grupo Capoeira Brasil a couple of years later. I learned heaps and made a great connection with the Capoeira Brasil School. Formando Fominha and I are still great friends.

Contra-Mestre DVD with his baby daughter

CH: What challenges have you faced teaching Capoeira in Australia?

CMDVD: My biggest challenge was the language barrier and getting new members to join the school so I could afford the rent! (Haha)

Contra-Mestre DVD singing ao pe do berimbau 

CH: How do you imagine Capoeira will evolve in Australia in the future?

CMDVD: Capoeira at this present point in time is going through a difficult period as the COVID-19 pandemic pushed everyone back a little. 

However, I see a big change coming Capoeira community in Australia. There's a new project on the way that will get us more united and stronger than ever. I cannot disclose more info on that now. 

Sometimes we need to have a break to think outside the box and come back with new great ideas not only for our own Capoeira school but for the whole Capoeira community in the country, and if possible the world.

Contra-Mestre DVD with Mestre Durma, who is the Godfather of his group 'Ginga & Arte'

CH: What are your thoughts on equality in Capoeira?

CMDVD: On this point I choose one aspect of Capoeira where you couldn't find more equality. This aspect is the roda . If you get two Capoeiristas with similar experience and number of years of training, regardless of their weight, height, sexual orientation, cultural background and sometimes even age, I call it an even and equal game. 

It does not mean that a man will have more advantages than a woman, as long as the game remains technical. I have seen it happening so many times. Males and females challenging each other technically, without brute force in the roda and it was 50/50. In many cases the woman played heaps better. I hope that makes sense.

Contra-Mestre DVD's latest album, 'Trazido de Luanda' ( Listen here )

CH: How would you sum up your philosophy or approach to Capoeira?

CMDVD: My philosophy to Capoeira is similar to my approach to life. It can be Angola, Regional, etc. There is no such thing as a 'better style', 'better uniform' or the owner of the truth in Capoeira. You have got to respect more experienced and older Capoeiristas, train hard, go beyond what your Master, or instructor teaches you, be curious, read Capoeira books, watch documentaries and most importantly, share the information you gained. When you share what you know, the universe will send back to you so much, not only in Capoeira but as I said at the beginning, everything in life.

Another way I also see it as that you can take Capoeira as a martial art, dance, body expression or just a hang out with friends, as long you treat it with respec t. That is at the beginner level though. Once you gain a little more experience, it completely changes for better. You either know the direction you want in Capoeira, or just stop training.

At the beginning of my events before I start the Guests Roda I always finish my speech with a quote. I will finish my answer now with one of my favorite quotes:

In some cultures when you die, to get to heaven you are asked two questions, and depending on your answer you can either get into heaven or not. The questions are:

Have you found joy in your life? Has your joy brought joy to others?

I believe everyone who teaches and is dedicated to Capoeira, is fair and does the right things, gets a space in heaven. Capoeira is so much Joy in so many ways.

I have just released my CD Trazido de Luanda on Spotify, Itunes and Apple Music. I hope that also brings a little joy for everyone who listens, loves, and criticises it, for the simple fact that music is an inexplicable externalisation of feelings.

Thank you for your time Contra-Mestre DVD!

[capoeira-hub-australasia]

Interview of the Month | Instrutor Jesito ‘Calango’ ~ Capoeira Aruanda Newcastle

This month we have the pleasure of bringing you an interview with Instrutor Jesito of Capoeira Aruanda Newcastle. 

Jesito is a well-loved and respected Capoeirista who, together with others from his generation, is paving the way for future Capoeiristas across Australasia. His dedication and commitment to completely understanding the art form, as a non-Brazilian practising and teaching Capoeira in Australia, is exemplary. Many of you may have seen Jesito at events all over the country and he is a great proponent of uniting Capoeira and creating lasting bonds between all groups and communities.

For more information about his work, follow Jesito here and here

Read on to be inspired by Jesito’s journey in Capoeira so far.

CH: How did your Capoeira Journey begin?

IJ: Before beginning my journey I was learning west African drumming with master percussionists, Mohammed and Sibo Bangoura. Both are griots [a person who passes on culture, stories and history with the use of music in malinke nation of west Africa] and are considered to be a Mestre as he or she is responsible for passing down history and culture through music and dance. Through playing percussion I started playing Brazilian Batucada in a local group called ‘Repercussion’, in Newcastle.

It was through playing percussion that I was introduced to the Berimbau. At that time I had no access to internet and had to go to the library and research the origins and to my surprise it came from brazil with African roots, which of course intrigued me more.

I was able to buy my first berimbau from the drum shop in Newcastle where they were selling (from what I realised after) ‘tourist’ berimbaus from Bahia. Basically it looked like a painted ‘Igreja do Bom Fim’ good luck ribbon. My only reference for playing the instrument came from the Chimp Capoeira website which was one of the only web sites for Gringos for everything capoeira. They had written sheet music for playing with the basic keys laid out for each tone to hit and play. Looking back on it I basically only had a 50 cent coin as a dobrao and a chop stick as a baqueta!

My first class ever was in 1997 with an Australian guy called Peter Pan, who was married to a Brazilian lady and had spent years training in Brazil. He never had a group or even a Master from what I remembered though he was keen to pass on what he learned to us. This was my introduction to Capoeira and it would be many years later after travelling that I would come back and find it again in Newcastle, with Mestre Borracha.

I started classes again in 2003-2004 with Mestre Borracha who was teaching in The Junction (Newcastle) and again at the University of Newcastle. I remember it being a very tough class and feeling so confused as it was so different from any other martial art,. For me it was more about the music which interested me most at that time. It was here that I met two friends of mine who train to this day, Educador and Gana. Gana used to travel from Sydney to assist Borracha with classes. I’ve never looked back, even though I was never the talented one of the bunch, I kept going.

CH: What made you choose to teach Capoeira?

IJ: My teacher Mestre Borracha lived in Sydney and it was very hard for him to travel every week, due to work and family. So a few already graded students use to assist with classes. At this stage we had Arara, Educador, Pescador, Angelica, Moleque and a few others. We used to train together and share teaching: one person would run warm-up and someone else would run the main class. In the end it was just myself teaching classes with Educador.

