[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGhONWz7L-Q] (Caption: In a Sunday afternoon in Rio de Janeiro 30 youngster capoeiras gathered themselves to exchange ideas and they got to the following conclusion: Capoeira is a *Bamba’s thing!)
* – Bamba – Someone adept at verbal and physical dueling; synonym for capoeira expert.
While the majority of the young practitioners are still searching for new movements in the sense of floreios and/or techniques, 3 young capoeiras from Rio de Janeiro started a socio-cultural movement: O Movimento Novo / The New Movement. A annual gathering to debate Capoeira and health related issues. The co-founders’ background is a great example of cross-group and style cooperation; Ferradura is stududent of Mestre Marrom and a knowledgeable angoleiro; Jorge Itapuã is student and son of Mestre Nestor Capoeira, co-founder of the Senzala group; and Lobisomen is student of Mestre Camisa from Abadá group.
The Movimento Novo was born from an informal chat amongst the 3 co-founders. Feeling that their generation “missed ‘classical’ Rodas from Rio de Janeiro, such as Quinta da Boa Vista or Penha, where people from various schools would meet in special dates”, they started the Movimento Novo: a socio-cultural endeavour aiming to foster customs and values common to Capoeira before its institutionalisation.
Addressing the high competitive behaviour amongst corporation-like groups the movement was set in a ‘masterless’ environment and practitioners cannot bring in group flags, titles or uniforms.
As it is the 4CapoeiraThoughts’ aims to promote socio-cultural and educative actions concerned with the roles of Capoeira in our societies, I thought this interview would be a perfect post to start with. The following interview reports the concerns of these young capoeiras about their art, but also how they are doing something. What I hope will inspire others.
Two of the co-founders, Jorge Itapuã and Ferradura, answered my questions explaining their concerns, aims and journey.
Ferradura is an experienced capoeira, student of Mestre Marrom. He’s also part of an interdisciplinary team of teachers working with Capoeira as a holistic tool in educative programmes for early childhood since 1988. According to Ferradura one of the main characteristic of the Movement is the semi-anarchical system they created. “[S]emi-anarchical because sadly we eventually had to use authority to repress excesses”.
Jorge Itapuã Beiramar a skillful capoeira, is also a chiropractor and a physiotherapist with knowledge in alternative therapies and corporal techniques. Currently, Itapuã’s youtube channel (www.youtube.com/abeiramar) is attracting a large audience worldwide and promoting the Movimento Novo.
They both state that it is not always easy to keep up with an initiative originally idealised by 3 capoeiras, but that, in fact, deals with several people from diverse capoeira backgrounds. Lobisomem, for instance, withdrew from the Movement due to group complications followed by the launching of the meetings/Rodas. A great lost, according to them, once he is a very intelligent and socially engaged practitioner.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJNaedisXfQ]
(Caption: Sunday, the 8th of March of 2009 – the day of the international celebration of women – it was held the 2nd edition of the New Movement.
A new generation of capoeiras from all over Rio de Janeiro was gathered around the proposal of exchanging information, make new friends, and play Capoeira in a aura of Vadiação.
No one was carrying logos, uniforms, tittles: only their own identities.
Each one, indeed, representing its own style of Negacear.
Everyone in the Roda creating new movements; experiencing different strikes; discovering new possibilities; in a search for a New Movement.)
For more information on Ferradura’s work please visit Brincadeira de Angola at (http://www.brincadeiradeangola.com.br/quem.htm);
or for Jorge Itapuã’s work please visit – (http://www.jorgeitapuabeiramar.blogspot.com/) or http://www.jorgeitapuabeiramar.com/
If you know about any other interesting initiative approaching Capoeira that you believe it should be shared and discussed, please, send me an email and we will work in posting it over here.
Axé!
Eurico
Interview:
4CT – What is the Movimento Novo (The New Movement)?
Ferradura and Itapuã - It is a endeavour to gather some capoeiras from the new generation in Rio de Janeiro, exchange information, get to know each other better, and, of course, vadiar (play Capoeira).
