Capoeira & My Singing Class.

I first learned of capoeira probably 10 years ago or more.  I was at a multicultural retreat, and there was a group/club performing.  It was like dancing and fighting combined.  To a Brazilian beat.  I loved it.  I kept the little piece of describing the group, and decided to try to when I wasn't in school.  I'm sure I've moved more than 15 times since then, but I always moved that little piece of paper with the description of capoeira on it.  During my last move, I was like, "Hey, I can do this now!  This piece of paper doesn't have to go back into the drawer!!"  So I found a place that teaches it near me, and the classes actually fit my schedule relatively well.

I went to my first class last week.  I learned a lot, as much about myself as about capoeira. 

We started the class (after I changed clothes in a bathroom without a light on, thankful for my flashlight app!) by singing.  Since Capoeira is so linked with music, I guess we learn a new Brazilian every week.  After the teacher sang it through a few times, and the group sang it through a few times, we each had to sing it on our own (with the group doing the chorus and members playing instruments)!!  I was so thankful for my experience in my singing class last semester!  I at least had experience singing in front of a group (albeit, not generally in Brazilian). 

We we did some warm ups after that, stretching and stuff.  We then went three at a time across the mat, doing different moves.  Like a roundhouse kick, or crab walking.  There were several new people  in the class with me, but the two guys had experience from  other clubs.  So it was just Nancy and I who were truly new.  We were paired together for most of the activities.  Nancy was an overweight woman, but she worked hard.  Anyway, Nancy and I often went alone down the mat doing the moves, because the teacher (Zach) wanted to instruct us two on our own before we did something.  It was good instruction, but made me a bit self-conscious. 

I'm not sure of Zach's ethnicity.  He was White and looked like a college wrestler (in shape, puffy ears), but he seemed to know the language pretty well. 

When the real part of the class started.  He told them to do certain moves (using Portuguese names), but he separated Nancy and I out to learn the basics.  We first learned jingo, the basic back and forth move, with a basic arm block.  We did that for awhile, which was good because I couldn't get my arms and legs to work together.  Well, not in the way that Zach wanted me to.  Then we learned a drop, but I don't remember the name.  Finally, he gave us some hints on the roundhouse (I'm sure there's a Portuguese name for it, but he didn't use it).  While the others were practicing other moves in pairs, we kept at our three things.  It sounds easy, but we were all tired and sweaty very soon.  May be it's Irvine humidity?  But that's  when I realized that I'm athletic in the sense that I'm in shape, but not in the sense that I'm coordinated.  Nancy was tired and getting sore, but I was fine.  I was sweaty, but still had energy.

Towards the end of class, we all sat around in a circle.  But then Zach told Nancy and I to come to the front.  Those with instruments started playing, and Zach told me to to a cartwheel into the center of the circle and start fighting him.  Uh, s'what?   But I did it.  The whole class watched while he slowly sorta kicked me and I tried to do the drop that he taught me, and the kick.  I'm sure it was ridiculous.  I was again thankful for my singing class.  I wasn't singing, but that's the closest experience that I have of performing in front of people.  Not counting public speaking, I guess, but I enjoy that and think that I'm good at it so it's not too nerve-wracking for me. It was someone's birthday, so she had to fight everyone.  Zach first, then me, then Nancy, then everyone else in the circle.  Including the musicians.  She was exhausted by the end of it!  Remind me not to go to class on my birthday!!

I plan to go to several more classes to see what more I can learn.  If capoeira is something that I "get" sorta quickly, then I might stick with it.  If not, I'll move on to learn something else.  I'm surprisingly good at water sports (surf kayaking, paddle boarding, etc.), for someone so uncoordinated, so may be I'll focus on something like that.  But I'll definitely go back to Zach's capoeira class a few more times!  Who's with me?