お疲れ様でした！

Here’s the video from Instrutor Caçapa’s appearance on “The Golden Hour – Yokoso 9Ch”.

Tokyo MX YouTube Channel

The Golden Hour Homepage

Yokoso 9Ch Blog

What a cool experience! It wasn’t my first time on live TV in Japan, but my first time to participate in a real television studio production at this level.

You might be able to tell I was a little nervous, but it wasn’t just the thought of saying or doing something regrettable on live TV that was giving me the shakes. The fact that I only got 3 hours sleep the night before sourcing the photos and MP3 background music, and then did a full 9 hours at work, rushed to the studio for debriefing and rehearsal and then had to wait about an hour to go on.

Earlier that day I got a call from the producer during my lunch break telling me the MP3 didn’t work, and I needed to create an Audio CD for them to use. As luck would have it, there was a stack of blank CD-Rs, internet connection, and laptop computer waiting for me at work. I had about 10 minutes before my next class to download the MP3 from the GBCJ Odeo podcast site, and burn an Audio CD.

I got to the studio and was met by Ryo, who I had been communicating with since last Sunday about the appearance. He was extremely kind and helpful, and reminded me to just have fun on the show. We did a debriefing about the interview, then went into the studio to check out the area I would have for my capoeira solo.

Next we did a rehearsal with the crew. Silhouette pose, Questions and Answers, a quick berimbau solo, a full 70 seconds capoeira solo, and then finally the website plug. The solo was a good warm-up, so good in-fact that I was already covered in sweat and out of breath!

The crew were happy with the rehearsal, and we went over the questions one more time. The main thing I was worried about was keeping my answers short and snappy. I do tend to go on and on when it comes to talking about capoeira.

Next I met the hosts and we did another rehearsal, this time no berimbau solo (cut due to time restrictions), and no capoeira solo (keeping it a surprise for the hosts).

All was good. 10 minutes before show-time. Toilet break. The live show started, and I just had to wait outside the studio until 9.40pm when the producer would call me back. I waited in the foyer where a huge flat-screen TV was showing the live, and live-to-air (with 5 second delay) in split-screen.

Luckily the foyer was a huge, almost empty space with a big, reflective, glass door where I could rehearse my solo. Stretch, warm-up, and mental preparation for the interview. I went over 3 or 4 sequences that I wanted to stitch together for the 45 seconds they had given me. I got in about 10 really clean “au sem mão”, and felt happy with myself.

The time came, Ryo called me into the studio. “Pose”, I crouched behind the paper screen and waited in ‘queda de rins’. “Go, go!” I chopped through the screen with my hand, and then flew through it in ‘virado’, getting the paper stuck to my foot and slid into a ‘negativa’ on landing. Nothing to worry about, big smile. Dramatic entrance achieved!

Then question time. I tried my best to keep it brief and to the point, but remember all the points we had discussed in the rehearsal.

Next came solo time. Keeping track of all the cameras, the time-keeper, and the hosts’ desk proved to be a little difficult when I had to pull out of my final ‘virado’ in the sequence. Overall everything went to plan.

Solo over, almost out of breath, but had to answer the last couple of questions. Website and classes plugged, and mission accomplished.

Say my “thank you”s and “goodbyes” to everyone. Time to head home and watch the DVD of the show.

Once again, thanks to Ryo and the crew from Tokyo MX, and the hosts 徳光　正行, キンテーロ　ミレラ　and レオナルド for a fantastic experience and a great chance to promote capoeira.

Instrutor Caçapa will be appearing on live television in Japan tonight!

Tokyo MX (Channel 9) has invited Caçapa to appear on the show “The Golden Hour – Yokoso 9Ch”. A short talk-show type program aiming to promote Non-Japanese living in, or visiting Japan.

Date: Thursday, February 25th, 2010

Time: 9pm-10pm (Yokoso 9Ch starts around 9.40pm)

Japanese TV or OneSeg: Channel 9, Tokyo MX

Tokyo MX YouTube Channel

The Golden Hour Homepage

Yokoso 9Ch Blog

If you’re not in Japan then you may be able to watch live using this program, Keyhole TV.

Otherwise stay tuned for the YouTube upload.

