Stay focused
The Big Capoeira Festival held by Russian Center for Capoeira in Moscow every spring is known for its 3-hour focus-courses aimed at developing specific aspects of capoeira. What are their advantages and why are these courses so important for the development of a capoeirista?
During a typical capoeira event, students participate in different classes given by a variety of teachers. The masters usually have about one hour, and use this time to share their vision, or some ideas, in a form of a standard capoeira class. This format has been practiced for many years in most schools and has many advantages. However, it is worth considering if there are other ways to organize events.
Can one short class be the best way to convey information to hundreds of students, each of whom come with their own expectations and potentials?
This is exactly the question Mestre Cueca asked himself while planning the program for the Moscow Capoeira Festival. Looking at other martial arts and educational seminars, he came to the conclusion that many of the most professional events in these different spheres focus on specific subjects. Most often the participants of these events know exactly what they can expect. The idea to organize focus-courses dedicated to a certain aspect of capoeira — for instance, miudinho, angola or percussion — seemed like a logical progression. Mestre Cueca decided that such an approach is useful for both teachers and students.
As a rule, masters are good in all aspects of capoeira, however each master an area in which he shines brightest, his specialty. During a focus-course the masters are able to concentrate on their field of expertise and interact more closely with students. The students, in turn, get an opportunity to choose from a selection of courses and plunge into one that is the most interesting to them. No matter which course the student chooses, they can't help but wonder what is happening during other courses at the same time.
As a rule, masters are good in all aspects of capoeira, however each master an area in which he shines brightest, his specialty. During a focus-course the masters are able to concentrate on their field of expertise and interact more closely with students. The students, in turn, get an opportunity to choose from a selection of courses and plunge into one that is the most interesting to them. No matter which course the student chooses, they can't help but wonder what is happening during other courses at the same time.
Focus-courses in the framework of the Big Capoeira Meeting are only the beginning of a natural evolution of capoeira events, Mestre Cueca thinks. It can become more regular to organize events dedicated to learning a specific capoeira aspect. In fact nowadays specialized courses are starting to appear around the Capoeira world. Some focus on the musical aspect, the art of teaching, or working with children.
During the Moscow Festival, four focus-courses took place, each led by international masters. Mestre Gaiola dedicated his class to miudinho. Contra Mestre Guaxini taught Angola. Mestre Edan focused on the fighting aspect. Mestre Esquilo explained how to develop creativity in a game.
Mestre Gaiola
"The idea of my course is to show that miudinho can help you bring the
game to a new level. Miudinho is in fact the next step of your development. First you learn Regional, Angola, try to master the basics of the game, and then you get down to miudinho, which helps to sharpen your skills. It requires better body control, you work in a small space, you have to think faster. It certainly improves your skills. Moreover, miudinho develops your reflexes, and this will help you in any game no matter what style you choose."
game to a new level. Miudinho is in fact the next step of your development. First you learn Regional, Angola, try to master the basics of the game, and then you get down to miudinho, which helps to sharpen your skills. It requires better body control, you work in a small space, you have to think faster. It certainly improves your skills. Moreover, miudinho develops your reflexes, and this will help you in any game no matter what style you choose."
Contra Mestre Guaxini
"During my class I wanted to give basic principles and ideas of capoeira
Angola: movement, music, rhythm, endurance. We worked on the main movements, tried to refine them, so that they were easier to perform in a game. In the musical part we dealt with rhythm, songs, music, and voice. The main idea is to reach the harmony of all the components and to create a connection with the movements in a game."
Angola: movement, music, rhythm, endurance. We worked on the main movements, tried to refine them, so that they were easier to perform in a game. In the musical part we dealt with rhythm, songs, music, and voice. The main idea is to reach the harmony of all the components and to create a connection with the movements in a game."
Mestre Esquilo
"I call my course 'body and mind' because you need to train not only the
body, but also your brain. During my class we learned to feel the game, to work on reflexes and timing. In a game, to make a lucky move you need to choose the right time and we tried to find this moment. The basic movement of my course is rasteira. It is perfectly suited for developing reflexes, timing and creativity. Actually, I think creativity is the most difficult aspect of my course, and of capoeira in general, because people memorize movements in one manner and then it becomes very difficult for them to invent something of their own. That's why I teach students to train their minds, so that they could not only copy but also create something new."
body, but also your brain. During my class we learned to feel the game, to work on reflexes and timing. In a game, to make a lucky move you need to choose the right time and we tried to find this moment. The basic movement of my course is rasteira. It is perfectly suited for developing reflexes, timing and creativity. Actually, I think creativity is the most difficult aspect of my course, and of capoeira in general, because people memorize movements in one manner and then it becomes very difficult for them to invent something of their own. That's why I teach students to train their minds, so that they could not only copy but also create something new."
What students say:
Albert Avanesov
"Mestre Esquilo's focus-course is very inspiring and motivating. I have
attended it for two years in a row and each time I learn something new and interesting. It is pleasure to have an opportunity to listen to such a fantastic master and to train with him during a few hours."
attended it for two years in a row and each time I learn something new and interesting. It is pleasure to have an opportunity to listen to such a fantastic master and to train with him during a few hours."
Dmitriy Fomin
"Mestre Gaiola's focus-course is a perfect involvement in miudinho. The
training was rather difficult, but it is a kind of personal challenge — how long can you go? Three hours is quite a lot but you have enough time to warm up well, to train in pairs with everyone, to find the connection with the master. He also has more time for everything: to come to everybody and explain the details. I am very happy."
training was rather difficult, but it is a kind of personal challenge — how long can you go? Three hours is quite a lot but you have enough time to warm up well, to train in pairs with everyone, to find the connection with the master. He also has more time for everything: to come to everybody and explain the details. I am very happy."
Ekaterina Ozherelyeva
"Actually I love angola and for me it was very interesting to see how Contra Mestre Guaxini teaches. It was very cool, I felt pain in all my body. The idea of the focus- course is very good, perhaps, it should be just a little bit shorter. However, it is only my opinion — it depends on how quickly one gets tired and gives up."
Michael Begoyan
"Mestre Edan's course is perfectly suitable both for beginners and
advanced students because during the three hour class you pass from one level to another no matter what belt you actually have. At the end we played a lot using the skills we obtained during the lesson. As the course was focused on development of a fighting aspect, they were quite touch games, though gentle, because the main rule of Mestre Edan is safety. It was very cool to try to play this way in a roda with the students of different levels; you had to adapt yourself to your partner's abilities all the time. For example, with advanced I trained more speed and timing and with beginners — precision and accuracy of kicks.
advanced students because during the three hour class you pass from one level to another no matter what belt you actually have. At the end we played a lot using the skills we obtained during the lesson. As the course was focused on development of a fighting aspect, they were quite touch games, though gentle, because the main rule of Mestre Edan is safety. It was very cool to try to play this way in a roda with the students of different levels; you had to adapt yourself to your partner's abilities all the time. For example, with advanced I trained more speed and timing and with beginners — precision and accuracy of kicks.
Credits: Tatyana Ermolaeva; Alexandra Safonova; Anna Zelenkova; Ekaterina Ozherelyeva; Aleksander Savenkov
