Yesterday, Dec. 1, was the first official day of our Batizado…aka the event my capoeira group been working towards all year. The main event consists of 4 days of classes and instruction, followed by a show and cord ceremony on Saturday, Dec. 5. Things got going last Wednesday, however, when Contra Mestre Ivan and Contra Mestre Rodrigo got into town. Since then, there has been some kind of practice, get-together, pool party, bbq, dancing…something…every day. It’s been fun, but it’s been exhausting. Lots of late nights, and that was before we even started working hard.
Yesterday we started training at 2 and didn’t take our afternoon break until at least 5:30. At one point I stopped looking at the time because we weren’t going by our schedule and I was just plain sure it would never end. The event is being held in a gym, which is nice because we have some facilities – bathrooms, water fountains, security for our stuff. However, I miss practicing outside just under our little gazebo thing because the breeze makes a big difference. It was really hot and stuffy in the gym yesterday. And this girl does not do well in those conditions. However, I made it through without feeling the need to vomit and without getting that awful yucky feeling you get when you’re about to die b/c you’re working out in crazy heat. Praying that today will be day 2 of that.
We had three different classes with three different mestres between 2 and 5:30, each a little different, but each hard in their own way. One mestre does not appear to believe in water breaks…so there’s that.
Here are a few pre-event photos:
And a few from yesterday – the calmer part of the day:
Music class near the end of the first day, before the closing roda.