4CT – What is the proposal?
Ferradura and Itapuã - The first two editions happened in the followin way:
Three Capoeiras invited 9 counterparts each. These 30 capoeiras meet one days as individuals without wearing uniforms, flags or titles. They work with an initial bate-papo (chat), then they attend 3 activities related to Capoeira and health, Education, and Culture; these activities are proposed by the 3 hosts and/or theirs guests. Afterwards they hold a Roda without the persona of a Mestre. The Roda is conduced by all. There is no compra de jogo (‘buying’ games), game peers are chosen amongst themselves, the game ends whenever the players decide to do so, and instruments are passed only when the person playing it wants. What prevails is the good sense and feeling of collectivism.
4CT – Within the global context, with Capoeira spreading to all countries deeply divided by concepts of groups and styles, how do you believe this kind of proposal (of the Movimento Novo) can contribute to the development of a better cultural understanding of the practice by non-Brazilian capoeiras?
Ferradura and Itapuã – What it matters most in this structure in which Capoeira is inserted today is the respect for differences. In our experience the concept of segmentation is stronger in Brazil than it is abroad, for obvious reasons. The proposal of the Movimento Novo stresses the richness and functionality of an heterogeneous Roda, where differences contribute to the enrichment of the ritual. The footage captured during the Roda proves that more important than style, group or flag, what matters in the Roda to produce a movement of quality is each ones’ attitude.
4CT – How do you see the interaction of capoeiras from different groups and styles?
Ferradura and Itapuã – Such interaction is fundamental to the oxygenation of Capoeira. Capoeira is born from an heterogeneous culture with diverse influences, this is its essence, and we believe that this is the way to its growth and matureness.
4CT – Does the movement intends to help other practitioners to organise similar activities in other countries?
Ferradura and Itapuã - The Movimento Novo suggests a new proposal, and with the support from the videos posted on youtube we aim to disseminate the idea. To whom it make sense it worth to note, absorb, digest, interpret and reproduce in accordance to one’s own process. The Movimento Novo is a seed that we hope it will produce fruits worldwide in Capoeira. It is evident that we are keen to help who is interested in organising similar activities.
4CT – What are the most frequent difficulties in terms of organising the movement, its activities and Rodas; and what are your advices to other practitioners aiming to set similar movements?
Ferradura and Itapuã – The challenge we have is to manage some participants’ egos and their respective Mestres, still with that mindset ‘my-group-against-yours’ from the 80s. Some capoeiras have a very limited Capoeira education, regarding to respect other peoples rights. The biggest problem we had, in fact, was that we believed in the practitioners’ consciousness and did not gave proper attention to a good ‘one o one’ conversation.
The tips we give are: a) Establish clear and clever rules, b) Invite only people who really identify themselves with the proposal, c) Talk a lot with everyone, d) Talk a lot with everyone, e) Talk a lot with everyone…
4CT – How do you intend to follow up the proposal and inform the Capoeira community about this kind of initiative?
Ferradura and Itapuã – The idea is to do our thing and have fun. If anyone wants to follow the example s/he will be one more link forging the chain. As for how we advertise the Movimento Novo, we use Itapuã’s youtube channel.
Congratulations to Eurico, Ferradura, Itapua and everyone else who spread up this aproach about the rich enviroment promoted by the practice of capoeira.
Maguinho,
Thanks for your comments Man! Please, spread the word out.
Axé!
This gives good thoughts around capoeira and the roda for me! Very good initiative. I hope to be part of something like this sometime..
But does it actually work with erasing everybody´s “group-belonging-thinking”?
Pedra,
If you would like to be part of something like this, why you don’t look for something to do on your own town? It doesn’t have to be something exactly like the Movimento Novo, but I’m sure you can address some specific issue on your city.
About belonging, why can’t we belong to an open-minded, curious, non-orthodox, and deviant group that likes to build bridges in between cultures? How does that sounds to you?
