30th October's Class

Today's class was a bit shorter than usual but nevertheless as intensive as usual :)
We learnt a lot of new moves today which are used in Mestre Bimba's Sequencia 4 and 5.
Please refer back to the Sequencia file for the details on how to them. I'll just give a brief explanation on the new moves we have learnt (sorry no videos, can't seem to find on youtube)

Sequencia 4

Galopante

This is basically a hook similar to boxing except that in capoeira, we use the "heel" of our hand to hit. The swing should come from twist of the hips and remember to stretch your arm out and follow through.

Arrastão
Grab behind the knees of the other player and pull. The pull should be accompanied by a step back from the forward leg. More force compared to just pulling with arm strength. (but of course while practising you need not be so fierce...)

Sequencia 5

Giro
Similar to the armada except there's no kicking, just the spin (fake Armada?). Hands are help up as in a surrender position. The other player is not supposed to attack while you are doing this (a form of freeplay).

Joelhada
A knee strike. As if doing a Benção but instead of kicking the leg outwards, we just use our knee to attack. The feet should be pointing downwards while the back is arch a bit backwards.

That's all for the moves in today's class, sorry for being a bit lengthy on the explanations and not being able to find videos for these moves.(If you do find some please post it in the comments)
We learnt one song today which is "O Dona Alícia não me pegue não"
Details of the song can be found in "Every Song has an Agenda..." post.

Quote of the day. "Man are for muscle...", by Alif.

I wonder what woman are for...I'll leave it to you to decide. :P
As in the roda, as in Life.

Ken

In the World of Kung Fu, Speed Determines the Winner

This is a clip from Kung Fu Hustle. It's the international English-dubbed version. I find so many great lessons in capoeira, like this post's title, in this movie.



And this is a fan vid.


Yes, I have wasted your time.
As in the roda, as in Life. :P

-EW

PS: Please leave in the comments your favourite capoeira quotes from the movie (or any movie!). Remember to add 'As in the roda, as in Life.' at the back!

Capoeira Me Chama Dá Licença Meu Senhor

Hello...
This is the song EW was teaching us last Tuesday (21st Oct 2008)

Capoeira Me Chama Dá Licença Meu Senhor

Iê a iê ôô
Capoeira me chama dá licença meu senhor
Iê a iê ôô
Capoeira me chama dá licença meu senhor
Capoeira me chama
E eu vou atender
Entro na roda sem medo
Com malícia e segredo
Pronto pra me defender
Iê a iê ôô
Capoeira me chama dá licença meu senhor
Iê a iê ôô
Capoeira me chama dá licença meu senhor
Com um pouco de molejo
Vou de encontro ao berimbau
Quem não canta bate palma
Cabaça arame e um pedaço de pau
Iê a iê ôô
Capoeira me chama dá licença meu senhor
Iê a iê ôô
Capoeira me chama dá licença meu senhor

Translation:
Iê a iê ôô
Capoeira calls me, give me permission, my Sir
Iê a iê ôô
Capoeira calls me, give me permission, my Sir
Capoeira calls me
And I go to attend
I enter the roda without fear
With malícia and (a) secret
To quickly defend [myself]
Iê a iê ôô
Capoeira calls me, give me permission, my Sir
Iê a iê ôô
Capoeira calls me, give me permission, my Sir
With a little molejo (magic stuffs)
I go to meet at the berimbau
Those who do not sing clap
Cabaça (gourd), arame (wire) and a piece of pau (wood for berimbau)
Iê a iê ôô
Capoeira calls me, give me permission, my Sir
Iê a iê ôô
Capoeira calls me, give me permission, my Sir

Before I end this post, I would like to clarify that the song that i previously posted (23rd Oct's Class) should be Abalou Capoeira Abalou. I had amended the lyrics. So sorry for the confusion.

Cheers,
TT

23rd October's Class

Hello~
For those who wish to recap or missed the Thursday's class...

Sequência 3
X : Martelo, Cocorinha, Benção
Y : Banda, Armada, Negativa de angola

recap of negativa de angola



*no matter which moves you are making or even dodging, make sure you hand (elbow) is always protecting your face.

Next, floor movements!!!
Cocorinha entrando
Esquiva negativa rolé aú

wondering how to do an aú after rolé?



* when you are performing esquiva negativa rolé aú always remember to keep a lookout, especially at the blindspot before going back to ginga position or aú (after you did your rolé).

