October, 2010
We had our first demo during the local festival of Navratri, right after the evening arti (prayer ritual), amidst much excitement and a very huge crowd. Capoeiristas present included Chico, Espaguete, Sucure, Diamante, Mandingueira, Piolho and Capitao. We were cheered for like rockstars!!! CAti-Patang-POEIRA had arrived that night. Thanks to Estrella and Seema from Lok Seva Sangam (LSS)'s help, of course.
Below is Chico's rendition of the experience:
We had our first demo during the local festival of Navratri, right after the evening arti (prayer ritual), amidst much excitement and a very huge crowd. Capoeiristas present included Chico, Espaguete, Sucure, Diamante, Mandingueira, Piolho and Capitao. We were cheered for like rockstars!!! CAti-Patang-POEIRA had arrived that night. Thanks to Estrella and Seema from Lok Seva Sangam (LSS)'s help, of course.
Below is Chico's rendition of the experience:
"We reached there - very dark - looked very different - but I felt strangely at home. Car owners were a little tense. The others looked relaxed as pigeons. Capitao was very curious and excited - "Is it really that bad..." about the things he had heard from us and around. As we parked, some kids walked up to us and started playing the instruments. That was it. The show had begun whether we were ready for it or not. We didn't have to worry about a thing from there. My apprehensions, if they were there at all, had completely vanished and was replaced by a perpetual smile. I was happy, felt at home. The two kids led us to the pandal - Saavan and Capitan. By now we had picked up an entire gang of kids following us - talking to each one of us. I teased Saavan by calling him 'Sabun' hee hee. He asked me where I had come from. I told I had come from another country called Brasil on the other side of the ocean. He said very innocently, "Ha pata he. Mere gaon ke baju mein he na". He held my hand and made me do aarti. Showed me how to do the tikas - the yellow powder and the red powder and then the black powder - good thing because I had no idea how. I put some on him as well. The sweet child. He stayed close to me the rest of the night.
As we arrived we were accosted by Sandeep - a very well-built Maharashtrian. He made us comfortable. We were helped by another LSS operative who asked us to park our cars closer. Piolho was hungry - Sucure is always hungry. They had an entire bag of chicken for Rs. 30. As we sat, the kids and people from around gathered around us. Most of them playing the instruments. They were really amazed when I started tying the berimbau and started playing it. The wonder in the eyes. Capitao and Sucure each had their fan clubs. They were talking, showing them how to snap fingers the Brasilian way, to clap to sing.
All this and the show hadn't even started. We waited for Ethel and started the show. We got the axe up - we sang, they clapped, the did cucurinha, au, front flip, macaco, falling down, getting up - and most of all smiled and smiled and smiled and laughed. Even the elders around started to get infected with the axe and couldn't stop from feeling the axe. They were not as forward and fearless as the kids though. Sabun and I did au together and handstand. He was a bit tense. It showed in his face. We started the solos. The axe was amazing - Neesha started the solos. She did really well. Sucure and Capitao did their rounds of back-flips and stunts. The bateria especially Diamante did a terrific job. Diamante kept the singing going - kept the axe up. People kept changing instruments. No one had to tell no one what to do. We just did it. Then we all got together. I asked them to come closer - my bad - kids were so excited they fell over each other and some of the bateria. But this was quickly rectified. I told them this was capoeira - the kids repeated after me - Ca-pu-e-ra. Then the last song - Adeus Adeus - every one sang - every one. And they waved their hands. ''yeeeh Capoeira yeeeh Capoeira yeeeh.'' Abooom! We were given roses as thanks. We were really touched. We continued singing - Joy from the community stood by me with the microphone. He was clearly high on axe. Not one kid left. They followed us to the car. Not because of who we are, but because of who they are. I will still remember Saavan's sad face as he watched us leave in the car.
It happened. The kids made it happen. We picked on their wave and gave ourselves into it. And the axe just kept going up and up, the more we shared. We were all so elated even after the show ended. We were completely blown away. Mandingueira who was a bit crabby earlier was "fresh as a daisy". Sucure had a dream in the following night about the kids and that he was back with them. Capitao made so many good friends - I thought he was exchanging numbers."
As we arrived we were accosted by Sandeep - a very well-built Maharashtrian. He made us comfortable. We were helped by another LSS operative who asked us to park our cars closer. Piolho was hungry - Sucure is always hungry. They had an entire bag of chicken for Rs. 30. As we sat, the kids and people from around gathered around us. Most of them playing the instruments. They were really amazed when I started tying the berimbau and started playing it. The wonder in the eyes. Capitao and Sucure each had their fan clubs. They were talking, showing them how to snap fingers the Brasilian way, to clap to sing.
All this and the show hadn't even started. We waited for Ethel and started the show. We got the axe up - we sang, they clapped, the did cucurinha, au, front flip, macaco, falling down, getting up - and most of all smiled and smiled and smiled and laughed. Even the elders around started to get infected with the axe and couldn't stop from feeling the axe. They were not as forward and fearless as the kids though. Sabun and I did au together and handstand. He was a bit tense. It showed in his face. We started the solos. The axe was amazing - Neesha started the solos. She did really well. Sucure and Capitao did their rounds of back-flips and stunts. The bateria especially Diamante did a terrific job. Diamante kept the singing going - kept the axe up. People kept changing instruments. No one had to tell no one what to do. We just did it. Then we all got together. I asked them to come closer - my bad - kids were so excited they fell over each other and some of the bateria. But this was quickly rectified. I told them this was capoeira - the kids repeated after me - Ca-pu-e-ra. Then the last song - Adeus Adeus - every one sang - every one. And they waved their hands. ''yeeeh Capoeira yeeeh Capoeira yeeeh.'' Abooom! We were given roses as thanks. We were really touched. We continued singing - Joy from the community stood by me with the microphone. He was clearly high on axe. Not one kid left. They followed us to the car. Not because of who we are, but because of who they are. I will still remember Saavan's sad face as he watched us leave in the car.
It happened. The kids made it happen. We picked on their wave and gave ourselves into it. And the axe just kept going up and up, the more we shared. We were all so elated even after the show ended. We were completely blown away. Mandingueira who was a bit crabby earlier was "fresh as a daisy". Sucure had a dream in the following night about the kids and that he was back with them. Capitao made so many good friends - I thought he was exchanging numbers."
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