I have mainly taught in Newcastle however I taught in the Blue Mountains for a number of years and ran some classes in Hamburg, Germany for Professor Soldado. I have been back in Newcastle for the past 4 years and have had the pleasure to be a part of opening an academy there. Now I have been concentrating on my classes teaching kids, adults, the disabled and running school terms at high school.

CH: What challenges have you faced teaching Capoeira?

IJ: Well, every person is different to the next. My disabilities class for example is the most challenging. I have some guys with mental disabilities and some guys with physical disabilities and the question is how to manage this.  There are some who have autism and music can set them off and they find the music too confronting. In honesty it is no different to everyone else, for example some people find is easy to learn by processing the information visually and others by clear verbal explanations. It has been rewarding for me as you learn not just about others but about yourself and how powerful this beautiful art is.

I perceive how people here as opposed to Brazil and Germany learn things differently and can be cultural. For example, people here (not speaking of friends and colleagues but in general) tend to treat it like a sport or a hobby and come and go as if it’s a paying service. There are not as many older Capoeiristas that I know of who still play. Of course things like family and moving away etc. play a part in that but in general I find it like this. In Germany however people have a strong discipline and when they start an activity they follow it through and very rarely miss days of class. In general they like to be told what to do and they do it. Capoeira is very big in Europe with many event and many good players so the level is higher than here.

Both of my experiences in Brazil have been different again. Firstly it’s the birthplace of Capoeira and people understand the culture right away, from the music and its meanings to brincaderia and malandragem as these things are already part of Brazilian culture. They train hard and take it seriously and have respect for their teachers and Mestres. I’m not saying the rest of us don't – it just takes longer to get there.

CH: How do you imagine Capoeira will evolve in Australasia?

IJ: Well I feel very lucky to know the pioneers of Capoeira in Australia. Mestre Geronimo, Mestre Gilson, Mestre Val, Mestre Nei, Mestre Luizinho and Mestre Peixe. I believe they were the first to come and teach here in Australia and many others came after, all of whom I respect. I say this because it makes me realise that Capoeira is still young here and it is evolving its new environment and its people . One thing I noticed since going to my first event outer state, a Xango Capoeira event, is that more and more people are attending events and that feeling that we are connected is growing between the groups. Perhaps it is due to technology and social media that we have the ability to connect better with each other.  

For us to evolve and keep moving forward is for students to get out of their comfort zone and play with people you don’t know and challenge yourself. I think that giving the student the knowledge and allowing them to try in the roda techniques, music or singing is key to this because failure is the key to success.

I use to run monthly rodas with a good friend of mine Instructor Esquilo from Energia da Bahia. I found these rodas were a good stepping stone for many of the young student to try without the pressure. Professor Neguinho (Capoeira Gerais) at the moment is doing a great job of this, providing a space for people from different groups to get together and play.

CH: What are your thoughts on equality in Capoeira?

IJ: Capoeira is for the rich and the poor, different sexes, white or black and any age. In this way the philosophy treats everyone equally. As we know Capoeira was born of oppression and the need to fight out against inequalities, survive from physical harm, and the harm of oppression and even death.

I've always believed that Capoeira promotes equality and I always endeavour to treat everyone equally, I believe more than ever that women and men in Capoeira can play on an equal level both physically and mentally.

I have a question for people to think about: Does Capoeira promote equity? Meaning that does it look to an individual and try to identify what the person needs to succeed in Capoeira? Everyone that comes to train with me is equal and I treat them how I would like to be treated, with honesty, kindness and fairness. As a Capoeira teacher I would like to know how teachers and people in general treat others. It certainly helps by identifying what individual people need specifically, as opposed to assuming that we all learn the same way or play the same in Capoeira.

CH: How would you sum up your philosophy or approach to Capoeira?

IJ: Well, I’m in a state of learning and evolving, as all of us should be. My point of view may change over time.

Capoeira has always meant freedom to me. In the word Aruanda for example. Aruanda is the place that the slaves longed to return to, a place where they could live in freedom. I feel that Capoeira should be expressed this way, with freedom. As a teacher I act as guide. If I need to hold their hand to help them from time to time I will, but I will never prevent them from exploring the art and exploring the gnosis or knowledge that can help free the person. Of course, as with a child you have to teach the ABC and get them prepared for life, but once they are ready then it is up to them and I think this is a good approach for the student.

Also I believe that being a good Capoeirista starts and finishes with having a good heart. You need to be a good person with good intentions, for others and yourself. I know that Capoeira is a reflection of life and there is light and dark, good and bad in life as in the roda but for me and my guys a good heart is important.

One final thing - learn the history, because if you know who you are you know where you are going, and always have fun. Enjoy Capoeira!

[capoeira-hub-australasia]

“There is already a generation of Australian Capoeiristas who have dedicated many years to the art and are now knowledgeable instructors and teachers. It's not easy to invest so much, learn a different language and immerse yourself in a new culture. That's a great testament to the good work of their masters and an inspiration for the new students that now have locals to look up to and know it's possible to go down this path” Contra-Mestre Caracol, Xango Capoeira (from our archives) Check our blog page for more great and insightful interviews! www.capoeirahubaustralasia.com . . . #capoeirahubaustralasia #interviewofthemonth #capoeira #capoeiragem #capoeiraarte #capoeirainaustralia #capoeirista https://www.instagram.com/p/BokjgM8ASr3/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=hv5iyorrwhqe

[capoeira-hub-australasia]

Interview of the Month | Mestre Val Boa Morte ~ Filhos da Bahia

This month we are honoured to bring you an interview with the well-known and greatly respected Mestre Val Boa Morte, founder of ‘Filhos da Bahia’ Capoeira group (established in Salvador, Bahia Brazil in 1983).

In 1992, Mestre Val (Edval Santos) moved to Australia to lead the Capoeira Filhos da Bahia International Group. His Capoeira academy in Melbourne is exemplary and has hosted many great Masters throughout the years since it was established.

Mestre Val has a rich history of training & dedication to all aspects of Capoeira, a journey which started in his childhood. Mestre Val’s career has taken him to over 57 Countries around the World, performing and teaching Capoeira. He is also the founder of ‘Capoeira Art Organisation’ which has successfully empowered marginalised communities through through education workshops, community involvement, training and performances.

To follow Mestre Val’s work, go to: http://www.capoeirafdb.com

Read on to be inspired by his journey and dedication to the art form:

CH: How did your Capoeira journey begin?

