What level of Capoeira are you in?
Mestre Curisco: Capoeira is like life, we continue to be students for the rest of our life, and we continue learning forever. But I have been doing capoeira for 40 years and then I graduated in 2000. That’s when I got my mestre belt.
Contra Mestre Guerreira: And me, I am a contramestre. I’m one belt below becoming a mestre. So I’ve been for 20, 23 years, More than 20 years.
What is your favorite move in Capoeira?
Mestre Curisco: I don’t have a favorite. Back in the day, I used to do a lot of acrobatics because I like it. The backflip is very good for performance but for martial arts it doesn’t help you in anything. I have to think that those movements are not good for me at certain times. I love all the movements and even some movements become more personal. Depending on your type of body, how you like it, you know. I think all of them are good depending on how you play, and who you play with.
What is the basic movement that you have to learn in capoeira?
Mestre Curisco: We start from the Ginga. It is the base to start to guide you to learn more stuff. Ginga in Portuguese is ‘anything in movement’. And then, the basic is defense because you want to attack, but you got to learn how to defend as well. Then your best attack becomes your best defense, your best defense becomes your best attack. And then from the base you are creative. And then use a lot of basic steps that help you make your game, your moves look really nice, you know, that’s what you want, like coordination, technique, speed, power, balance and then more elements to make your game keep going up and enjoy, of course.
Who taught you how to do capoeira?
Mestre Curisco: I have my mestre in Brazil. The first time I saw Capoeira, I was 4 or 5 years old and I got to join a little bit later.
When you first began to do capoeira, did you ever think you would reach this level?
Mestre Curisco: When I saw it I just wanted to enjoy it. Back then I was doing soccer. But then soon I started to do the Capoeira. I didn’t lose interest in soccer, but I got so passionate about capoeira. I saw capoeira as an identity. I knew this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I started training and went through the belt promotions. I wanted to get better. The changes make us all want to do better. Now I think Capoeira opened so many doors for me. I do travel all over the world. I teach from Brazil to Canada. And I look back and I know I want to pass this on to other people because, you know, we come from poor families, from poor neighborhoods, and from the arts. Do what you love, and the door will open in many different ways. I was not thinking I was going to achieve all this. But that’s the arts. The arts are beautiful. The arts change us and open many different opportunities.
What are some challenges you had to go through to learn Capoeira?
Mestre Curisco: The challenge is to be consistent in the arts and in life. Consistency is what makes us become the best we can become. And of course with dedication as well. Some days when we are tired, we got to do it even though sometimes we think that’s not a good day, but it becomes our best day. But I think the most difficult thing is making the commitment to ourselves. For me, it was also difficult to get into the classes, not because I didn’t want to get into them, but because it was too far away for my family. There were some movements that were really hard for me. I would look at some movements that looked nice and beautiful and I thought, “I’m not going to be able to do that”. That’s when we need to let things go and start to do things completely differently. I think the struggle is patience. That’s something I felt because we get excited and want to learn so fast and there are some stuff we need to be patient with because it takes a little bit of time.
Contra Mestre Guerreira: For me, it was to convince my parents to let me do it. Because by the time when I started, they would not see women in capoeira. They would think capoeira is more for men. It’s like martial arts was not for women. It’s like martial arts don’t work for women. We should do just dance, ballet, and stuff like that. Right? So for me, it was to convince my parents that I wanted to do this, I wanted to be part of that. So they gave me a little bit of a tough time on that. But you know, later I explained and showed them what’s the beauty of everything.
Mestre Curisco: And also about discrimination and all the different aspects of being black, by being a woman in Brazil. You know, the culture is changing. Now women, they can do whatever they want in any sport they want to, you know, drums, singing, jumping. Women here also train on a regular basis. Even with family, they keep training and that’s how it becomes a big community. And that’s why for women is very difficult when going through some different processes in their life, not just in the capoeira aspect. For them to continue their journey of doing the arts they love to do.