Instrutor Caçapa here throwing some recommended capoeira stuff your way!

First up, I just got my hands on some PUMA 917 Lo Sneakers, and I gotta say, they are great. They were on sale at Kichijoji Parco’s ABC Mart, but you can buy them online right here from Amazon (US/Japan).

The second recommended shoe comes from our very own GBCJ Kids Capoeira maniac, Oto-chan. The Jinga, a shoe designed just for capoeira.

We’ll have some more info about the shoe helping kids in Brazil soon, but in the meantime, here’s a sneak preview from Amazon (Japan).

More recommended goodies!

オンライン・ショプ

Online Shop

2009 was a year of reflection. We started off with a bang, with several exciting workshops and performances in January and the pace hardly slowed down after that. However, things weren’t all great. Membership dropped off a little in April, we became a smaller, let’s say ‘streamlined’ group. We were not ready to have our 3rd batizado in 2009, or visit our Bantus brothers and sisters in Brazil for the World Meet. Maybe it was a side effect of the Lehman Shock, maybe it was a sign to head in another direction.

Whatever it was, it was time to reflect. It didn’t effect our dedication to capoeira though, just focused our attention more on creating better relationships within the capoeira community in Japan, and creating a better future for GBCJ in 2010.

The 2009 highlights included:

Visiting Guests

Thanks to Instrutor Sabão, Capivara, Chá Mate from GBC Australia, Instrutor Coelho from GBC Malaysia and Mico Estrela for stopping by on your visists to Japan. Thanks to all the visiting capoeira instructors and students from all over the world that also shared their axé at Bantus Capoeira Japan classes and rodas.

Capoeira Kids

From teaching a workshop to 90 excited International Elementary School kids to starting our very own Bantus Capoeira Kids Class, 2009 saw GBCJ planting the seeds for a big, strong capoeira tree.

Capoeira Performances

In 2009 we started regular musical performances at Antaru Cafe 8, giving us another opportunity to share the Bantus Capoeira Axé amongst the community. We also performed on stage in front of appreciative audiences at the Amnesty International Film Festival, MISHOP International Festival in Inokashira Park, Mitaka Sports Festival, and a hugely successful Antaru Festival in Yoyogi Park.

Workshops and Batizado Visits

Although we weren’t able to host our own batizado in 2009, we were invited to many batizados all over Japan and were able to meet many great visiting mestres. Bantus Capoeira Japan’s own Instrutor Caçapa was also invited down to Osaka to teach 2 days of workshops for Força Da Arte at their internal batizado in April.

Bantus Japan 5th Anniversary

2009 also marked the 5th Anniversary of the Grupo Bantus Capoeira in Japan. Looking back at 5 years of capoeira in Tokyo, Japan.

Read more

Check out the list of 70 highlights from 2009, read more and leave comments below.