MVBM: My name is Edval Higinio Boa Morte Santos, I'm from Salvador Bahia. Bairro da Liberdade. Disciple of Mestres Alfredo, Waldemar da Liberdade, Nô, Alabama and Boa Gente.

As a child of 9 years, I was introduced to Capoeira in Salvador, my birth city. I quickly fell in love with the berimbau, Capoeira music, Capoeira movements and culture. I began sharing my inspiration, by teaching my brothers and others, and practising with my friends in the neighbourhood. At the age of 15, I was officially teaching, performing locally, interstate and internationally. Today, I have travelled to 57 countries worldwide, teaching, performing and sharing Capoeira.

Mestre Alfredo started me in the world of Capoeira and continues in my world to this day.

Mestre Waldemar da Liberdade taught me a lot about the philosophical part, playing and also appreciating the magical instrument, the berimbau.

Mestre Nô always admired my Capoeira and always advised me in the Capoeira rodas after each game, a custom that I follow and continue with my students today. He was my fan, just as I was a fan of him.

Mestre Alabama accepted me in his Academy for a time when my Master went to live in Bahia to teach and try a better life. I was already teaching Capoeira at the time, authorised by Mestre Alfredo. I was always a fan and friend of Master Alabama and he was one of my idols in Capoeira, he had an ‘elastic’ capoeira, very loose and effective.

Mestre Boa Gente, I have always admired since my adolescent years when we went to the Clube Cruz Vermelha (where he used to teach and have rodas every week) with Mestre Alfredo and his team. Mestre Boa Gente had a super posture and this helped me a lot in my growth. I thought he was very involved, but at least I admired him for his achievements and the position he occupied in Capoeira. Over time we have become friends, partners, and counsellors to the point that I have him as a Father in Capoeira.

These Masters are and were great examples of "what it takes” to be a Master of capoeira.

Circle of Knives performance - 1988

Melbourne International Capoeira evento in April 2007 with Mestre Boa Gente, Alfredo Duarte Borges Neto, Mestre Nei Boa Morte and Mestre Marcos Gytauna. RODA DE RUA Federation Square, Melbourne.

CH: What brought you to Australia?

MVBM: I arrived here in Australia on November the 10th, 1992.

My first Australian connection started in the streets of Salvador/Bahia in Brazil in 1990 where I used to perform for tourists, at ‘Praia da Barra’. There was an Australian woman there who was enchanted with our art and us, and spent almost 4 hours following us around. She said that Australia was a good country and there were a lot of opportunities for us and that she was going to make it happen by contacting some places and people that she already knew who were doing Brazilian things. She made the contacts, and told me about ‘Rios’ Restaurant. I was thinking about it for almost 2 years before making the decision.

My second Australian Connection was in Rio de Janeiro at Copacabana Beach when I was busking again for the tourists and I met Marcone Pereira, owner of the Brazilian Latin Dance Company, who came up to me to congratulate me on my performance, and mentioned that he was living in Sydney Australia. I told him about my contacts and their intentions of having me go there and that I was thinking of accepting the proposal and he said that he knew the owner of Rios, Marcos Rocha, whose business card he gave me which I have kept until today. I asked Marcone to help me with a phone call to Australia to speak to the lady who sponsored me to come here because I couldn’t speak English well and her Portuguese also wasn’t that great. From that time on we kept in contact while I was performing all over the world and after 2 years I accepted the challenge and came to Australia. I arrived here in Melbourne and 2 days later I went to watch the show at Rios Brazilian restaurant where I was invited to the stage and since then I never stopped with my performances in Australia.

Those were the reasons for me taking a risk and coming to Australia to try it out. And it all worked out. I have been here for 25 years, and today I call Australia home.

What I miss the most in Brazil is my family, MY PARENTS. my Mother who passed away in 2013 and my father in 2009, my daughters, my brothers, my sisters and my friends.

What I like the most here in Australia is the fact that I have built a community for people to have an opportunity to know and connect with our culture. What I like the most in Australia is to have my 4 kids who are beautiful and marvelous, and that is one of the biggest reason that I am attached to this country. And the friendship circle that I created here. I have met so many good people, I have had so many good opportunities in my life, things that I didn’t ever dream of back in Brazil. When you don’t dream and wish of having something, and things happens it is all a bonus.

CH: What made you choose to teach Capoeira in Australia?

MVBM: For more than 25 years, I have been teaching Capoeira here in Melbourne, Australia and I have watched the Melbourne community changing. Over the years, me and CFdB have been involved in Capoeira demonstrations, community projects, cultural performances and demonstrations at schools, community organisations & many events.

Being a Father with young, growing children, I am very passionate about the next generation of Australians. I am very excited to continue offering Capoeira education and developing skills through experiential learning to children and young people and adults in Melbourne.

Mestre Val, teaching in his Academy in Melbourne.

CH: What challenges have you faced teaching Capoeira in Australia?

MVBM: Capoeira here in Australia is super popular now, being practised and demonstrated in gyms, schools, universities, on the streets, in clubs, and events. The responsible Mestres, Contramestres, Professores, Instructors, and graded students who are teaching are all doing well, be they Brazilians, Australians or foreigners. One should not forget where everything began and who were the pioneers and true diffusers (only one outburst of mine).

To leave my country was a challenge that until today I face, to stay away from my family, friends and to try to spread a completely opposite culture in Australia was not easy, but the results are the biggest rewards, and the message that I have for the youth is to follow the paths of their goals, without fear of making mistakes.

I don’t think there is any difference between teaching a foreigner and a Brazilian. The difference is actually that here people have more discipline because it’s not part of their culture. They pay more attention, put more effort into it. Even with other opportunities around them, working in different things all at once there is actually no difference. They “ginga”, they play instruments, they sing. My class is 80% in Portuguese, all the movement names are in Portuguese, all around the academy you can see signs written in Portuguese . I like to incentivise them to learn our language and our culture. The result is better than expected. When they travel to Brazil nobody even suspects they are from Australia. I have real proof of that. I don’t want to talk about it because it is really sad to talk about this person, but people who know my history and the history of my group ‘Filhos da Bahia’, know about one of my pupils, who God took away. 