Axé!
Eurico
Hi Eurico, Fantasma and everyone connected.
So Roda da Penha was in Penha and Roda da Quinta da Boa-Vista in Quinta da Boa-Vista. This are areas in Rio.
So Capoeira has everything, and I agree with Eurico that beside the movement that is strong now a days, we can always strenth what we feel conected. So those who loves the possibility to carry a label in their back and think this is more important then your own identity has already a lot of space to express them selves.
Those who want something else, no problem, all you need is start to move in other direction and naturaly this movement will exist. Like Urban Ritual in London conducted by Mestre Fantasma, a movement of all those who go there carring on the Urban Ritual mentality.
Capoeira tought me that you should know who you are, built up your identity and them learn how to relate with others diferent indentitys in a colective sense. That is what Movimento Novo is about.
“You should not forget who is your Parents and you should not forget who is your family to help you don’t forget who you are!”
I’m not against the groups structure at all! It’s my background too! If was not for them Capoeira won’t be what it is today.
” The issue is not the tool, but how you gonna use it!”
Axé.
brilliant. This is where I want my capoeira to go and I think we should all strive for something similar. However it is human nature to want to “belong” and (men mostly???? sorry to be stereotypical) be competitive. One feels attracted to a certain style and decides to learn more and grow with that teacher, which is how groups are formed. Unfortunately some people will always be like that, black and white – I’ve even met people who thought like that about salsa (cuban vs american style etc – and actually he is rigid and b/w in his capoeira approach to the extent i don’t want to practice with him anymore). This Novo Movimento will appeal to some and not to others, and it is up to us to accept that and not condemn. Everybody is free to pick their own philosophy.
DonAna,
As you said, the ‘black and white’ people, the purists, will always exists. But why is becoming more and more common today to condemn those who like to move across boundaries? Why do you think we need to fit in boxes made by someone else?
About your stereotypes, have you ever seen a Roda with a larger number of experienced women playing themselves? I think they can be as competitive as any man.
Axé!
Eurico
Eurico,
Is it indeed more common for people to catergorize themselves? To condemn others for mixing? Maybe this movement is like the ocean, coming and going, moving in one direction then the other, picking up pieces from one place and leaving them on another beach. We must not make the same mistake by condemning the “purists”!
Humans are herd animals, as you can see by the formation of towns and cities, the burning of witches and other prejudices against individualism (or on the other hand, clique-forming). We want to be loved, protected and sheltered by the other animals, hidden from the predator. Unfortunatley, having a common enemy (the predator) often connects people (even though it goes very far to apply this to capoeira). Often the outsiders then stick together again as well. It’s the way of the world.
Generally in my surroundings there is a lot of respect and admirationd and recognition for people who are creative and different and innovative and show initiative, are not sheep – but definitely not regarded as The Enemy! Is this different in other countries or other layers of society? Isn’t capoeira as a whole, crossing both these boundaries?
On your comment about the female roda – i realize some women are fierce! I won’t bring up the entire discussion we had in Wellington – women are just as valiant in the roda as men are and in my opinion, don’t need any more respect then male capoeiristas. Just don’t go in to hurt eachother, male or female. In capoeira, there’s no winning or losing, you only play against yourself, but WITH the other person.
And on Fantasmas post ( a bit later on), about how we feel when we’re playing someone who has a different style – I feel awkward, becasue I feel like I’m being forced into engaging in a game that isn’t mine, out of control… not confident enough to actually actively just play my own game, not against the other! It requires adaptation from both players, and within minutes the issues could be resolved. read, think ahead, be creative, but stay yourself!
Hey DonAna!
I agree with you. We shall not condemn the purists, instead we must be very alert and careful with all “isms” that are invading Capoeira today. Purism, traditionalism, modernism, mannerism, etc… Such movements tend to over emphasise discourses and attitudes disregarding the continuous change of context inherent to our societies today. For these matters I recommend you the book (in Spanish ;)) Culturas Híbridas: Estrategias para Entrar y Salir de la Modernidad by Néstor García Canclini.
