Capoeira At The Other End Of The World
BY YUKO MIKI - It's been over a century since the first Japanese immigrants arrived in Brazil to found what is now the world?s largest overseas Japanese community. Perhaps it was inevitable that the exchange of cultures that began then would eventually include the Afro-Brazilian art of Capoeira, given Japan's own rich tradition of martial and performing arts. Capoeira Regional may have been the introduction, but today an increasing number of Japanese capoeiristas are choosing to practice the form closer to its roots.
Interview with Nestor Capoeira
In the spring of 2002, Nestor Capoeira visited New York City for the first time. He came to teach a two day capoeira workshop and give a lecture about his insights into the capoeira game. Nestor is familiar to many people for his ?Little Capoeira Book?, often the first bit of capoeira literature they buy. Nestor Capoeira is in fact the author of four books, three about Capoeira, and a fourth one - a novel. Nestor, we discovered, also just finished his PhD, studying the globalization of Capoeira, and it?s relation to nomadic power structures. His lectures turned out to be illuminating discussions of capoeira.
Stretching and Flexibility For Capoeira
As we all know, flexibility and agility are important attributes for playing Capoeira. They are also important for a healthy and long life. Going through the mailbag here at Planet Capoeira, questions asking about methods for stretching are near the top, especially coming from beginners. So, it seemed bout time we addressed these questions.
Interview with Mestre Rony
Mestre Rony started playing Capoeira in the state of Sao Paulo in the small town of Pirassununga in 1984 where he had the chance to meet Mestre Luizao. Since then he has had the chance to train with several great mestres, that he considers his mestres as well. Mestre Rony arrived in the US in 1992 and with the help of Contra-Mestre Amunka, started giving classes in California where he taught Capoeira until 1996 when he moved to West Florida. Now situated in Sarasota, Florida he is expanding his academy along the Gulf Coast of Florida. With his patience and dedication he is teaching more than 100 students the art of Capoeira.
Interview with Mestre Acordeon
One of the most reknowned and recognized capoeira masters in the world today, Mestre Acordeon arrived in the United States in 1978 with a vague notion of establishing the art here. Now, twenty-five years later as head of the United Capoeira Association and owner, operator and master of the Capoeira Arts Cafe in Berkley, California parts of his vision has been realized. In this interview from 2001, Planet Capoeira asked the esteemed mestre some questions about that vision and his work to date.
