It’s really hard to describe to someone who doesn’t play the game. When you hear the buzz of the berimbau, your body just goes into another state. You get all this energy building up inside, and you just wanna play. Then the atabaque starts up, and your body starts moving to the beat, you really just wanna get into the roda. Then someone starts to play the pandeiro, and you know it’s almost time. Finally the professor or instructor starts singing, and you can finally play. The rush to the bateria is like a rush into Walmart on black friday, fighting over who will go in first. But once you get into the roda, all your emotions go away, and you’re a free soul, moving to the beat, yet letting your body move freely and do you’re talking. The spar isn’t a fight, it’s a conversation between the two souls. This, my friends, is the easiest way to describe capoeira.

Now, I know I post about capoeira a lot, but that only shows how much I’ve fallen in love with it. After a while, it becomes a sort of addiction, you just want more of it, and you can’t get enough. I practice twice a week for ~2 hours a practice, and even then I want more. I guess that’s just the rush you get after getting your first cordão.

For the first time ever, one of the capoeira groups in Baltimore, Capoeira Luanda, had it’s first Batizado. For those who don’t know what a Batizado is, it’s a celebration of all the hard work capoeiristas have put into learning the art. The word Batizado literally means “baptized,” and that is because you are, in a sense, baptized into the capoeira community. There’s usually a “Troca de Corda,” or change of cords, and students get new cordoes to signify their growth in talent. However, it’s not like other martial arts where after a year you pay a fee and take a test for your next “belt.” Instead, you have to earn it. Sometimes you can go for 3 years (or more!) without getting a new cordão, especially once you get higher in rank. But when you do get a new one, it’s a rush, no matter what level it is.

So, as I was saying, we had our first Batizado at the beginning of this month (September), and it was an amazing event. Mestre Jelon, the mestre of our group and one of the driving forces in bringing capoeira to the United States, came to both teach us and supervise the Batizado, along with a bunch of Professors, Instructors, Graduados, and Students. We also had two workshops, taught by Mestre and the Professors, in which we learned new capoeira moves and combinations to use within the roda. It was a ton of fun, even if we were sore for weeks!

And then of course, we had the Batizado event. In short, it was a TON of fun. I was really nervous the entire time, as it was my first Batizado, but after being their for about an hour, I realized there was nothing to be nervous about, and I had a ton of fun. Also, I got my first cordão! It’s half yellow half white, which signifies the beginning of the “student” rank in capoeira. Most of my group got white-yellow cordoes, and then a good number got pure yellow, which is the next level above mine. But then, other capoeiristas got cordoes too. One student got her yellow-orange cord, which took her 3 years to get after getting her yellow. Another student got his orange-blue cord, which is the last “student” rank; his next will be blue and signify he’s a graduado (or graduated student). Then, the most exhilarating part of the whole day was when our Instructor got his green cord, because it came out of nowhere. Mestre gave it to him, and it was such an emotional moment.

Overall, I had a ton of fun that weekend, and even so, this post cannot summarize my feelings that well. It’s one of those things where “you had to be there,” which is unfortunate because it was so amazing. Oh well, I guess you just have to come to class and find out for yourself!

Now enjoy some more photos from our event!

(Photos by Jessica Alderman www.jessicaalderman.com and George Han)