Since our beginning in 2001, we have been running Na Ginga da Capoeira Festival, a big celebration that focuses primarily on the Batizado ceremony.
NA GINGA DA CAPOEIRA FESTIVAL
CAPOEIRA is a repository for the history and wisdom of the Afro-Brazilians and one of its main events is the BATIZADO. Literally batizado means baptism but it has no religious connotation. It is a grading ceremony and traditionally it takes place once a year. Through this ceremony new students are officially welcomed into the capoeira community, whereas all the advanced students have the opportunity to show their acquired skills learned throughout the year.
After having succeeded their final test, students gain a new belt i.e. corda i.e. TROCA DE CORDA (Change of belt). The batizado is also a time for capoeira mestres and instructors to come together and share their knowledge with all their students. Family, friends and the public are encouraged to come, enjoy and participate in the event. Be ready to receive the axè (magic vital strength and energy) of this big day from your teaching team and all the Graduados, Instrutores, Professores and Mestres and all the guests who will join us for the occasion!
The festival does not include just training sessions, but also seminars, talks, film screenings, music classes, Brazilian food, gigs and loads of dancing.
During our Festival we enjoy the result of our annual training and we manage to put together all our students from every community projects, schools, courses and every walk of life and age.
In many years we got the Arts Council involved as well as The Ark, Waltons School of Music, Trinity College just to name a few and many venues around Dublin as well as Dublin-based bands, musicians and Djs.
It is a joyful celebration that is shared with guests coming all the way from Brazil and the rest of Europe and has a common denominator that resides where Ireland meets Brazil.