Anyway there is no difference. Brazil is inserted in here [in Mestre Val’s academy]

CH: How do you imagine Capoeira will evolve in Australia in the future?

MVBM: With all my respect... What CAPOEIRA needs Camaradas, is to create a strong bond of FRIENDSHIP, COMPANIONSHIP, DISCIPLINE, RESPECT, TRUST, SOLIDARITY AND EDUCATION among teachers and their disciples, and among the educators of our art in themselves, whether they are Brazilian or not. 

Also not forgetting that, like all the situations that we find in Capoeira, it will be a big challenge. First because we are living in a country with a culture and way of life completely opposite to ours. Comrades, in reality good manners come from family education. 

How many of us accept students in our groups and don’t even ask where they came from? We do not know their history or even get in touch with their teachers to know why they had abandoned their groups and go jumping from one group to another? And if that happened or happens to any student or former student give that teacher a call, or openly let everyone know who this person was is so everyone else knows as well. 

In fact, in Australia there are many ‘Chiefs’ to only a few Tribes. 

Let’s respect each other so that our students, admirers and those who are about to join us, do the same. AXÉ

CH: What are your thoughts on equality in Capoeira?

MVBM: Capoeira is an inclusive art without discrimination of race, gender, age, physical or mental state.

CH: How would you sum up your philosophy or approach to Capoeira?

MVBM: The Capoeira that I teach and the Capoeira which I had experience of when I was an apprentice (although I consider myself in the art of capoeira and life an ‘eternal apprentice’), is an authentic capoeira, without borders and without limits, a Capoeira that does not divide but strengthens. The Capoeira of our Ancestors who fought for a hope of survival, a Capoeira that rejoices and does not disappoint. Capoeira as a philosophy of life, which is the Capoeira I believe in.

Capoeira Writing by Mestre Val Boa Morte

The Sunset...

While the sun was hiding the night came, us Capoeiristas we get another night of busking on the streets until late from Barra Beach to Pituba Beach.

We were Filhos da Bahia Capoeira Group fighting, playing, running and surviving. Axe for everyone who went through those experiences with me….. my brothers Nei Boa Morte, Jorginho Boa Morte, Dinho Boa Morte, my students Edilnei Ribeiro, Gugu Sete Molas, Nando, Tatinho, Bananal and many others. Thanks to all of you first and foremost to God and my Parents.

This is an art of all races, all colors, disappointments, values, achievements and a lot of love. I love it. Great warrior I am. I am Capoeira in my blood, skin, in my life and in my color. Even after my departure I will remain immortal as long as the drums and the sounds of the berimbau continue to ring in this world. I am grateful for life and for my learning, I am grateful for being, being and existing. Iê, long live my God, Camara! Iê, eternal life for my Masters, my family and my true friends. Iê Salve a Capoeira

(by Edval Santos - Mestre Val Boa Morte – 30.07.2017)

Capoeira is Something Very Magical

Capoeira is something very magical that I do not even know how to explain. Since I was a child, I practiced even against the will of my parents, especially my Father. And time has passed, but now I’ll be a Capoeira until I die. Many people thought that I was going crazy because of my love affair with Capoeira. But who never loved throw the first stone lol . Capoeira turned my life around and makes me happy. I'm very serious. I love the sound of Berimbau, Pandeiro and Atabaque, which always makes me want to cry. When I listen to them I feel the magic and I transform myself. When I get in the Roda it's like my life. I roll in the solitude, I avoid the nostalgia. I give an AU (cartwheel) of happiness for being alive and feeling the atmosphere of capoeira. And for those of you who always thought I was crazy, they got it right. I AM CRAZY FOR THIS ART THAT I LOVE SO MUCH. I AM MOVED BY CAPOEIRA I'm a capoeira. Capoeira is me.

(By Edval Santos - Mestre Val Boa Morte – 10.07.2006)

LIBERDADE

I lived in Salvador, my home town, with Masters like Joao Pequeno and Waldemar. To speak of the Liberdade, that is a Neighborhood that exists there. A place where so many famous Capoeira Masters were born and where Capoeira made history. There I was born, raised, learned and I began to teach. There I realized my first dreams to travel around the world. I thank God and my warrior parents for the support and the knowledge to educate me. Thanks to My Master Alfredo for teaching me Capoeira. Thanks to Bimba and Pastinha for fighting for Capoeira to be where it is today.

And I thank all the old masters for keeping the tradition and the Capoeira. Do not abandon Freedom. Freedom. Traditional Capoeira is the real Capoeira. FREEDOM. FREEDOM. TRADITIONAL CAPOEIRA IS THE REAL CAPOEIRA

(By Edval Santos - Mestre Val Boa Morte – 20.11.2017)

"What does it take to be a Master of Capoeira?

In reality, "what is needed to be a Capoeira Master, in logic, is training, dedication, experience and independent recognition of sex and age.

In one of my compositions I quote that being a Master is not a game. Being a Master is having the right word that touches within a heart. Being a Master is knowing how to accept challenges. Being a Master is seeking knowledge in each individual. To be a Master is to have a posture without arrogance, to be humble. To be a Master is to know how to listen, to hold hands with enemies, to know how to understand and to care. To be a Master is to know how to lead and be respectful.

To reaffirm, a Master is not made but recognised in the world of Capoeira and before his students, colleagues and society in general.

Sources for this interview: Mestre Val Boa Morte (2018) , Brazilian Travel Centre interview (2015): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDVSqZc87Ac, Revista Capoeira Magazine (2016)

[capoeira-hub-australasia]

Interview of the Month | Professor Tulio Mercurio ~ Grupo Capoeira Brasil

This month we introduce you to Professor Tulio Mercurio, from Vila-Velha, Brasil, who leads Grupo Capoeira Brasil in the Gold Coast, QLD. In 2006, under the guidance of his Mestre (Mestre Paulinho Sabia) Tulio established Grupo Capoeira Brasil in New Zealand. A few years later, he moved to Australia to develop his Capoeira and to start a new group in the Gold Coast, which has been running since 2013.

To follow Professor Tulio Mercurio’s work, go to: www.goldcoastcapoeira.com.au

CH:  How did your Capoeira journey begin?

PTM:  My journey in Capoeira began when I heard the sound of the berimbau for the first time and I still remember it like it was today. I was 6 years old and I heard this beautiful sound coming from down the road near my grandmother's house so I went down to find out what it was and when I got there I discovered it was a Capoeira class. 

