As some of you have already known, I do part-time work at a pub at Boat Quay called The Penny Black. I have been a floor staff there for one and a half years already. And I realized that learning Capoeira has helped me get out of some tricky situations at work.
Being a floor staff at The Penny Black calls for bringing a big tray of drinks from the bar indoors to our outside area which is about 50m away. This 50m is an arduous and treacherous path. It is lined dangers at every step.
Picture this. You are holding a whole tray of drinks (about $100 worth of drinks in total). You think you have a clear path from the bar to the outside. You whistle along the way out, admiring the pretty flowers along the path. Suddenly, a big bad monster suddenly sticks his hand out, maybe to wave at his friend, or to lift his hand up to scratch his head. His hand causes the untrained staff to panic and drop the whole tray of drinks.
Now picture me, a capoeirista. When the monster sticks his hand out, I do not panic. My training taught me not shy away from the attack. Instead, my brain makes a million calculations, honed by capoeira training and I gently esquiva away from the attack, my tray of drinks still intact. By esquiva I do not mean negativa. Sometimes, I literally bend backwards so that the hand just misses my face by a few centimetres, or I just do some fancy footwork that allows me to escape the attack. And trust me when I say that this did not just happen once, but umpteen times in my stint at The Penny Black.
There you go. Another instance when Capoeira is used in daily life.
Your Lovely,
Costeleta
Freedom to Express, Freedom to Move, Freedom to be Ourselves. Axé Capoeira
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Capoeira How-Tos
Hello. These are some Capoeira instructional videos from Youtube. These things are popping up all over the place, so do explore.
Disclaimer: I, this blog, Blogger, nor the people associated with this blog, take any legal responsibility for any injuries which may come about as the result of practising the techniques in the following videos.
Unlegally, I would say that learning these things takes a little stupidity, a lot of courage, and a lot more falling down. Do take care of your own safety. If you persist in practising these (you know who you are!), I would unlegally suggest starting the movements small and working up from there.
Macaco
I hope you understand Polish! Muahahaha! Or was it Czech? Or maybe it's Croatian? Actually, I don't know what he's saying. But he goes into a lot more detail than this guy. That said, if you're going down the pig-headed road of learning this movement, do start small, like this guy(no need to do a 180 degrees macaco right off the bat). He's speaking Slovakian. Oh, just take note of what he points out.
Au Batido
Well, you know what they say, 'Those who can, do. Those who cannot, teach.' Yes, in case you are wondering, that Japanese fellow has no groin muscles. Now you know why male capoeiristas do front splits even though they hurt like crap.
S-dobrado
Sorry, I couldn't find one in English. Remember, tiny hops to bigger hops, and don't dislocate anything!
Au Cortada (I would call it a one-handed Au Reversao or Reversado, argh, a rose by any name...)
Stay Safe (you can get sexy later!),
-EW
Disclaimer: I, this blog, Blogger, nor the people associated with this blog, take any legal responsibility for any injuries which may come about as the result of practising the techniques in the following videos.
Unlegally, I would say that learning these things takes a little stupidity, a lot of courage, and a lot more falling down. Do take care of your own safety. If you persist in practising these (you know who you are!), I would unlegally suggest starting the movements small and working up from there.
Macaco
I hope you understand Polish! Muahahaha! Or was it Czech? Or maybe it's Croatian? Actually, I don't know what he's saying. But he goes into a lot more detail than this guy. That said, if you're going down the pig-headed road of learning this movement, do start small, like this guy(no need to do a 180 degrees macaco right off the bat). He's speaking Slovakian. Oh, just take note of what he points out.
Au Batido
Well, you know what they say, 'Those who can, do. Those who cannot, teach.' Yes, in case you are wondering, that Japanese fellow has no groin muscles. Now you know why male capoeiristas do front splits even though they hurt like crap.
S-dobrado
Sorry, I couldn't find one in English. Remember, tiny hops to bigger hops, and don't dislocate anything!
Au Cortada (I would call it a one-handed Au Reversao or Reversado, argh, a rose by any name...)
Stay Safe (you can get sexy later!),
-EW
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
You Need to be THIS Sexy to Enter
:D
Ignore the title of this blog post; I was feeling a trite creative. Some times on freak days, there are only guys who come for training. Perhaps sometime in the distant lifespan of the universe, there are days when only girls come for training, but obviously I have been ABSENT from them!
