Comments for 4capoeirathoughts

Comment on If you don’t know this, you no nothing at all! by 4CapoeiraThoughts

4CapoeiraThoughts — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 03:27:42 +0000

Tarek,
I agree with you on ‘principles’ or ‘guidelines’. This is very common in community development area where programs needs to tackle different realities, so there can’t be ‘rules’ or ‘universal truths’. I also believe you have gained a lot of wisdom having to deal with both different realities and teachers (once you told they come from various backgrounds).

I can respect people being strict in how they practice and play; it’s a matter of taste. It’s too undermining regarding how new students are been educated, however, that a Mestre feel righteous to disrespect other people’s knowledge and practices to promote their own.

Capoeira is a powerful tool, I believe, exactly because it was born out of peoples’ struggle to survive and uphold their culture within a diverse environment. It has always been an empowering too, a navigation system for those crossing cultures.

But like you said we have plenty of good models to look up too!
Abraços!
Eurico

Comment on If you don’t know this, you no nothing at all! by Janelle

Janelle — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 14:01:05 +0000

Hi Eurico! Thank you for giving a voice to the type of experiences so many of us have shared.

Comment on If you don’t know this, you no nothing at all! by Tarek

Tarek — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 05:04:23 +0000

Valeu all,
1st thanks for the articles.
If you look at the context of many leading figures of Capoeira students you see, many are conservative of there own stile > the ‘teacher’ of the schools mostly and hardly make a living of Capoeira so they insist to ‘know’ when there is no write or wrong > it is simply insecureness.

As you know, there are different philosophies out there. Some teachers ‘eat the wisdom with the big spoon’ some with the ‘big golden spoon’ the roda of live:)

For example, we (Bidna Capoeira Charity) are having contractual obligations to our Donors who want consistency and at the same time we are employing teachers from different schools who are having different styles. We don’t want to narrow there often spontaneous approach to deal with the students so we have to find ‘guidelines’ – a common ground.

It is our responsibility to communicate that there are different styles of Bateria, songs, names, movements etc. We are supporting the principle of escaping technics (to tolerate and deal with it) than block technics (resistance) – of course (again) there is no right or wrong – it is always the circumstance, in the context of psychological stress and traumata it makes more sense.

At times we are faced with difﬁcult decisions and our values guide us to do the right thing not the easy thing.

Great Mestres inspire us, representing all that is good in capoeira.

Axe!

Comment on If you don’t know this, you no nothing at all! by Thom Vandevenne

Thom Vandevenne — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 00:13:37 +0000

You are not wrong in your view on this. When you have a grade you are often judged on your quality but several factor have to be taken in accord.
1) how long have you had the rank?
2) How often per week can you train?
3) how prepared were you when you attained the grade?
As an example: I am a teacher in ICT on a daily basis in a secondary school and last year I attained the rank of professor. I was of the opinion that I wasn`t ready for the rank. Especially because 1) a colleague was far more advanced and 2) because i was insecure of my ability when I compared it to other professores across the globe. But an instructor talked to be just before the formatura and said:”Have you thought about the possibility that your mestre sees in you a potentially good professor. Maybe all you need (read: conquer your insecurity) is a little push to make you train harder, learn more and grow in the art.
I hope to make my mestre proud of his decision to give me this rank within a few years.

Comment on If you don’t know this, you no nothing at all! by Thom Vandevenne

Thom Vandevenne — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 00:00:27 +0000

This happens a lot around the world. Especially with newly appointed professores/as. They want to make sure they abide by their schools rules. Sometimes it is not intentionally but they just haven`t considered the fact that there may be more solutions to one problem.
In capoeira, when you go to Brazil (as non-brazillian) expect to be tested heavily. Often the teacher will discard your skills as unprofessional and not worthy of the name capoeirista. Most often the reason is you being non-brazilian.
A teacher who publicly humiliates you with it, because humiliation is what it is, are themselves unworthy teachers. Not worth the name teacher. For teacher is more than having skills in the profession. It is the skill to !motivate! and guide your students to a higher level. A true mestre is someone who can see and respect other lines of thinking without losing his own vision or impose it.
I will read about Gatto as he is unfamiliar to me.