1. 2009 commences with our first class (with Instrutor Lula): January 4th
2. Open Roda with Tribo da Lua: January 4th
3. Open Roda with Cordão de Ouro: January 10th
4. Special Workshop with Hooplovers: January 11th
5. Special Kids Capoeira Workshop, K International School: January 14th
6. Roda de Despedida for Instrutor Lula: January 17th
7. Capoeira Rhythm Workshop with Instrutor Lula Alvorada, Kichijoji: January 17th
8. Amnesty International Film Festival Yakult Hall, Shinbashi: January 18th
9. Bantus Capoeira Japan on Yokohama FM with DJ Kaori Adachi: January 19th
10. Antaru Cafe 8 Opening Party Asagaya: January 25th
11. Nação Capoeira Open Roda: February 8th
12. Capoeira Axé da Bahia Open Roda : February 15th
13. Roda de Despedida for Machado: February 21st
14. Antaru Cafe 8 Live Asagaya: February 22nd
15. Workshop with Instrutor Sabão: February 25th
16. Video Update: March 5th
17. Online Shop Updated: March 5th
18. March in March Shibuya: March 8th
19. GBCJ Annual General Meeting 2009: March 14th
20. Video Update: March 20th
21. Antaru Cafe 8 Live Asagaya: March 29th
22. Hanami Party 2009 Showa Kinen Koen, Tachikawa: April 5th
23. Earth Day Open Roda Inokashira Park: April 19th
24. Workshops with Instutor Caçapa and Força Da Arte Internal Batizado Osaka: April 25th-26th
25. Major Class Schedule Change announced: May 4th
26. Kids Capoeira Classes commence: May 9th
27. Open Roda in Inokashira Park: May 10th
28. Capoeira Batuque Batizado: May 17th
29. Mestre Pintor celebrates 20 Years: May 20th
30. World No Tobacco Day 2009 Open Roda, Inokashira Park: May 31st
31. Antaru Cafe 8 Live Asagaya: May 31st
32. Capoeira Presentation at the French School of Tokyo: June 6th
33. Nação Capoeira Open Roda: June 7th
34. Tsuyu Special announced: June 21st
35. Antaru Cafe 8 Live Asagaya: June 21st
36. Workshops and GUETO Batizado Kanazawa: June 27th-28th
37. Grupo Tempo Open Roda: July 18th
38. Open Roda Inokashira Park: July 19th
39. Antaru Cafe 8 Live Asagaya: July 19th
40. Grupo Tempo Batizado: July 20th
41. Filhos da Terra/Expressão e Arte Batizado: July 26th
42. Open Roda Inokashira Park: August 23rd
43. Antaru Cafe 8 Live Asagaya: August 23rd
44. Capoeira Marana Batizado: August 30th
45. Festival Brazil Open Roda Yoyogi Park: September 6th
46. Special Acrobatics Workshop with Mico Estrela: September 6th and 13th
47. Capoeira Axé da Bahia Street Roda Kichijoji: September 20th
48. Força Da Arte Batizado and Percussion Camp Osaka: September 21st-23rd
49. Nação Capoeira Batizado: September 22nd
50. Open Roda with Mestre Cabello: September 26th
51. MISHOP Festival 2009: September 27th
52. Capoeira Basics Clinic: October 3rd-31st
53. Capoeira Nação Batizado: October 11th
54. Mitaka Sports Festival 2009: October 12th
55. Visit from Instrutor Coelho GBC Malaysia: October 24th
56. Capoeira Regional Japan Batizado: October 25th
57. Picasa Web Albums announced: October 29th
58. Myojo Gakuen Speech Day: November 7th
59. Antaru Festival Street Roda Yoyogi Park: November 7th
60. Antaru Festival 2009 Yoyogi Park: November 8th
61. Lagoa do Abaete Workshop: November 8th
62. (HQ) Videos on YouTube :November 17th
63. Beginners Open Roda with Capoeira Narahari, Expressão e Arte, and Cordão de Ouro: November 22nd
64. Capoeira Axé da Bahia Street Roda Kichijoji: November 22nd
65. 5th Anniversary Bantus BBQ Musashino Park: November 23rd
66. Antaru Festival Street Roda Videos: November 29th
67. Bantus Japan 5th Anniversary: November 29th
68. Junk Berimbau Workshop: December 6th
69. Visit from Capivara and Chá Mate GBC Australia: December 19th
70. Antaru Cafe 8 Christmas Party Asagaya: December 20th
71. GBCJ 5th Anniversary Bounenkai 2009: December 26th

Photos

Videos

Podcast

GBCJ Class of 2009

Caçapa, Cafuné, Cotonete, Toupeira, Tatu, Formiga, Espantalho, Gavião, Caboclo D’Agua, Eric, Yosuke, Oto-chan, Ryoga-kun, Risa-chan, Polina-chan!

And thanks to our regular guests in 2009; Maria Bonita, Branca de Neve, Viola, Kayo, Elfo, & ダブちゃん.

どもありがとうございました・おつかれさまでした

2008 Wrap Up

2007 Wrap Up

2006 Wrap Up

Instrutor Caçapa (GBC Japan), Formado Rafael (GBC Malaysia), and Professor Claudinho (GBC Singapore) appear on Belo Horizonte television in 2003. Caleidoscópio, an arts program featuring street artists and performers invited Grupo Bantus Capoeira to perform on their television show along with other street musicians, actors, magicians, and acrobats.

Promotional video for the New Beginners Class at Event Hall Musashino. I hope you can all make it on Saturday night!