Anyway, personal gripes aside, I just wanted to say that if you got the impression that only sweaty shirtless men do capoeira, then--thank the high heavens!--you are mistaken!
And for these rodas, you have to be at least this sexy to enter! Or this!
Some of you might recognise Mestra Mara, qualified lawyer and Capoeira master (deadly combination).
Stay Sexy,
-EW
PS: Oh, there are still some sweaty shirtless men, if that's what floats your boat. I'm not one to judge.
Ignore the title of this blog post; I was feeling a trite creative. Some times on freak days, there are only guys who come for training. Perhaps sometime in the distant lifespan of the universe, there are days when only girls come for training, but obviously I have been ABSENT from them!
Anyway, personal gripes aside, I just wanted to say that if you got the impression that only sweaty shirtless men do capoeira, then--thank the high heavens!--you are mistaken!
And for these rodas, you have to be at least this sexy to enter! Or this!
Some of you might recognise Mestra Mara, qualified lawyer and Capoeira master (deadly combination).
Stay Sexy,
-EW
PS: Oh, there are still some sweaty shirtless men, if that's what floats your boat. I'm not one to judge.
Some Capoeira Youtube Videos
Hello. This is the first time I am blogging. Ever. Do forgive my dearth of blogging protocol.
Today's lesson is on the different types of capoeira games. Firstly, I'd like to say that there's no hard-and-fast rules over what can and cannot happen in a certain type of game; those of you who've met Contra-mestre Grilo (Cricket) will recall that doing the wrong move at the right time is still a right move, and if you did the correct move at the correct time and you still get hit, well, then you got hit!
But while the rules are not 'hard-and-fast', each type of game does have a certain characteristic to it.
Angola: You should know what this is. Here is an angola corrida ('running' angola) video, courtesy of Phasit, I believe.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=1CHpsAr7LO0
Regional: Some people think Capoeira Regional is the cool one with acrobatics. Well... yes and no. I think this is what it was more likely to have been: very very objective.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=E1CRuWusKoE
But over time well, things change, no? And people have their own way of doing things.
Some people think that the 'Benguela' rhythm just calls for a slower, lower Regional game, and perhaps in the past this was indeed the case. But it can also be played in it's own unique way:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=P0rfwe8vJ5I
Mestre Suassuna has been developing (he says 'rediscovering') the Miudinho game. A quick search on Babelfish reveals that 'miudinho' means 'finicky'. And when the players ginga, it's like an electric current's zapping them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR_AsxmibkI
Iuna is a game played for graduated students and masters. Usually it's played when a graduate becomes an instructor, or when a master has passed away. This is not Iuna:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKytcOizCUs&feature=related
But this is (I think):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUYVPK-9c8c
So what happened to the Capoeira that we do know? The flashy one where we are sexy while kicking ass? Well, I think that's played to Sao Bento Grande de Angola, but maybe that's just me. All I'm saying is that with the internationalisation of Capoeira, with so many grupos doing their own 'thang, we shouldn't stick to grand narratives. In fact, I suspect there were no grand narratives of how capoeira was played back in those days either; just a bunch of petit recits (my apologies so Sociology majors if I have used the terms wrongly).
Like Captain Barbados once said, 'It's not a code! It's more like a ... set of guidelines, aargh!'
Stay Sexy (yes, I do think this is a cool way to sign off),
-EW
PS: Yes, I am aware that I left out many other types of games like Santa Maria (jogo de navalha), the money game, etc. Well, that's because if I did know these things, I wouldn't be some undergrad poseur!
Today's lesson is on the different types of capoeira games. Firstly, I'd like to say that there's no hard-and-fast rules over what can and cannot happen in a certain type of game; those of you who've met Contra-mestre Grilo (Cricket) will recall that doing the wrong move at the right time is still a right move, and if you did the correct move at the correct time and you still get hit, well, then you got hit!
But while the rules are not 'hard-and-fast', each type of game does have a certain characteristic to it.
Angola: You should know what this is. Here is an angola corrida ('running' angola) video, courtesy of Phasit, I believe.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=1CHpsAr7LO0
Regional: Some people think Capoeira Regional is the cool one with acrobatics. Well... yes and no. I think this is what it was more likely to have been: very very objective.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=E1CRuWusKoE
But over time well, things change, no? And people have their own way of doing things.