At the time I didn't have money to pay for classes as my family was from a very humble background, so I sat down and watched the class and from that moment I knew that Capoeira was something I needed in my life. 

It wasn’t until I was 14 years old in 1997 that I really started training Capoeira with Group Capoeira Brasil. As I mentioned before, being from a poor family we lived in lower class suburbs called “favelas” and being a teenager in Brazil I was exposed to a lot of violence and drug dealing. However, I can say that Capoeira saved my life. I had found in my Capoeira school a place to belong and felt that I finally had a purpose in life “being a Capoeirista”

CH: What brought you to Australia?

PTM: After teaching Capoeira in New Zealand for over 10 years I decided that I wanted to live in a warmer country with a stronger economy and with more opportunities to play Capoeira as I needed to grow as a person and as a professional Capoeirista.

CH: What made you choose to teach Capoeira in Australia?

PTM: While teaching in New Zealand I came to a lot of events here in Australia. After all, it was the closest country to New Zealand, with a rotation of masters coming from Brazil with much-needed information as New Zealand is very isolated from the rest of the Capoeira world. 

First I moved to Perth, however, after 6 months I realised that Perth wasn’t the place for me so I moved to the Gold Coast and as soon as I arrived here I felt that I had found my new home.

CH: What challenges have you faced teaching Capoeira in Australia?

PTM: Since I was 14 years old I have dedicated my whole life to learning the Capoeira rituals/fundamentals and developing my skills as a Capoeira teacher and Capoeira player. However, I felt that I needed something else in my life here in Australia so I started a new career as a real estate agent. That was a huge challenge for me as I started working for one of the biggest agencies on the Gold Coast and I found my whole time being dedicated to my new career and not much time left for my passion. I had to teach classes after working in an extremely stressful environment all day but slowly my classes started to grow and seeing my students developing their skills was very rewarding so that helped me to keep going.

Another thing that was a very big challenge and still challenges me is the ego and the politics in Australian Capoeira. I couldn’t believe how much politics exist between schools, teachers/masters that have been here for years. I guess I should not elaborate on this as I usually speak my mind and it will get me in trouble :-) This comment is not directed to anyone specific but is a general feeling.

CH: How do you imagine Capoeira will evolve in Australia in the future?

PTM: I have only been teaching in Australia for 5 years so maybe I am still trying to figure this out, but in my opinion it will evolve with more integration and cooperation between groups not thinking about one flag but in benefit of Capoeira in general as a whole community.

I believe the new generation of teachers in Australia is really helping with this mentality.

CH: What are your thoughts on equality in Capoeira?

PTM: I believe Capoeira is for everyone and I see it as a way of social inclusion, family, a martial art and most of all support for one another. I believe the higher the belt is the more humble you should be and that's how I try to teach my students. 

Education always comes first in the roda and outside.

CH: How would you sum up your philosophy or approach to Capoeira?

PTM: I have always seen Capoeira as a tool to help others and to connect good people together as it helped me to become who I am today. 

After being involved in Capoeira for 21 years I am now hosting an annual event called ‘Vamos Vadiar’ for which the main idea is to inspire Capoeiristas from all backgrounds to keep going and to see Capoeira as a whole community, and to create an environment where everyone feels welcome.

[capoeira-hub-australasia]

Interview of the Year | Mestre Brabo ~ Capoeira Mandinga Aotearoa

“I am from Aotearoa/New Zealand. I grew up on the shores of the Manukau Harbour in Auckland. My name is Grant Cole. I’m known in the capoeira world as Mestre Brabo.”

This month we are delighted to bring you a feature-length interview with Mestre Brabo (Grant Cole), from Aotearoa, New Zealand. A trip to the United States in 1983, where Brabo met Marcelo Caveirinha (who eventually became his Mestre) was how his journey in Capoeira began. Five years later on a trip to Brasil, he trained for a short period with Mestre João Pequeno, and it was then that he found the Capoeira he could really relate to. 

Through an introduction to Mestre Jogo de Dentro (student of Mestre João Pequeno) Brabo continued to develop and learn from Capoeira Angola Mestres, travelling backwards and forwards between New Zealand and Bahia, and using what he learned to teach his own Capoeira students. His group, “Capoeira Mandinga Aotearoa” steadily grew and the Capoeira developed with the help of visiting Capoeira Angola mestres, especially Mestre Jogo de Dentro (Semente do Capoeira de Angola). Mestre Roxinho (ECAMAR) has also been immensely supportive.

“Although I may not be an Angoleiro, my Capoeira is” (M.Brabo)

To learn more about Mestre Brabo’s group ‘Capoeira Mandinga Aotearoa’ visit http://www.capoeira.org.nz/ 

Read on to be inspired by Mestre Brabo’s fascinating journey and perspective on Capoeira

CH: How did your Capoeira journey begin?

MB: In November 1983 I went to California from Aotearoa/New Zealand. I was living in Oakland.  The first time I experienced the atmosphere of capoeira was through the closed window of a car looking in through the window of a building. I don’t remember identifying anything of what is all so familiar to me now. I don’t remember hearing the sounds of music or song that now I can pick at a keen distance. 

I was with friends picking up someone I had never met from a place in Berkeley called ‘Baker’s Martial Arts’. All I knew was that she had some event on and I knew it wasn’t the Tai Kwon Do that normally took place there. We stopped outside and I sat in the car while ‘Sabelo’ went in. I could see that something active was going on and it seemed people were having a real good time. The thing that stood out to me though was the diversity of the people there. I had gotten used to the segregation. 

The U.S. was and largely remains a society segregated in so many ways, not just racial segregation. But here there were African-American and others of African descent, there were Chicanos and Mexicans, there were Whites, there were women and men, younger and older adults, younger and older children. For me that was a breath of fresh air. 

I had no idea what capoeira was. I had only just heard of it 20 minutes before this encounter and had already forgotten what it was called. 

An hour later and 120 km down the road from Berkeley, I had heard about it enough already! But after that I kept seeing it around town at various events. It was the group of Mestre Acordeon, such a nice guy. His was the only capoeira in the East Bay at the time and it was good. At one of these events they were advertising their first graduation event and I decided to go. There were going to be guests from Brazil, Mestre Suassuna and professores. I had no idea who Mestre Suassuna was but his biography looked good. The event was great. I loved it. Near the end of the night it was announced that one of the professores was going to stick around and set up some classes. I decided to give it a go. Three or four weeks later I joined the classes. 