Contra Mestre Guerreira: When you want something, you dedicate to it, you make it part of your life. I think arts in general try to make us do this. I don’t have to stop doing what I love just to become what somebody thinks I have to. You can combine different aspects of your life together. My daughter, she was here last week. I did capoeira and worked for eight months with her, you know, in my belly. Everybody will be like,” oh, my God, no, you’re pregnant, you should not do it!”. We women are so strong so we can do it. And long as you meant to do it, I feel like we can do it, So it’s not just about women but men as well. If you want something, you can do it.
What is the history of capoeira? How long has it been around? What is the history of capoeira? How long has it been around?
Mestre Curisco: Capoeira is developed in Brazil with influence from Africa. Capoeira is not like the old martial arts like kung fu or karate. Capoeira is a younger martial art. It is like 600 or 700 years old. There is no known founder for capoeira because there was slavery in Brazil, there were quilombos and capoeira was being played in different places. Today in Brazil there are different styles of capoeira. A lot of enslaves were in Rio de Janeiro and then were taken to Salvador. Capoeira moved like that and there were changes in capoeira. There is not a person we say that founded it. We know Mestre Bimba created capoeira regional and that’s one style of capoeira.
A lot of movements of capoeira we took from the animals, the horse kick, the headbutt, and the rabbit jumps. The dance also involves movements that reflect how we are protected from the master. A lot of capoeira movements came from being creative to get hit less. The intention is not fighting to fight, the intention is to fight for freedom, free yourself. The drums and the music were a way to communicate, to express.
Capoeira has been developing over time. In Brazil, there are some people who think, “oh, it is only a dance”. And then they see capoeiristas fighting and they see it is a real martial art, it is an art form, it is music, it’s a dance, it is a sport, it’s everything, it’s a way of life. There are athletes that train for capoeira in Brazil. Pele did a little bit of capoeira. A lot of soccer players do capoeira because of what it gives you, the agility, the ability to move around in different ways.
What about quilombos?
Mestre Curisco: Capoeira was illegal as well, the government prohibited doing capoeira (*centuries ago). They had to create the quilombos to have a place where they could continue living. They had to escape from the senzalas, the big farms where we were kept slaves.
What motivated you to help people learn capoeira?
Mestre Curisco: Some people see capoeira and they think, “I cannot do that”. But then in 3 or 4 years, they see changes. It is passion. These changes are what’s motivating me to teach people capoeira. It changed me and helped me in my life. It can help people a lot in many different ways: mentally, physically, and self-confidence. Express yourself, be you. Do not copy me, be you because I learn from you too. We learn from each other.
How would you like Capoeira to be remembered?
Mestre Curisco: I would like Capoeira to be remembered as a way of life because that’s what it is. When I do capoeira I feel happy and it makes me feel good. I enjoy myself. I think that’s art. That is how I want Capoeira to be remembered as happiness and joy and feeling alive.
what advice would you give to those who want to learn capoeira or to those who want to learn something new?
Mestre Curisco: Just try your best and enjoy. Don’t let people say, “oh, that’s too hard. That’s not for you”. Just do it patiently. Everybody started the same way, That’s the thing, you have to enjoy yourself to learn. And then you’re going to have a lot of support. Consistency, the next class you will see a change and you will feel better. And that’s the idea. Just be patient.
Contra Mestre Guerreira: You are only going to feel that if you try. It is like when you go to school, some people can get it quickly and some people take a little bit more time. But if they give up, they’re not going to learn. So same thing with martial arts. You come to a new school and see people together doing some movements. Don’t think, “Oh, oh, I don’t want to do it because they know what to do”. Give yourself the opportunity to try. Step by step you will reach the level you want. Capoeira changes your life so much. Capoeira is the second sport that moves all your body, all your muscles. Swimming is the first one. You are not only going to do ginga, you learn how to protect yourself. So it’s so big. It’s to defend yourself, play music, be around people, know people.
