For most capoeira groups, the yearly batizado e troca de corda is their biggest event. A batizado is a capoeirista’s official induction or baptism into the Brazilian culture of training capoeira. A troca de corda is a change of cords, going to the next highest one as recognition for all the training that a capoeirista as undergone to advance his/her game, including singing and playing capoeira music for the more advanced students.
The three days of workshops with guest instructors, including the day of the big event, is an intense time of high energy and anxiety. Our capoeira teacher’s teacher, Mestre Rodrigo, comes into town along with other respected capoeirista teachers who are either part of our lineage, trained with us or who invites our higher cordas to their batizado. This is all to ensure that students are given plenty of opportunity before the event to sharpen their skills and pick up at least one new movement out of the sea of new things being presented in the workshops.
This year was the first time in the three years that I’ve been a member of Capoeira Evolucao that I’ve been in town during the batizado. Due to a myriad of reasons, mostly excuses, I’ve not been motivated to train as seriously as one needs to in order to receive my next corda. As a matter of fact, I usually attend class with the attitude that I want to maintain my physical and mental health in a social setting with positive people. Not a bad ambition, actually!
Yet this year, as one of the proud sponsors of Capoeira Evolucao, I set up a table where I displayed my book, Tribe of One, along with t-shirts that had my book cover on it. As the event unfolded, many people stopped by my table, seeking batizado t-shirts–some even handed me their money and told me what size they needed! I know in the future that we need to have all available items for sale in the same area. Although I sold some books at the very end of the batizado, I could tell that some people were a little confused that my book had nothing to do with capoeira. I’d tell them that I was a sponsor and also a capoeirista myself, which cleared up the confusion.
As fate would have it, I’d spent nearly a month and a half getting my technological act together in order to accept credit cards and everyone paid in cash! In the long run, I’m better off having the capabilities to accept both forms of payment, but a part of me is a wee bit disappointed not to play with my new business toy during our big event.
Outside of the intense training and the exhilarating batizado, we capoeiristas had a good time just socializing. For me, that started Saturday morning for the waffles breakfast, which two capoeiristas who used to train with us hosted.
Several of the other sponsors were restaurants, which the group visited on different nights for dinner. So, I was the first one at the sponsoring restaurant after the batizado. As other people showed up, all of the instructors who tested the batizado participants, sat in a private room in the restaurant while the rest of us filled the tables on the patio, snacking on complimentary yucca fries and pão de queijo (cheese rolls). Delicious appetizers, but my hunger wasn’t fully satisfied until I finished devouring my entree: rainbow trout fillet with mashed potatoes, spinach and cream sauce.
I caught wind of some female capoeiristas’ plans to “get hoochie” for the after party, hosted by a fellow capoeirista and his roommate. I never like being the ugly stepsister; so I put on one of my favorite slinky salsa/tango dresses, pulled back my hair and took the trouble to wear jewelry and lipstick. Every now and again, I enjoy playing dress up. People hardly recognized me!
Although I swore I’d not stay out until 2 am, I lost track of time. I was highly entertained by all the batizado war stories, dancing and even a game of limbo broke out. I finally snuck out a little after 2 without making the customary round of kissing cheeks.
Amazing enough, I still made it to my 10 am bikram yoga class. Fortunately, the room wasn’t extra hot. I felt the effects of drinking a bit more than my usual glass of red wine from the night before. At least I had the opportunity to detox…just in time for the capoeirista BBQ.
Another capoeirista and her family opened their wonderful back yard to us. The smell of BBQ hung in the air and as people arrived, we had a stream of new buffet side dishes. My “Mexican style” cornbread didn’t last too long and the yogurt parfait station that I helped set up was a big hit as well. I knew not to stuff myself because what my capoeira teacher normally barbeques the best cut of meat last–after people have eaten a lot of other food so he can take most of the good stuff home. It’s still an effective game plan since we usually come hungry.
Many capoeiristas took advantage of the opportunity to practice playing instruments and singing. Others relived exciting moments of their childhood by jumping on the trampoline and playing with hula hoops. I stuck with eating, drinking and socializing. I didn’t want to challenge my digestive system any more than overeating and sipping cachaça (Brazilian sugar cane rum) were already doing.
Well satiated, I gathered my glass casserole pan, which was full of cornbread crumbs, kissed cheeks on my way from the back yard to the kitchen to clean my pan and left.
As much as I’d indulged this weekend, the best remedy to set things right will be training capoeira on Monday. It’ll be glorious to be among all the shiny new cordas.