The Songs of the day~

Abalou Capoeira abalou
Abalou Capoeira abalou
Mas se abalou, diexada abalar
Abalou Capoeira abalou
Mas se abalou, deixa cair
Abalou Capoeira abalou

translation for this:
It shook Capoeira it shook
But if it shook, let it shake
It shook Capoeira it shook
But if it shook, let it fal
It shook Capoiera it shook


Meu Camarada Venha Ver A Brincadeira
Meu camarada venha ver a brincadeira
O cara planta bananeira, fica de pernas p'ro ar
Ja me falaram que essa luta é brasileira
Que se chama capoeira
Eu tambem quero jogar

Hmmm... this is what we had for today's class (oopps... its pass midnight, should be yesterday's class). this is my first post, please forgive me is there is any mistake. i'll try my best to find links to the songs so that you guys are able to listen to it and also the lyrics too.

To me, Capoeira is so similar to life but yet so different. Different in the way that, in life we have to think before we do anything. In Capoeira, it is more to reflex. What do you think?

First Post,
TT

Every song has an agenda...

Hello meu Camaradas!

we know how to joga (play) in a Roda (circle) to the tempo of the bateria (music band) but did you know the message behind the songs that the lead singer sings?

Take for example the song that we all know, "Oi sim sim sim":

"Oi sim sim sim, Oi não não não
Oi sim sim sim, Oi não não não
Oi não não não, Oi sim sim sim
Oi sim sim sim, Oi não não não
Mas hoje tem, amanha não Mas hoje tem, amanha não
Oi sim sim sim, Oi não não não
Mas hoje tem, amanha não Olha a pisada de Lampião
Oi sim sim sim, Oi não não não"

Translated in English:
"Oh yes yes yes, oh no no no
Oh yes yes yes, oh no no no
oh no no no, Oh yes yes yes
Oh yes yes yes, oh no no no
Today you have it, tomorrow you don't Today you have it, tomorrow you don't
Oh yes yes yes, oh no no no
Today you have it, tomorrow you don't, Look at the footprints of Lampião
Oh yes yes yes, oh no no no"

Lampião was a famous bandit in history who was both ruthless and heartless. Now he is likened to a "Brazilian Robin Hood" in myths. This song would be sung by the mestre when he wants to see change in the roda; Perhaps the capoerista is going out too aggressively or the flow of the game is dying down.

Another song we would be familiar with is "Zum, zum, zum" and the message is clear: "Quero ver bater, quero ver cair"
"I want to see hitting, I want to see
falling"

Other songs like "Ô â ô â ei" & "Quebra Gereba" carries similar the similar message calling for a good & rough game.

Lastly, a song, which i hope we can learn, describes players who are too "clingy" to a certain other player and not wanting to play with different capoeiristas

"O Dona Alícia não me pegue não"

ê dona alice não me pegue não, não me pegue, não me agarre, não me pegue a mão
Ê dona alice não me pegue não
não me pegue, não me agarre, não me pegue a mão
Ê dona alice não me pegue não

Translated:
Hey Ms Alice Don’t grab me, no Don’t grab me Don’t clutch me Don’t grab my hand
Hey Ms Alice Don’t grab me, no
Don’t grab me Don’t clutch me Don’t grab my hand
Hey Ms Alice Don’t grab me, no


Axe!

Breathe! With Each Strike! Shuh! Shuh! Shuh!

Well, this might not be mixed martial arts, but you must breathe nonetheless. Lots of you forget to breathe when you're upside down (Au, Bananeira) or kicking. Breeathe!

What Sean Faris' teacher doesn't say is that you breathe out when hitting. But the advice is very sound.

18th Oct’s Class..

For those who missed this Thursday’s class, Joe was back! Yeae!!!

After some killer stretching and even-more-killer warm-up we got down to trying out a couple of new sequences.

The main focus of this class was on how to move within the Roda. You know the seniors always advice us not stick to the same position (or “angles” as they phrase it) within the roda? On how we should continuously shift or position within it?!? Well, we learnt a couple of sequences for such movement. The individual moves as such are not new to us, but the sequence in which it is coupled maybe..

Sequence 1:
Esquiva fronte. Negativa. Negativa again( this is the tricky part). Role. Au.

When your doing the second Negative, we don’t really have to pronounce each action of the Neagtiva, cos honestly this will take way too long to complete. From your first negativa position, slightly bounce on your feet, swap your legs and hands to produce the second negative.




Jus a couple of pointers.. when doing the role, you maintain yourself in a ball (you don’t need to stretch your legs) and keep yourself low. At the end of the Role, keep yourself low. This will help in the transition to Au.

Sequence 2:
Entrada, followed by Sequence 1.

We also learnt a couple of transition moves, just to move around the Roda and makes the game more aesthetically appealing! But erm, we did not know the name to it. Once I do get the names,I shall try posting videos on how to do it. (Sorry, typing down the sequence is gg to be pretty complicated, but you’ll can ask me during the next class and I’ll be more than willing to teach you’ll)

But that was pretty much it for the class!

Oh... and ya, jus rmb this, playing capoiera is like being in a relationship.. Its all about the eye contact!! (cant believe i jst typed this, nvm..)
for capoeira.
Lali!