As it turned out the guy set up classes at the same place I first ‘saw’ capoeira, Baker’s Martial Arts. Now I was on the inside looking out and I didn’t and still haven’t looked back. It also turned out that this guy, Professor Marcelo Caveirinha who introduced me to the practice and passion of capoeira, later became my mestre and we have kept our relationship for over 33 years.

Mestre Brabo (far right) at the pé-do-berimbau, about to play  Mestre Jogo de Dentro (far left), with Brabo’s Master, Mestre Caveirinha on the berimbau in the early stages of Capoeira Mandinga Aotearoa’s relationship with M.Jogo de Dentro and Capoeira Angola

CH: What made you choose to teach capoeira in New Zealand?

MB: I am from Aotearoa / New Zealand and was never planning to stay in the U.S. After returning to Aotearoa in November 1991 I soon started training in the corner of a recreation centre in Auckland. It was just for myself but offered to teach others if they were interested. There wasn’t much interest but I decided to start capoeira classes with the simple aim of having some people to play capoeira with. 

There was no capoeira in Auckland. There was in fact, no capoeira in Aotearoa. It seems there must have been the odd class or workshop before this time. There were hints from stories I heard but nothing has ever been confirmed. Capoeira had become part of my life and I wanted to continue learning and training. The only way to do that was by setting up classes, which I did with the support of my Mestre, Marcelo Caveirinha. These were the first established capoeira classes in the country.

A roda at the Academy of Capoeira Mandinga Aotearoa

CH: What challenges have you faced teaching capoeira in New Zealand?

MB: There have been a number of challenges… so many challenges and still after 25 years there continue to be challenges. This I think is a sign of success really. I think it shows that things are alive and dynamic, as they should be. 

What I would like to talk about here though are the challenges of practising and teaching capoeira as a distant outsider to the cultural and historical context of capoeira.

I started capoeira and kept to it mainly because I enjoyed it. It was one of those cultural learning experiences and I really loved that aspect. Also it was physically dynamic and I needed something like that. And of course it is musical. All these things kept my interest and I wanted to just keep learning more. 

Outside of capoeira I was an activist. This was my main interest and my main focus. I wanted, and still look forward to, radical social change. Early in my time with capoeira the issue of Black Consciousness and to whom capoeira belonged came up. I was riveted by it. 

It seemed that this was driven by an African-American capoeirista and activist Themba Mashama, who I had a lot of respect for. He has been a Mestre now for a long time and I believe still practising in Oakland where he has done a lot of good work. When I first knew of him he was a student of M. Acordeon. He shot the nest and went under the wing of Mestres Moraes and Cobra Mansa. It created a bit of a stir but got a lot of good discussion going. 

For the most part though I think people’s understanding of it was a bit confused, at least in the circle I knew (and to be clear they were mainly Euro-Americans). I would say most were affronted by the language of black consciousness and couldn’t really get their heads around what was being said to get to the essence of what was being said. Many were definitely provoked by statements like ‘Capoeira is the realm of people of African descent only’. Given that, I wasn’t about to give it up because someone held the view that only people of African descent should be practising the art I engaged with it, so I looked for the essence of this statement rather than simply writing it off.

It seemed to me that what needed to be accepted is that capoeira, in it’s totality, can only be fully grasped with the deep intrinsic understanding of the experience of dislocation, enslavement, repression, oppression and the whole slew of colonial violations and atrocities suffered by the different peoples of Africa and their descendants in Brazil and, by extension, the Americas. 

It could be only understood with the inherited feeling of gritted teeth and clenched-fisted resistance to everything colonial and racist, a racism that saw people of African descent as slaves and were otherwise disregarded. The only people who can possibly have that intrinsic feeling and understanding are those whose grandparents and close ancestors were enslaved and resisted that slavery and subsequent oppression: African-Brazilians and other African descendants in the Americas. This to me is the starting point. 

For sure indigenous people, Hispanic peasants and indentured labourers and impoverished and exploited Whites have felt the iron fist of colonialism in different contexts and circumstances. Black consciousness doesn’t denigrate those experiences, indeed the opposite. Further, it doesn’t mean that Whites or others outside the African diaspora can’t practise capoeira or learn from it. On the contrary, it’s an invitation to really learn. 

Other people’s relationship to that history is different but can be integrated into their capoeira practice all the same. This is what has driven my attempt to really understand capoeira.

Of course things are more complex than this. I am just reflecting back on my thinking at the time and how that has continued to characterise what I do in capoeira.

CH: What was your main focus when bringing Capoeira to the culture of New Zealand?

MB: On starting up capoeira I was concerned about two aspects of capoeira’s expression in Aotearoa. Firstly capoeira is a ‘cultural expression’ from Brazil. It has a recognisable aesthetic (whatever game you play), recognisable social norms, codes of conduct and so on. 

As free as capoeira is, it has constraints. 

As mentioned above these ways of being and acting are intricately woven with the Brazilian cultural / historical fabric. To practise or learn from capoeira to any depth these aspects need to be both understood and reflected on. 

How would people in Aotearoa get this? Our society is cut from a different cloth. While we had our own colonial experience and legacies of dislocation, exploitation and oppression, it was different and our contemporary society is different. 

In Brazil everything that informed the development of capoeira is all around, not so in Aotearoa. There was very little cultural exchange or understanding of anything Brazilian in the Aotearoa of 1992. 

Part of what I wanted to achieve in developing our capoeira in Aotearoa was for people to practise it without simply mimicking the look and without losing the essence of capoeira. 

The challenge for me was to explore some of the essential aspects of capoeira and the roda and relate those to the oppression experienced in Brazil, on the one hand, and to our own social and personal experiences and struggles in the contemporary world, on the other. These became an explicit part of classes and what we do as people and a group of people, a group of capoeiristas. 

Of course we are there to play capoeira; we’re there to train, train and train. We’re there for the game, that hardcore, energetic, fluid, dynamic game of the trickster. I love it just for what it is. I, too, like to feel like I’ve played well. For some, whether in Aotearoa or Brazil, this might be the sum of their capoeira experience and simply all they want, and that’s fine. 

