Capoeira Encounters - worth it?

[Akira]

Cordao de Ouro is hosting a 3 day event in London, UK next month that'll feature at least 9 guest mestres. Among these mestres are Acordeon, Cobra Mansa, Jogo de Dentro, Suassuna and Espirro Mirim. Pretty famous mestres - or so I assume since I know of them and I've only been playing for 1.5 years!

I'm part of a traditional regional school and I would love to meet Mestre Acordeon since he's a former student of Mestre Bimba himself. I wouldn't mind meeting meeting the other mestres since they're big names in their respective field of expertise. However, for this 3 day event, the price tag is 96 pounds, which is approximately $186. Travelling there is no problem for me since I'll be in the UK at the time, but the price for the event seems a little hefty.

I understand that to invite big names to attend, you need to cover their travelling fares etc. However, I would like your opinions on whether the experience of meeting and attending the workshop of so many mestres will be worth the price? Have you attended similar events and if so, what did you think of them?

Similarly, are events like this similarly priced in the States/where you live?

[CapoEspaco]

Well I have gone to the FICA Conference In DC here in the US. I paid around $100 for the weekend and probably spent alittle more for traveling and food expense from New Jersey down to DC. Mestre Cobra Mansa was there along with guests Mestra's from Brazil. I would say it was worth every penny for me because just a couple Words from Mestre Cobrinha and others totally changed my presepective on capoeira. I hope you can get the same, but that depends if they are going to have any kind of discussions at this event. Movements and workshop is nice, but after you train capoeira for more than a year Discussions with Mestres such as the ones mentioned above are very important and helpful for our growth in capoeira.

[Akira]

Hm... there isn't any mention of discussions in the (very brief) itinerary posted on their website. I guess I'll have to e-mail them for more information.

Can you relate any of the discussions they had at the FICA Conference? What kind of things did they discuss? I'm thinking that assuming I go, even if there aren't discussions I could always just talk to the mestres 1 on 1 at some point and have our own mini discussion. However, since I'm quite new to capoeira, I've not really delved into the history or politics surrounding capoeira.

At my last event, all I did was introduce myself to the mestres then made small talk. :-D It would be nice to perhaps develop some meaningful dialogue since there will be so many distinguished figures from outside the UK there. This could be the only event of its kind that I'll be attending for the next 5+ years of my life!

[Bolinha]

AKIRA..... O_o

GO!!!!! are you kidding me??!!! I was over the moon when I met Mestre Suassuna and Mestre Espirro Mirim!!! I have gone to events that I pay a heavy price, and yes there are workshops from well-known mestre...let me tell you this...it was worth-every-penny!!!!

I think having the chance to meet 9 mestres (including those 5!) and have workshops with them for only 96 quid is a really good price...plus think of it this way... you're moving to Isle of Man soon right? no capoeira right?... so a little splurge on capoeira while it is around you is ok then.. you won't regret it.

[Akira]

Hehe I'm actually looking forward to meeting mestres Acordeon, Cobra Mansa and Jogo de Dentro. Acordeon is obvious - I'm from a traditional regional school. Cobra Mansa and Jogo de Dentro because they are the stuff of legends in the angoleiro world. I mean, even a newbie like me have heard (and watched on youtube!) of them! And I guess it'll be nice to watch Espirro Mirim strut his awesome acrobatic stuff. I might quite literally need to bring spare pants due to the excitement! ;-P

As for the splurge, I agree with you. If there are 9 mestres with many from Brazil, then it's actually quite cheap if you split the price between the 9 of them. That's over 10 pounds per mestre for 3 whole days. Fantastic! I'm about 70% decided about going. Just need to sort out a place to stay now...

[Pipoca]

GO. You're moving to the Isle of Man?! You had better go see the TT race every year! But on the note of Capoeira you should definitely go. We have similar things hear in the states but the US is huge and the events are often far away from you.

[Akira]

Oh my God, I can't believe I've met someone else who has heard of the Isle of Man! Even people around the UK don't know where it is! Did you a) live in the UK, b) have a huge interest in motorcycles, c) German, or d) both b) and c)? ;-)

I'm actually moving back home to the Isle of Man. Currently in my last year at uni, which means I have a month and a bit left. Sad times.

TT is awesome. It's the only time when the Isle of Man is actually fun. The whole of Douglas becomes one big, massive week long street party. Unfortunately, I've missed the last 2 years because of uni, and I'll be missing this year's because I'll be at a capoiera event in Leicester. However, I'll be stuck on the rock for at least the next 3 years of my life, so there will be other TT race weeks. :-D

[Pipoca]

I'm a Motorcycle NUT and only German by blood and history. I ride a Ducati S2R Monster. Needless to say Casey Stoner is my GP racer. However there is NOTHING like watching the TT race. One day, I will travel to that Isle and witness it. Hopefully I'll do it a couple of times. I could never race it though. You have to have some solid brass balls for that!

[Akira]

Yeah, tell me about it. It's fricking dangerous. The largest street motorcycle race in the world, I believe it is. That and the biggest functional waterwheel in the world are the two claims to fame for the rock. :-P

I prefer the booze rather than the races though! However, if you do visit, I believe there's a day known as Mad Sunday where bikers can ride the TT course pretty much as fast as they like. Not sure whether it still happens but I'm fairly sure it does.

Who knows, when you do finally make a visit, there might possibly be a capoeira group on the Isle of Man if all things go well...

[Pipoca]

Sounds good!

[Travado]

I think it is...

its all about training. the more training you get the better. it is also worth meeting other capoeiristas. You really get to play other people you may never have had the chance to play.

I enjoy the fact that I just meet new people, period. I usually learn so much though and my game improves dramatically

[Mad Magazine]

I would love to see Cobra Mansa