Some people think that the 'Benguela' rhythm just calls for a slower, lower Regional game, and perhaps in the past this was indeed the case. But it can also be played in it's own unique way:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=P0rfwe8vJ5I
Mestre Suassuna has been developing (he says 'rediscovering') the Miudinho game. A quick search on Babelfish reveals that 'miudinho' means 'finicky'. And when the players ginga, it's like an electric current's zapping them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR_AsxmibkI
Iuna is a game played for graduated students and masters. Usually it's played when a graduate becomes an instructor, or when a master has passed away. This is not Iuna:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKytcOizCUs&feature=related
But this is (I think):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUYVPK-9c8c
So what happened to the Capoeira that we do know? The flashy one where we are sexy while kicking ass? Well, I think that's played to Sao Bento Grande de Angola, but maybe that's just me. All I'm saying is that with the internationalisation of Capoeira, with so many grupos doing their own 'thang, we shouldn't stick to grand narratives. In fact, I suspect there were no grand narratives of how capoeira was played back in those days either; just a bunch of petit recits (my apologies so Sociology majors if I have used the terms wrongly).
Like Captain Barbados once said, 'It's not a code! It's more like a ... set of guidelines, aargh!'
Stay Sexy (yes, I do think this is a cool way to sign off),
-EW
PS: Yes, I am aware that I left out many other types of games like Santa Maria (jogo de navalha), the money game, etc. Well, that's because if I did know these things, I wouldn't be some undergrad poseur!
Pray Hard every body!
Hey lovelies,
Please pray hard for a speedy recovery of our resident photographer Dixiepixie. She just went to the hospital and the xrays show a small hairline crack somewhere. She dislocated her knee ): Well, Please please pray hard for her. Sms her and give her your well wishes as well ok?
Dixie if you're reading this, recover quickly ok? We want you back (: . We wanna hear you sing hehe.
* oh and if you guys pray really really hard.....then why not pray for cheaper fees too at the same time hahaha
Love Love
Bambu
Sunday, July 27, 2008
New places to visit!
Hello peeps!
I've added two new links to our site. One is the song and lyric link generously donated by Dixie * A round of applause * and the 2nd link is a foodie hawker place for hungry ppl like us who need our carbs and proteins. So, feel free to visit them and if you do find any interesting things, post them up here!
Oh do look out for future hangout spots too in the foodie link haha
Love Love
Bambu
* Image courtesy of ieatishootipost.blogspot.com
Friday, July 25, 2008
Slow Mo Stylo Milo
This is one of the cooler clips that you can find on the web regarding capoeira. Its artistic and apparently the group that does the capoeira is a Theater Capoeira group! Wow! Imagine us...a Chinese Opera Capoeira Group. hehe
Love Love
Bambu
* Prizes goes to whoever noes what song they are playing and can get an electronic copy for me!*
Thursday, July 24, 2008
I'm sorry ):
I'm sorry i left out these people in the photo.. How could I!! *spank backside* Well, here are our other handsome /sexy /pretty/ nicenice members (:.
Love Love Bambu!
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Capoeira...what in the world..
Yeah...what in the world..in fact! Its from Brazil! Its a martial art/dance/art form developed in the 16th Century by slaves in Portuguese colonies. While held captive, the slaves were prohibitedby the from practicing any form of martial art or self defense in fear of an uprising from them. There fore, the slaves decided to come up with a game which involves a mix of ritual and dance and martial arts. The stupid colonial rulers then could not understand what the slaves were doing and they let them be..and thus....Capoeira was born! Today, Capoeira is played all over the world in two different forms, Angola and Regional ( pronounced Hei-gion-ile). To accompany a game of capoeira we have our instruments and songs as well. Its a mish mash of Music, Dance, Acrobatics, a whole myriad of sensations that cannot be experienced by looking. Capoeira is best understood when you get down on your feet and start to boogie with us
Love
Bambu
Launch of New Home
DEAR LOVELIES!
Today marks a new era for us. As the matric fair approaches, I can smell the fresh scent of enthusiasm from the incoming undergraduates. Let us give them an ooomph of a year and provide the best environment for both them, and us to grow! YEY!
Love Love
Bambu
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