Archive for the ‘Education’ Category

Capoeira: When to help others in no longer a choice, but an obligation! 2/2

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

This is the second part of my interview with Tarek ‘Laranja’, a socially engaged Capoeira teacher from Syria. Tarek’s newest project ‘Bidna Capoeira’ – “We want Capoeira!” in English – aims to inspire teachers from around the world to take action in areas of conflict and social difficulties through Capoeira programmes. ‘Laranja’ also shares his motivations and the shortcomings of such actions.

(more…)

Capoeira: When to help others in no longer a choice, but an obligation! 1/2

Thursday, February 18th, 2010


Tarek “Laranja” Alsaleh was the first practitioner to introduce Caopeira in Syria. Different from many enthralled young teachers who chose to ‘train just for fun’, Tarek believes that helping children and youth to find joy in their lives is no longer a choice, but an obligation. He coordinates various different projects utilising Capoeira as a socio-educative instrument in different locations. Through CapoeirArab, he launched the “Free for Kids project”, a programme assisting over 500 Iraqi/Palestinian refugees and children in areas of extreme social conditions. Currently Tarek is working to launch ‘Bidna Capoeira’ a NGO that aims ‘to bring capoeira to people in difficult situations around the world’, as he puts it. This is the first part of my interview with Tarek.

(more…)

Paulo Freire’s Libertarian Philosophy of Education and the ‘Politics of Capoeira’. 2/2

Thursday, February 4th, 2010

Politicking is a power and money-driven practice of a few, which causes the withdrawal of many devoted students and young instructors in Capoeira. Conversely, politics can be a way to engage and take action against politicking and other unhealthy practices within the art. A way of re-organising Capoeira towards more noble values and purposes within our communities. Freire’s argument for a libertarian process of education helps demystify the discussion of a ‘neutral’ versus a politicised approach to the art.

(more…)

Paulo Freire’s Philosophy of Education and the ‘Politics of Capoeira’. 1/2

Thursday, January 28th, 2010



I have had enough of Capoeira politics!” In 20 years of practising Capoeira, I have lost count of how many nice, talented and devoted-to-the-art friends I have seen leave Capoeira for this reason. In my view they gave up because of politicking not politics; an important distinction.

(more…)

Jogo Aberto 7-14/03/2010

Tuesday, January 12th, 2010

Jogo Aberto, our school’s next event, will be held from the 7th to the 14th of March at Fingal Head, NSW, Australia. The programme is packed with talks, discussions, documentary screening, and of course heaps of good classes and Rodas. Everyone is welcome! From new beginers to advanced students and teachers.

(more…)

In Syria, ‘capoeira’ helps Palestinian-Iraqi children heal psycho-social wounds

Wednesday, December 9th, 2009

Palestinian children from Iraq learn ‘capoeira’ – an Afro-Brazilian art form that combines elements of martial arts, music and dance – at al-Tanf refugee camp in Syria.

By Magda Qandil

(more…)

O Povo Brasileiro / The Brazilian People

Friday, November 27th, 2009

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Xz9pfxErQE]

(Captions can be turned on using the ‘cc’ option, on the far right arrow – pointing up – bellow the youtube screen)

We come from the confluence, the cultural shock, the mingling of the Portuguese invader with our native Indians and African natives. We are a syncretic culture a new people who, despite being the off spring of the fusion of different matrices behave as one people not holding on to the past. We are open to the future. (Ribeiro; 1995)”

(more…)

The Day of the Black Consciousness

Monday, November 23rd, 2009

Mestre Jogo de Dentro singing a Ladainha at his workshop at the Volta Por Cima / Cordão de Ouro Centre in Brasília in 08-2005

Since the 1960s the Day of the Black Consciousness in Brazil is celebrated on the 20th of November. At this day, in 1695, the last leader of the Quilombo dos Palmares – Zumbi, was executed by the slavish establishment.

(more…)

PhD Research on Capoeira and Social Inclusion Calls for Online Participation of Practitioners

Wednesday, November 11th, 2009

(more…)

The Social Role of Capoeira: An invitation to make local sense of a cultural practice in global spreading.

Friday, November 6th, 2009

Photo taken at a 'Domingueira'. Project Learning from Brazilian Culture

After writing about the Volta Por Cima and the Brazil Sweden Cultural Exchange projects I received a few e-mails from people interested in this sort of social initiative in Capoeira. These new contacts made me think about the 4 Capoeira Thoughts proposal.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

The Social Role of Capoeira:

An Invitation to make local sense of a cultural practice in global spreading

If we are to contribute with and bring awareness to the role of Capoeira as an educative and social inclusive practice worldwide, we need to discuss the difficulties, particularities, and outcomes of these actions in local communities. Capoeira was born from attitudes of resistance against oppression and since then has been empowering the underprivileged people. (more…)

Project Learning from Brazilian Culture: A Brief History, Profile and Guidelines

Wednesday, October 28th, 2009

Erica, João Grande, Fafá and Joãonete

Erica, João Grande, Fafá and Joãonete. By Fabrício Ferreira

Very often I am asked “- What is ‘Volta Por Cima’?”. Most people must be thinking I have started a new group or brand. That is not the case. Mestre Suassuna’s work inspired many of my endeavours in Capoeira, including the development of the social project Learning From Brazilian Culture. However, this project’s design reflects much of my personal grasp of Capoeira, and is based on other Mestres’ teachings, scholars and artists as well. Hence, I needed to start an independent institution, and that is how the ‘Volta Por Cima – Capoeira, Education, and Culture’ begun. I chose this name for two reasons. First, because it is a movement that embodies the principles of an elegant and skilful Capoeira so present in Mestre Suassuna’s teachings. Second, because in Brazilian Portuguese the expression ‘dando [doing] a Volta Por Cima’ also means recovering one’s life after being through a very troublesome period. A perfect name for a project designed to promote social inclusion. (more…)

Subscribe to RSS feed