The once foreign sound you heard when you first walked down the corridor that led you to the aula ( class) of Capoeira is not so foreign anymore. You have purchased ( or downloaded)  capoeira music and constantly play it in your car, when you go to bed, and when you rise. Some of the movements become more familiar to you; the Ginga becomes easier, and in your dreams you can hear the Mestre or Professor/Professora speaking to you in Portuguese.

Capoeira is starting to become more than a hobby. You can’t explain it, but the art is becoming like a friend. And you want to become more acquainted with your new friend ( even though you feel like you’ve known her all your life). Copious amounts of money are spent on books and DVDs; the Internet becomes your second home, you can name countless capoeira groups and their respective Mestres, and you consistently DVR your favorite tv shows because defined personal training times are a part of your daily calendar.

Day by day you are getting to know your friend better and she starts to show you things about yourself that were hidden, unknown, fun, and scary. You are about to embark on a great friendship that gives more than it takes!

AXE!

Months later you learn that “foreign sound” was the berimbau and the hypnotic swaying motion was ginga. You feel welcome, but not yet totally part of the environment, you are sore, confused, and tired. These feelings creep through your mind and body, strangely, however you feel invigorated and feel sad when the instructor yells: “IEEEEEEE!”

Welcome to the paradoxical, fun, and intoxicating world of Capoeira!

Before I get into the purpose (s) of this blog I want to give you a brief personal background:

My birth name is Gary Williams, although more people know me as Trovoada. I have been a fan of martial arts my whole life. I have trained in various arts such as Wing Chun Gung Fu, Kenpo Karate,  and Togakure Ryu Ninpo Taijutsu. My greatest martial arts love affair has been with the art of Capoeira; A love affair of the past 15 years of my life. I have been blessed to meet many people through Capoeira, many who have become life-long friends; some who have even become like brothers and sisters.

My Capoeira path has not been without heartache, injuries, happiness, joy, and triumph. Here lies the purpose of this blog: To share some of the above-mentioned things with you so that you know that you are not alone in your journey through the art of Capoeira. There are many good Capoeira blogs covering history, capoeira politics, and techniques. I want my blog to aid in another way, to serve as inspiration in your own Capoeira studies (regardless of group affiliation), and to press you past “obstacles” that we all encounter. I aim to do this through personal stories, life lessons, and roda lessons.

The stage I described earlier in this post I like to call infatuation. It is how I felt during my first few months in the invitingly strange environment of capoeira class. Check back weekly for more posts and discussion on the art we love: Capoeira.

AXE!