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“What Is Going On Here?”
In Brazil, capoeira was once outlawed, to keep enslaved Africans from training for their liberation. Groups of practitioners added the music to cover the practice of martial arts and training with rhythms and dance. Students of Professora Amazonas…
A Perfect Twist
The process of making cords is similar to the process of making twisted lanyard friendship bracelets, but on a much larger scale. It is always a happy moment when a cord comes out with a perfect twist.
Agogô
The agogô is a set of bells used in the batería of capoeira and throughout the African diaspora .
An Annual Tradition
Every year, months before Grupo Liberdade de Capoeira’s annual batizado, Professora Amazonas starts hand making cords, with help from other members of the group.
Bateria
Grupo Liberdade participated in the the 53rd Annual Harvest Festival of African Culture Kwanzaa Celebration at the Montclair Public Library. The bateria plays the berimbaus and percussion instruments that provide the rhythm and music for the roda and…
Bye, Officer
The “officer” appears to break up a capoeira roda, but finds it disguised as samba instead and leaves the capoeiristas who quickly get back to training.
Capoeira "Cover Up" - Grupo Liberdade de Capoeira
In classes, presentations, performances, and in the roda, members of Grupo Liberdade de Capoeira always honor their history and the history of capoeira.
In Brazil, capoeira was once outlawed, to keep enslaved Africans from training their…
In Brazil, capoeira was once outlawed, to keep enslaved Africans from training their…
Capoeira at Kwanzaa
Professora Amazonas plays the berimbau at the at the 53rd Annual Harvest Festival of African Culture Kwanzaa Celebration at the Montclair Public Library. The berimbau is the instrument that sets the rules of the game for capoeira.
Capoeira Collaboration
"Liberdade" means freedom. Professora Amazonas of Grupo Liberdade de Capoeira collaborates with and travels to support other capoeira groups, demonstrating the freedom of cultural and artistic exchange.
Capoeira Sequence
Professora Amazonas (Grupo Liberdade de Capoeira) and Instrutora Cuica (Capoeira Mandinga) demonstrate the historic capoeira sequence created by Mestre Bimba. Mestre Bimba is the founder capoeira regional, and persevered in the fight to legalize…
Celebrating Kwanzaa with Capoeira
Grupo Liberdade celebrating Kwanzaa with a roda at the 53rd Annual Harvest Festival of African Culture in Montclair, NJ.
Celebrating Women in World Music
On March 8, 2020, Professora Amazonas of Grupo Liberdade de Capoeira participated in 10PRL’s event “Celebrating Women in World Music”, collaborating with Instrutor Canarinha from Sol Nascente Capoeira and Instrutora Cuica from Capoeira Mandinga to…
Concentration
The process of making cords requires concentration and a precise count on the number of folds in the yard being twisted to ensure that all cords are uniform and without bumps or kinks in the yarn.
Cordels
New cordels (cords) ready for students who will be graduating at the 2020 Grupo Liberdade de Capoeira batizado. As more cords are made throughout the pre-batizado season, Professora Amazonas starts to leave them out during the children’s class to…
Cultural Collaboration
Professora Amazonas (Grupo Liberdade de Capoeira), Instrutora Cuica (Capoeira Mandinga), and Instrutora Canarinha (Capoeira Sol Nascente) taking a group photo after their collaborative demonstration of the rhythms and movements of capoeira at the…
Demonstrating Capoeira
Professora Amazonas (Grupo Liberdade de Capoeira), Instrutora Cuica (Capoeira Mandinga), and Instrutora Canarinha (Capoeira Sol Nascente) demonstrate the movements and rhythms of capoeira.
Engaging the Community
Like many cultural arts traditions rooted in African culture, capoeira is a participatory art form. Traditionally, it is not performed on a stage or in front of an audience, but out in the community as a cultural practice and expression. In modern…
Getting the Kinks Out
Professora Amazonas taking a knot out of the yarn in order to make a smooth cord. Capoeiristas try not to throw things away, but problem solve to have less waste.
Grupo Liberdade
Grupo Liberdade performing and sharing the art of capoeira at the 53rd Annual Harvest Festival of African Culture Kwanzaa Celebration at the Montclair Public Library.
Grupo Liberdade de Capoeira - Kwanzaa Roda
Members of Grupo Liberdade de Capoeira led by Professora Amazonas playing capoeira and engaging the community at the 53rd Annual Harvest Festival of African Culture Kwanzaa Celebration.
Handmade Cords
Grupo Liberdade de Capoeira hand makes all cords given out at their annual batizado, the public ceremony, initiation and graduation for the group members.
Helping Hands
The process of making cords needs at least two people and a lot of patience. Here, Abelha steps in to hold the cord in place while Professora Amazonas smooths out a bump in the twist.
In the Roda
Professora Amazonas moving through the roda during Grupo Liberdades performance at the 53rd Annual Harvest Festival of African Culture Kwanzaa Celebration help at the Montclair Public Library.
In the Roda with Professora Amazonas
Professora Amazonas of Grupo Liberdade de Capoeira in the roda with her students celebrating Kwanzaa at the 53rd Annual Harvest Festival of African Culture.
Instrutora Cuica - Agogô
Instrutora Cuica of Capoeira Mandinga demonstrates the agogô, a set of bells used in the batería of capoeira and throughout the African diaspora at the March 8, 2020 “Celebrating Women in World Music” event.