------BATIZADO PAGE LAST UPDATED Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2008 at 5:00pm------
What is a Batizado?
A Batizado is a traditional annual capoeira ceremony that is literally translated as "Baptism." As you surpass
the level of BEGINNER in capoeira, you are scheduled to be baptized. A "baptism" of a beginner usually involves playing a
capoeira game with a MESTRE, or master, and makes the master you play your GODFATHER. There is no religious meaning
associated with American capoeira batizados, so don't think you're being "converted". The language used to describe this
ceremony is traditional and has not been changed from its original Brazilian expressions. This is an exciting time for
beginners who have been practicing capoeira for about one year, as they are officially welcomed into the capoeira
community and are made part of the worldwide capoeira family.
However, a batizado is not limited to baptizing the new members of the community. Capoeiristas who have been baptized
the previous year enter the ceremony as well. Their part of the ceremony is called TROCA DE CORDA, or "belt change".
As you become more and more advanced in capoeira, you are rewarded for your effort and improvement with CORDELS, or belts.
As in other martial arts, your rank in the capoeira community is signified by the color of your belt. Different schools
of capoeira have different belt systems, so it is important to pay attention not only to the color of the person's belt,
but also to their skill level in the RODA. A beginner's belt in your academy may be a mestre's belt in another system of
capoeira. For instance, the beginner's belt in Grupo Cultural de Capoeira Senzala is similar in many ways to a master's
belt in Grupo Liberdade de Capoeira - the school the Rutgers Capoeira Club belongs to. The troca de corda is similar to
the batizado, and capoeiristas of all ranks get to play a mestre. However, the higher you rise in rank, the more challenging
the game the mestres play with you will be.
As you rise in rank, it becomes more and more difficult to earn your next cordel, so it often takes more than one year to
receive a belt past the MONITOR yellow belt. As you can see, becoming a GRAND MASTER in capoeira is extremely difficult and
requires complete commitment and lots of time. However, once you become a CONTRA-MESTRE, you make a name for yourself in the
community and become known around the world.
The Batizado & Troca de Corda is not limited to belt advancements and baptism - it is much more than that. A typical Batizado
event lasts over 4 hours and includes lots of OPEN RODAS, or opportunities to play games with people from other schools.
Our guests will come from all over the world, including the states, Canada, Brazil and Europe. There will be many people to
meet and many exciting games to play and watch.
A greatly anticipated part of nearly every batizado is the MESTRES RODA, which is a series of games in which only capoeiristas
with rank titles (monitor and up) can participate. These games are usually fast paced (if played REGIONAL style) and filled
with action and excitement. This is the time for masters, professors, and instructors to go head to head and compete in
terms of acrobatics, moves, and other aspects of capoeira games. Below is a clip with a collection of highlights from the 2007 Rutgers Capoeira Club Batizado. If you're a member of the Rutgers community, you may see yourself in this video! Pay close attention to the dynamics of the Mestres Roda.
Some highlights of the 2007 Rutgers Batizado
As you can see, the games that Mestres play are more fast-paced and challenging than the ones students play. This is why the Mestres' Roda is so much fun to
watch.
Over the past few years, the Rutgers Capoeira Batizado has made a name for itself for being one of the largest Batizado
events in the East Coast. This is a great success for the members of the club, as well as for our Professor Maranhão because
there are no other college capoeira clubs that are even known, much less praised, to have great batizados. So be proud to
be a member of the Rutgers Capoeira Club family, and come out to the batizado to enrich your life.
INFO FOR 2008 BATIZADO
The Rutgers Capoeira Club Batizado will be held during the third weekend of April. The preliminary schedule is below. Check back for more information.
SATURDAY, APRIL 19, 2008 -- Workshops from Mestres all day long!!! All-Day Workshops -- 10am-8pm -- College Avenue Upper Gym
SUNDAY, APRIL 20, 2008 ------ Rutgers Capoeira Batizado and Troca de Corda!!! Batizado & Troca de Corda -- 2:00pm-6:00pm -- College Avenue Gym Annex