Amongst other things Canclini, argues that process of hybridisation “are socio-cultural processes in which structures or discrete practices, that use to exist apart from others, combine themselves to generate new structures, objects and practices”. But he alerts that these discrete structures and practices were not pure, but rather less heterogeneous in comparison to others, and that in ‘cycles of hybridisation’ these structures tend to be more or less heterogeneous. His concepts are one of the reasons why I believe the split of Capoeira into opposite ‘styles’ is a farce created by “isms”. We have different styles but they should never be considered as opposing each other, but rather, complementary. The common enemy in this case was created, mostly as a form of market reserve, and then taught as universal truths.
About playing a game that isn’t yours… well, I believe adaptability is one of the great skill we can learn from practising Capoeira. To challenge ourselves playing with different people should always happen so that we don’t begin to embody ‘closed versions of culture’ in avoiding playing (and/or interacting in any form) with other people.
I hope all this make sense to you. But if not, lets keep the ball rolling.
Abraço!
Eurico
tem que escrever em inglês aqui é?! rsrs sei não… translate aí for the people rsrsrs
entao
que bacana essa discussão eurico
sempre penso principalmente na questão do respeito e bom senso na capoeira… gostei desse trabalho dos dois
parabens a eles e a vc por estar descobrindo essas experiencias legais
Obrigado Alexia! A idéia é essa, achar outras pessoas com a mente aberta e proposta interessante para discutir nossa prática cultural por aqui. Seja bem vinda!
Bjos,
Eurico
This is great. I would like to know more about
the “missed ‘classical’ Rodas from Rio de Janeiro, such as Quinta da Boa Vista or Penha
When were these rodas taking place? Where? And why did they become “missed ‘classical’?
If it had anything to do with big groups, logos and the corporate world squeezing them out then it should be within our power to encourage the revival of such events. I dont talk about replacing groups that have conquered the world such as Abada, Senzala, CDDO, FICA etc etc but just not allowing the missed classical ones to die or be replaced. I do look forward to one day being at the movement novo. Maybe it should be a monthly event so that it can take shape and add a great facet to NOSSA CAPOEIRA
In London there are a number of like minded teachers, masters, instructors and students that support each others rodas. I myself have been promoting Urban Ritual which is well into it’s third year of monthly rodas and although the idea is to come without uniform or logos some still do. I wonder if it is true that some groups forbid students to visit others without the group logo..I heard it on the grape vine. For updates on Urban Ritual dates, guests and all please join Urban Ritaul at facebook.
Great to see and learn more about Movemento novo.
Mestre,
Muito obrigado pela participação e dicas!
I think groups has played out a great role in helping the spreading of Capoeira, providing the material and technological structure for it. But do we really need them like most of them are now??
How do you think we can recover these kind of Rodas? I think it would be very educative to re-think our practice, our roles and attitudes without brands.
Re ‘groups forbiding their students to visit others without the group logo’, I have been to a couple of events myself when this happened. The guests from one particular group refused to wear the hosting group’s t-shirts.
I’ll try to hook up Ferradura and Jorge to this conversation. ;)
Again thanks for your tips and participation!
Axé Mestre!
one more thing
I just saw in ‘some tips’and I have a tip myself – dont invite anyone or invite everyone just spread the word so that those that come made the decision themselves to arrive and in that way will be bringing all their curiosity, axé and natural interest.
Viva Capoeira
I suppose the big question is. How does someone feel when they play for the first time with someone that doesn’t play their style?
I believe now that we have to learn to play many types of game/individuals.
Hello! I believe capoeira can be represented in the most various ways: by “corporational” groups, “family” groups, “capo-jitsu” groups, “non-contact” groups, “purists” or “hibrid, and also individual “masterless” capoeiristas.
We all can play together.
The most important message of any roda, I believe, is that interaction can be achieved.
valeu!
