BATIZADO
The Batizado Event is a tradition practiced by Capoeira Schools throughout the World, including Volta Por Cima, KY. The Batizado is an initiation ritual and ceremony which has evolved a lot over the centuries and is still honored in the practice of Capoeira in a modern and global context.A student’s Batizado (Baptism) is the first time a student plays inside the Roda (Capoeira Playing Circle) with a Mestre de Capoeira (Master of Capoeira). In this way, it is a rite of passage. Often, a student may receive an "apelido", a new nickname that they become known by in the Capoeira World.In the past, students would train for many months before they set foot in the Roda. Today, although students may have experience playing inside the Roda, the Batizado is considered their first real experience of the Jogo de Capoeira (Game of Capoeira). It is the official initiation, welcome and blessing by the school.All beginners are eligible to participate in the Batizado and receive their initial cordão (Belt).
Troca de Cordões
Another important aspect of the Batizado is the ‘Troca de Cordões’ (the exchange of belt). Mestres or Professors play one or more games with the older students and acknowledge their achievements by awarding them higher belts. Each year, Volta Por Cima, KY holds a weekend long Capoeira Festival involving workshops by visiting Masters and Teachers, public demonstrations, Rodas and other events to celebrate the year’s achievements. The Batizado & Troca de Cordões are the highlight of this Annual Event where CFdB is joined by distinguished Masters from various Capoeira groups.These events are integral parts of training. All students without exception are expected to participate in this Annual Event, which is the highlight of the School Year. The Batizado is a fantastic time of learning and meeting new people with a shared passion.Volta Por Cima has our own ranking system for the pathway of Capoeiristas towards Mastering this wonderful artform.
The Cordão
In English we only have one word to represent a belt in Capoeira: cord. However, in Portuguese, there are several ways of translating the word. Cord can be translated into corda, cordel, and cordão with the main difference being in how the cord is made. Volta Por Cima refers to our belts as "cordão".
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Cordões (plural of cordão) is created by braiding four sections of yarn, which are much lighter in weight than the corda and are tied on the left side. Cordões are hand braided by the teacher, who eventually presents the cords to their students during a roda.