We don’t all care about social justice. But my desire and obligation is to provide for a deeper learning of the cultural and historical context of capoeira and to raise consciousness about social justice, conscientização. This would be my homage to the survival of capoeira and the full story it has to tell.

O Mestre Chamou - Tauranga

CH: How do you imagine capoeira will evolve in New Zealand in the future?

MB: I couldn’t say how capoeira will evolve and I don’t want to waste your time with my imagination as it would be too grand (or it might fall into despair!).

I would rather think of it as development rather than evolution. Capoeira in Aotearoa has ebbed and flowed over the last 25 years when the seeds first began to grow here. There have been huge classes and ones where nobody has shown up. There have, at times, been a number of groups, and at times there has been just ours. 

Capoeira Angola has without a doubt played a key role in the exposure to capoeira in Aotearoa over these years although there have been, and still are, Regional, Contemporanea and Bangela classes and rodas. There are a number of capoeiristas in our group who have so much to offer in the development of capoeira in Aotearoa, or wherever they may find themselves. They range from people I thought would be around for no more than a few weeks, to people who I knew would stick to it, to my own daughter who grew up with capoeira in her life. These characters are good, not just in the roda but in their leadership. It’s them really who can imagine the future better than me.

When I think about the evolution of capoeira I think about the need to think through the problems of globalisation, the refabricated hatchet jobs, the dissolution of the oral tradition and so on. As ‘outsiders’ I think we need to take a conscious approach to developing ‘our’ capoeira, as opposed to evolving capoeira. I think it takes a determined effort, but the most important thing is to retain the essence of the whole practice of capoeira. I think we have done a good job of this in our work in Aotearoa. This is why I think things will develop rather than evolve

Mestre Brabo playing with one of his students ‘Cole, whose father originally trained with Brabo and years later introduced his son to the art.

CH: How would you sum up your philosophy or approach to capoeira?

MB: 

To the ‘outsider’ Capoeira is like a window into the culture and history of Brazil. You look through the window into a room filled with what is capoeira. You can’t see everything as you’re looking in from the outside. You can see a lot though and you can learn a lot from what you see. 

If the door to that room is open, you have glimpses of what might be in other rooms or hints at what might be hidden around the corner. You can choose to look through other windows to get a better look (don’t worry curiosity did not kill the cat) and learn more about what’s in that house and there is a lot to explore, there is a lot to learn. 

There is a frustration though of not being able to be right in there and really feeling at home but that is something you just have to live with. 

You have your own home.

Bateria at the academy of Capoeira Mandinga Aotearoa

Mestre Brabo playing with his student Cole

Bateria with (left to right) Mestre Roxinho, Mestre Jogo de Dentro and Mestre Brabo

Capoeira Hub Australasia would like to humbly thank Mestre Brabo for his time and insights in completing this interview. AXÉ

[capoeira-hub-australasia]

Interview of the Month | Treinel Madeira ~ Mão No Chão

This month we introduce you to Treinel Madeira (Siobhann McCafferty) who leads the Capoeira Angola group ‘Mão No Chão’ in Brisbane, QLD. Significantly, this is also our first interview with a female Capoeirista, something which needs to change, as we strive to represent all aspects and truths within this art form. Read on for some of her insightful thoughts on Capoeira, breaking down stereotypes and the future of the Capoeira community here in Australia.

CH: How did your Capoeira journey begin?

TM: I first saw capoeira when I lived in Wellington and my housemate trained with Mestre Brabo's group Caoeira Mandinga Aotearoa in the late 90's early 2000s (http://www.capoeira.org.nz/). I was intrigued by the music and movements I saw and when I moved to Scotland I thought it was an ideal time to take up a new hobby and searched for some capoeira. 

In Scotland I initially found Group Senzala in Glasgow and trained with them for perhaps 6 months, and then with their Edinburgh branch when I moved cities. After training one night someone mentioned the Capoeira Angola group that trained in the same space and I was curious to see what they were all about so I started to attend Mão No Chão classes also. 

Those first few classes were a massive challenge, and I was very much out of my comfort zone - to move, to play, to sing! But, it was beautiful and I also felt very welcome and supported by the group, so I kept coming back and eventually started to train only Capoeira Angola under my teacher, Contra Mestre Dion. 

CH: What brought you to Australia?

TM: I moved when the economy collapsed in the UK in 2008. My partner at the time got a job in Australia, and it was also an opportunity to be closer to my family in New Zealand so I moved, and I've been here ever since. Its a lot warmer than Scotland!

CH: What made you choose to teach Capoeira in Australia?

TM: When I arrived in Brisbane I searched for a Capoeira Angola group, but sadly their classes had stopped so I began to train with the Brisbane branch of Cordao de Ouro taught by Mestre Eurico (who is now based in Northern New South Wales) and his students. I spent a year training with Cordao de Ouro and helping take classes also, so I learned a huge amount about teaching and met some wonderful mentors and friends. 

Eventually though, I began to feel that I wanted to just focus on Capoeira Angola and pass on the philosophy and style that I had learned with Mão No Chão in Scotland. So I  talked with CM Dion and started to teach regular classes under his direction. 

CH: What challenges have you faced teaching Capoeira in Australia?

TM: For me the biggest challenges are alway in the self - challenges of confidence, time... Outside of that though, one of the biggest challenges for me has been distance. I'm far away from my teacher and other branches of my group and I miss that community greatly. I'm very grateful for the internet to keep in touch with them! 

There is also the distance of Capoeira Angola in Australia, though this is getting much better as the community grows and make strong connections. Five years ago though, when I started teaching, there weren't the connections that we have now. I'm thankful here for the work of Mestre Roxinho in Sydney in connecting up Angoleiros around the country and starting the Annual Australasian Angola Encounter which we were lucky to host last year. Another challenge has been experiencing machismo and gender stereotyping. These attitudes are a real barrier to equality in capoeira and it can go unchallenged by people who assume that it is simply part of the culture of capoeira. But, it’s not and for me I believe that capoeira has within it the seeds of liberation and equality, so its absolutely a part of my job as a Capoeirista and teacher to challenge sexism, ageism, gender stereotyping and oppression of any kind.

CH: How do you imagine capoeira will evolve in Australia in the future?