Hi Ferradura,
Thanks for following up!
I’m with you when you say that ‘Capoeira can be represented in the most various ways’. I just don’t see much interaction going on amongst the different ‘representations’ you pointed out.
‘We all can play together’, definitely! But something in the mind set of most of this ‘representations’ prevent this of happening.
Somehow the Movimento Novo, seems to over come this barrier, at least to a certain extent, and bring people from different backgrounds together. Why is that so? Any particular ideas or comments?
Axé!
Eurico
Ola’ C.M.Eurico
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,why don’t we try to meet these mestres asap? I’m pretty sure you like a lot Movimento Novo ,don’t you?
I see myself in Rio looking for them ! They sound fresh and brand new ! Parabens to the founders of Movimento Novo.
See you soon please ,Ferradura & itapua’! Come to Gold Coast in March to play with us ! I see bigger horizonts of freedom and wisdomand yes we need to speak a lot each other
AXE’
Vovo’
Vovô,
We’ll certainly work with these guys as soon as our financial situation allows us to do it. Meanwhile paying them a visit whenever you arrive in Brazil, sounds like a really nice choice!
Abraço!
Eurico
after few days of thinking about Movimento Novo, I let my feeling, my all being to go free and to let digging deeply inside myself.
After some recent claustrofobic experiences among some so called fundamentalist-purist Capoeiras I really missed some fresh cultural-air : I was soffocating.
Well I’m realizing that my spirit, or my mind ( what so ever we want to name it) are seeing a natural development of Capoeira from its past towards the future troughout such initiative of Movimento Novo. And this finds also good foundation on the teaching of Darcy-Ribeiro when he illustrates the origins of the youngest people of the planet : the Brazilian one, in his milestone work “O Povo Brasileiro” .
Brazilian people originated from at least three people: the Portuguese, the Amerindians and the African ones. It germinated good and well and beautiful. Capoeira is its consistent good strong fruit .
To continue to mix up with the rest of the world pratictioner of Capoeira it will be a natural way to carry on growing, to become stronger and helthier. Oxigenating ,Yes !
Thank yo so far to Movimento Novo founders .
I wish I could meet you
AXE’
VOVO’
Vovô,
It’s is indeed ironic how some people would like to freeze the evolution of Capoeira (not talking about the blind growth here), an intercultural and interdisciplinary art since its birth. But I guess this is more related to these people’s egos (in their attempt to be recognised as ‘the’ guardians, as this can bring some momentary power) than it’s to a real endeavour from the same people to keep the art’s principles alive. The art’s core values are inclusive and libertarian.
To base one’s practice of Capoeira in myths of purism is to deny the very foundation of the art. “… you can fool some people some time, but you can’t fool all the people all the time…” As you figured reading Mestre Darcy Ribeiro, Capoeira is an outcome of the same forging process of Brazilianness. It has many ethnic matrices. Several African ones, to start with, but also many Amerindian, and to a certain degree exiled Europeans as well.
Anyway, I’ll send you something I’m writing soon. Meanwhile you might want to check this post – http://4capoeirathoughts.com/2009/06/02/capoeira-traditionally-an-intercultural-practice/ It was written a while ago, it’s quite raw, but it has some interesting data for you my friend.
Axé!
Eurico
Ola’ Eurico,
I will start asserting that it is true that we , european people, like written rules and written instruction .For centuries we had been tought by means of ancient written texts and books. From here comes our shape of mind and It looks easy to us to learn whatever the matter in this way.
The same for myself, but one day of my life I met an african drummer . It was a very big event for me: he introduced me to the world of drumming without any written word. I had to learn by my sensitivity , my feeling , and I had to avoid thinking too much. The music was supposed to come out of my hands via my heart. I do not have the genes of a black man,but I could understand the potential of such a way to teach. Along that period with him, entire walls of my intellectual infrastructures collapsed. I let myself to go and I changed a lot since then.
