Actually life as a Capoierista isn’t much different from that of a University student. We all know that school before University was about having fun and not doing homework, then cramming all you have failed to learn through the year in the final month or week before exams and miraculously still doing well. Well… in University you just can’t do that, it’s all about consistently keeping up with your readings, submitting weekly assignments and acing quizzes and at the end of the term submit your thesis /term paper and then hoping for the best.

In Capoeira, it’s very much the same. After getting your first belt at your first Batizado, it’s all up to you to train hard, attend classes regularly and show your teacher, in my case, Claudinho, that you have learnt well consistently through the entire year. Then nearing the next Batizado and Troca de corda, you submit your essay or thesis on Capoeira and hope for the very best that you get promoted. Furthermore, we also get visiting Professors; sometimes during the year but mostly at the during the pre- Batizado/ Troca de corda workshops from all over the world. It is awesome to learn from Capoeira instructors from all over the world. Many thanks to Professor Margo, Professor Bimba, Professor Rafael, Formado Grao and not forgetting the founder of Bantus Capoeira, Mestre Pintor. ‘Interesting how the ranks/ titles even reflects the academic ones i.e. Professor and Graduate. Perhaps I will research to see if they are cognates (a linguistic phenomenon) or aroused due to cultural and historical influences which I suspect and present them in my essay next year.

As Contra Mestre Claudinho once explained that although some may say that a belt is just something that holds your pants but to him it is much more as it symbolises one’s commitment, attitude and maturity in and towards Capoeira. I must say I’m really fortunate and happy that I’ve got my verde (green), which is my first promotion and I will strive to train harder and set a good example for my juniors.

Like University, we also have after parties. But I must say that the Noite Brasileira (Brazilian Night) we had at Piedra Negra was one of the best I ever attended. A fire dance performance warmed up the crowd packed into Haji Lane and from then on it was non-stop action and PARTY with a capital letter P! An exotic showcase of Maculele (traditional Brazilian dance and stick-fighting) was followed by an exhilarating display of Capoeira performed with immense skills and precision due to the craziest crowd and insane spatial constraints. the party was in full swing when the sizzling girls of the Samba Batucada drove the crowd wild. And everyone got to dance the night away during the Samba de roda and Forro sessions! All these events were made possible by non-other than my fellow students as well as our esteemed instructors of Bantus Capoeira!

All in all, it was an awesome Batizado and Troca de corda and our Brazilian Night Party was a roaring success! And this is where I see the difference in Capoeira and University. University life will eventually end for me but I don’t see my time in Capoeira ever coming to a stop. For I’m a full-time Capoeirista for life!

BANTUS CAPOEIRA AXE!

Editor’s note: Thank you’s to Justine Leong & Fang Yuan for allowing us to steal your photos for this post.

We apologise for the very late announcement of our 6th Batizado & Troca de Corda. Up to a few days ago, several of us were still scrabbling to find a venue.

The reason being that this time of the year sucks for us because it is the busiest - what with the varsity exams (so our undergrads won’t make it for this year’s troca de corda), our high school grads have flown the coop (so we’ll be missing them as well while they’re overseas enjoying their freshmen year), our Poly grads are either waiting to enter National Service or are already enlisted (so we’ll be missing some fine young men from our troca de corda this year), the Cambridge O and A levels are in full swing, all the polytechnics are gearing up to impress and woo the new batch of O level students fresh out of their paper chase from next week onwards with their various performing showcases. So it’s no wonder that all their available facilities are fully booked.

Still, little miracles DO happen and everyone - yes, I do mean, everyone in the entire cohort - was most relieved when we announced that we finally found a venue for our workshops. Just two days ago!

I need to say this ‘coz I’m so damn proud of our cohort - this is the tightest we have been as a group and we have many (many!) hands who have pulled this year’s festival together. If we were a ship, this is the best crew I’ve ever been part of! So a BIG thank you to everyone who has added your weight to get our festival going. And so let the fun begin…

Now for the details everyone is waiting for:

Batizado workshops: Wed 16 Nov - Fri 18 Nov 2011
Time: 8pm - 10pm
Venue: Multi-Purpose Hall @ Sports Complex (Republic Polytechnic)
Campus landmarks to look out for would be the swimming pool and rockclimbing wall.

Here’s a suggestion for all who are coming by train.
1. Try to arrive at the Woodlands MRT station by 7.15pm so that will give you plenty of time to take a leisurely walk through the park connector (about 10-15 min) and end up at the front of the campus by 7.30pm.

(Just to let you know there’s a POSB ATM to your right - if you need to draw money to buy stuff later during the workshop. Believe me, there will be stuff to buy if they are in your size or match your taste).

Walk ahead along the wide corridor til you see the 7-ELEVEN or Subway. We’ll get a couple of our RP cohort to meet you between 7.30pm - 7.45pm so they can take you to the workshop venue which is another 5-7 mins walk to the back of the campus. You want to have enough time to change (you’ll be quite warmed up if you had walked all the way from the train station) and do the usual meet-and-greet with your fellow cohort mates and our guests before the workshop begins.

If you have wheels, you might want to check the map below. Maybe Anne can give some directions under comments for this post later.

Please see map for directions. http://www.rp.edu.sg/campus_tour/

6th Batizado & Troca de corda
Sat 19 Nov 2011
Time: 3pm - 5.30pm
Venue: Istana Park (across from the Istana - nearest MRT station is Dhoby Ghaut)

Noite Brasileira
Sat 19 Nov 2011
Time: 9pm til late
Venue: Piedra Negra (Haji Lane @ Arab Street area)
Showcase of Maculele, Capoeira, Samba Batucada, Samba de roda & Forro throughout the evening. More information and a separate poster will be put up later.

Post-Batizado BBQ Sun 20 Nov 2011
Time: 2pm onwards
Venue: East Coast Park
Food will be catered (halal-certified) BYOB and let’s party again! Can our party animal committee post the details under comments here?

So that’s it, folks. Have fun. Enjoy. You’ve trained all year just for this.

Welcome back to Singapore, Professor Claudinho!

(keep an eye on this post ‘coz we’ll see if we can get hold of a vid and some pix of the grand event for u…)

Saturday 27 Sept 2008 @ Esplanade Park North (stage 3) (facing Connaught Drive/the Padang) from 8 -8.30pm

Sunday 28 Sept 2008 @ Esplanade Park North (stage 3) (facing Connaught Drive/the Padang) from 6.05 - 6.30pm

See f1circuit-map

For entertainment sites, see f1map

Those who are performing for this event, please check with Tempeiro regarding details.