I train with ABADA group in San Francisco. Who is the teacher in the Raleigh school?
If you look on the web page labelled "Groupo ABADA", there is a photo of a group with instruments and students gathered around. The short woman holding the berimbau, standing next to the man with the drum (atabaqe) is Mestranda (red cord) Marcia Cigarra, my teacher in San Francisco. When this picture was taken, she must have been visiting for some workshops or batizado, or something. I have been away from the group for several years so I was out of the loop, but I have recently begun to return to capoeira training.
It is a good group, altho very large worldwide. In some ways that is great, in other ways it has its problems, but that's mostly political nonsense that you don't need to worry about. It's a great art, and a great group, and I suspect the teacher should be good because the standards are pretty high within the group.
Mestre Camisa, the leader of ABADA is constantly looking for ways to improve the art, so sometimes things change. That can be pretty interesting. He certainly has his own vision of things, but also attempts to maintain the traditional roots of the art.
The training can be gruelling, very aerobic and use of muscles in ways you probably aren't used to, so be prepared for that. Also, training is typically done in bare feet. It will take a while for the soles of your feet to toughen up and get used to it because there is a lot of pivoting. Until then, you are gonna have to suffer thru the blisters and torn feet. This is not like training in bare feet in a karate style. Welcome to capoeira.
You should have fun, it's neat to see someone entering an affiliated school with my own!
Thoughts, opinions?