TM: I think as more people come to Australia and there is more travel we will see capoeira continue to spread and cooperative models develop for teaching and playing. I can see a really nice model emerging of a capoeira community where people share spaces and have open rodas. 

There will always be a space for groups and traditional models of learning, but they are also changing in reaction to the internet and greater connectivity. So I see that opening up as really positive. 

CH: How would you sum up your philosophy or approach to Capoeira?

TM: I think at its core, capoeira demands of you to be vulnerable in yourself and to connect with your camaradas and community deeply. 

In the jogo, we react and create, we sing and respond - It is profoundly cooperative and also completely unpredictable. So, be flexible and open in your game and life, and try and dance with grace through both. 

Always offer, never expect, always have a song to sing back... 

[capoeira-hub-australasia]

Interview of the Month | Contramestre Caracol ~ Xango Capoeira

We have great pleasure in bringing you the first interview of 2017. Introducing another experienced and highly knowledgeable teacher, Contramestre Caracol (Claudio Climaco) who leads the Brisbane Xango Capoeira school, established in 1999. Contramestre Caracol, whose Capoeira lineage goes back to Mestre Bimba, grew up learning Capoeira in both Brasil and Australia, until finally settling in Queensland nearly 20 years ago.

To follow more of Contramestre Caracol’s work, see: http://www.xangocapoeira.com.au/ and https://www.facebook.com/capoeirabrisbane/

CH: How did your capoeira journey begin?

CMC: I first learnt capoeira with my Father, Tarcisio Climaco. He and two of my uncles (Coração, Alegria and Costeleta) were students ‘Formados’ of Mestre Bimba in the early 70's in Goiania, Brasil.  After Mestre Bimba passed away, the three of them continued teaching for a while. They always cultivated this passion in our family. Capoeira was a fun thing I did on and off with my cousins until it became a full-time commitment when I was a teenager. 

As kids we also trained with with Mestre Goyano and later I joined Group Candeias under Mestre Secão.

From left to right: Formado Alegria (Caracol’s uncle), Formado Costeleta (Caracol’s uncle), Formado Coração (Caracol’s father) Picture taken in the 70s.

CH: What brought you to Australia?

CMC: My father immigrated to Australia in 1989. He had already retired from teaching Capoeira and Dance but felt inspired by the interest Australians had in Brazilian culture and ended up reconnecting with his former professions. He was the first person to teach Capoeira and Brazilian dance in Queensland.

I lived in Brazil with my mom but was very fortunate to be able to go back and forth between the two countries over the years growing up, until I moved here permanently in 1998.  

CH: What made you choose to teach Capoeira in Australia?

CMC: Australia presented more opportunities for me than Brazil. When I finished high school I had the option to live in Australia for good and work with my father in his business.  

By then, my dad had met Mestre Luizinho Barravento, who ran his own classes on the Gold Coast, and handed the Capoeira school in Brisbane to him. When I moved here permanently I started training under Mestre Luizinho and after I received my monitor graduation I started running my own classes, in 1999.  

Teaching in Australia inspired me to keep learning and researching Capoeira. Through Mestre Luizinho and his Father, Mestre Geni, this whole world of Capoeira opened up to me. I got to travel and experience capoeira in different parts of the world and had the opportunity to meet many of the old Masters in different regions of Brazil, even more so then when I actually lived there.

CH: What challenges have you faced teaching Capoeira in Australia?

CMC: The first few times I came to Australia very few people knew about capoeira, mainly through the 'Only the Strong' movie. It was a lot of work promoting capoeira with few people to play instruments, sing, etc. We have come a long way since then.

People have many misconceptions about Capoeira that 'you need to be able to do acrobatics', 'it's too hard', 'only fit people can do it', it's just a dance', etc. But I always found that the Australian community was very receptive towards Capoeira and Brazilian culture in general.

Establishing a new culture in a foreign country is a challenge but an exciting one. You have to adapt your methods and it’s a different approach to how you'd teach in Brazil.

When people join Capoeira there's so much information to be absorbed in the few hours of contact they have with Capoeira per week. Besides the movements, there is the language barrier and many cultural nuances that take time to assimilate. Outside the Capoeira school most people live a very different reality and day to day things can easily disconnect them from Capoeira.

We try and create an environment so people can feel like they belong in a culture that's foreign to them: Develop a community sense so that it can become part of their way of life rather than just a physical activity they show up to a couple of times a week.

It's both challenging and rewarding. We've had people that have moved suburbs to be closer to the academy,  some that went to live in Brazil to train, some that met at capoeira, got married, had kids and now bring them to class. It's been a great journey.

CH: How do you imagine Capoeira will evolve in Australia in the future?

CMC: Capoeira in Australia has grown a lot in the last few years. A lot more teachers are arriving and the community is growing stronger with a lot more events happening. Students now have more opportunities to meet renowned guest Masters, be in contact with different styles and gain experience playing in different Rodas. Here you can still have a Roda with many different styles and groups playing with respect.  We are laying down a good foundation for the future.

I think Australians can see right through the egos and politics that are inevitably part of the capoeira world. There are some cultural elements in Brazil that shaped up certain behaviours that have no place here and hopefully won't be carried on. Capoeira will grow and there'll be different approaches and philosophies, we just have to ensure that it continues to be taught with integrity and respect for its roots and foundations.

There is already a generation of Australian Capoeiristas who have dedicated many years to the art and are now knowledgeable instructors and teachers. It's not easy to invest so much, learn a different language and immerse yourself in a new culture. That's a great testament to the good work of their masters and an inspiration for the new students that now have locals to look up to and know it's possible to go down this path.

CH: How would you sum up your philosophy or approach to Capoeira?

CMC: I believe there is something in Capoeira for everyone. Of course not everyone will identify themselves with Capoeira but I try to make it an accessible and inclusive experience for all, regardless of their abilities or limitations.

For myself, Capoeira is like a mirror of what's out there in the world. There's many concepts you can apply in everyday life to help overcome difficult situations, adapt to changing circumstances, learn from your mistakes, improvise, not be afraid to fall, interact with different people, accept your differences,  humility, discipline... The list is endless and It's all easier said then done so we have to keep practising.

You have to always be open to learning more, whether it's from your master, your peers or your students.  I take inspiration from masters I met that are well into their 70s and still have that childlike desire to experience more.