Nevertheless , we, western guys , so educated and perhaps squared minded, might express something genuine and so far not the 100% of us are robotised , yet.
So your teacher was not completely right and you have my comprehension when you say that you were disappointed by his “commercial” advice.
Now coming back to our beloved Capoeira , I would like to pick up the same approach of Mestre Acordeon , starting frrm Jazz. As a jazz lover and jazz drummer I love this form of art in its whole. Like Capoeira , jazz evolved , changed , came across different styles of playing, different concepts and ethics as well. What I’m going to say now might enlight our perspectives and our debates about the future of Capoeira.
Nowadays, nobody in jazz dreams about playing his/her instrument like Louis Armstrong or Charlie Parker ( to mention someone possibly close to Mestre Bimba and Mestre Pastinha) or modern composers are not aiming to conceive jazz like Gershwin or Duke Ellington. As well Mestre Acordeon never tried to teach like Metre Bimba ,because it was or it should be impossible.He developed his multi-facets style .
So innovation , creativity , freedom , once again, good sense, love and responsability are welcome more today than ever and should be the keys for the future of Capoeira
. A little mention of the story of the attempt of killing that pig with a Karate kick, which remind me when some robots introduced fundamentalism and neoclassicism in out history ( read Italy and the fascism).
After my readings about M. Acordeon , O Movimento Novo, your experience as Mestre que da lecao e discipulo que aprende, I’m very happy to be just a discipulo que aprende , because I understood that to be a wise mestre or a wise man will take to me plenty of reincarnations.
Axe’
VOVO’
Vovô,
The birth-place of the western civilisation owes a lot to a greco-roman and Jwish-Christian heritage. Problem is that it denies the orient and its wisdom, it attempts to be the only source. The western erudite approach also owes its cartesian dualism to Socrates from who it has developed this addiction of reducing everything into concepts without been able to put together the pieces that in concrete reality can not be grasped apart afterwards.
US Black music is, maybe, the closest manifestation of theirs to the intercultural procedures and the ‘hybridisation processes’ we had in Brazil as tributary to the birth of Capoeira. The predominant influence from many African nations is undeniable! Nevertheless without that specific socio-cultural context in Brazil, in which Amerindians and Europeans participated as well, Capoeira wouldn’t be the same.
Canclini’s theory of ‘hybridisation processes’ would please you, I’m sure! A “socio-cultural process”, as explained by Canclini, is one “in which discrete structures or practices, that pre-existed apart, combine themselves to generate new structures, objects and practices” (Canclini; 2008: XIX). In my view, our practice should be always guided from this stand point; from the early socio-cultural context of the birth of Capoeira as a fight against oppressive and dehumanising forces.
In this way, the understanding of Capoeira’s syncretism, multinational acceptance, potentialities and shortcomings as a social tool towards social inclusion worldwide is intricate. Even more so today when the westernisation of the practice reinforces its grasp, in Brazil and abroad, within a conceptual dualism. Such approach have been leading practitioners and scholars to dwell on dichotomised discussions about erudite and popular; modern and traditional; and pure and hybrid. Taken to an extreme these arguments may be driving both practitioners and scholars to misleading standpoints and attitudes.
If we can take all this into account, I’m sure “innovation , creativity , freedom , … good sense, love and responsibility” will be guiding Capoeira without prejudice and discrimination again.
Axé Vovô!
ps: Your humility denounces that you’re further more wise than you can possibly acknowledge! ;)
I would like to point out that as in jazz fundamentalism has no sense , as well in capoeira shoud be. Jazz is evolving with modern time and each artist is following his/her own way then they have jam sessions and they tour the world with their bands or freelancing. They are facing similar difficulties as we are doing .
I see some parallelism in Capoeira : we might speak too much ,not realizing that we can start to walk along and practise what we know, so far.
Let’s just do it. If we follow out sincerity, and if we use our honesty as a compass we can’t fail.
To be continued here and at the event in Gold Coast.
AXE’
VOVO’
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