あけましておめでとうございます、今年もろよしくお願いします！

2010 is going to be a TORAriffic year!

Thank you everyone that helped us throughout 2009! Through all the ups and downs, our true supporters stuck with us the whole way.

We thank you!

In 2009 we couldn’t have our 3rd batizado, but were able to participate in other batizados in Japan. We were happy to support our capoeira friends.

We also participated in several huge festivals, events, and workshops. More about those events and other highlights in the 2009 Wrap-Up coming soon.

Here’s to a purrrfect year in 2010!

Graphics by Japan Post and Bill Watterson

November 28th, 2004 – November 28th, 2009: 5 Years of Bantus Capoeira in Japan!

Thanks to Sorvete for the new gorilla!

Has it already been 5 years since we had our first capoeira class at Mitaka Dai San Chugakkou Junior High School ?

It all started in 2002 in Perth, Western Australia, when Cafuné met Caçapa at capoeira class. The next thing we knew Mestre Pintor was asking us to start Bantus Capoeira in Japan. It has never been an easy path to travel. But through sheer dedication and pure love for the art of capoeira we’ve made it this far.
All GBCJ members have been an important part of the evolution of our group in Tokyo. Through the many collaborations and meetings, our capoeira friends in Japan have been a big support for us. Our Bantus brothers and sisters in Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Israel, and Brazil have been a never-ending source of inspiration and motivation! The faith Mestre Pintor put in us to represent GBC in Japan has been the power we needed to continue through the hard times.

Thank you all for your support.

In those 5 years we’ve had almost 500 different people from 5 years old to 50 years old from 6 continents participate in our classes!

Our group has performed all over Tokyo at various festivals and events. We’ve appeared on television, radio, on the internet, and in magazines and newspapers and exposed millions of people to the joy of capoeira in Japan and abroad.

As a group, we’ve travelled to Malaysia, Brazil, Australia, Singapore, and all over Tokyo and the Kanto area taking part in various capoeira events with Bantus and other capoeira groups.

We’ve invited 10 Bantus Capoeira instructors over to Tokyo from Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, Holland, and Brazil, including Mestre Pintor for special capoeira workshops and our Batizados in 2007 and 2008.

Overall, our accomplishments have been huge and memorable.

Performance and Event History

Our quest to promote capoeira has been a never ending project that started with handmade business cards printed in an internet cafe to appearing on television all over Asia.

(HQ) Videos on YouTube

Instrutor Caçapa, Cafuné, and a team of volunteers have been working hard to make sure GBCJ always has a strong presence on the internet.

From our very first website released in 2005 to our current blog, we’ve been at the forefront of internet technology pushing Bantus vibes out across the world wide web.

Thanks to the Web Archive you can take a look at our previous website designs:

Mar 20, 2005, Apr 04, 2005, Jun 16, 2005, Nov 24, 2005, Dec 22, 2005, Aug 13, 2006

Our first blog post, back in 2005.

Now go…

buy our 5th Anniversary commemorative t-shirt!

Take a look at some videos on YouTube

Listen to some music on Odeo

Check out a few thousand photos on Picasa

Join our SNS communities

One more time, thank you to everyone that supported us these last 5 years. Thanks to Gringo, Chacal, Zoi, Rafael, Claudinho, Canguru, Grão, Lula, Sabão, and Mestre Pintor for your help and advice. Thanks to Cafuné, without you there would be no グルーポバントゥスカポエイラジャパン. The journey continues, the dream lives on. 2010 holds more wonderful experiences that we’ve already started preparing. Our 3rd Batizado and Troca de Cordas, more capoeira kids, more events, more workshops, and more fun for GBCJ!

Axé Galera!!

Instrutor Caçapa, November 2009.

Antaru Festival 2009 (Report)

It was a very successful event full of awesome capoeira and positive Bantus vibes. As you can see from the above video of the full stage performance (20 minutes) we had a large number of guests representing 10 capoeira groups from Tokyo, Chiba, and even Osaka.

A huge thank you and congratulations to Osuman Oralndo Bingle for organizing a very successful 2nd Antaru Festival in Yoyogi Park.

Antaru.net

Thank you to Porco Espinho (Capoeira Narahari Tokyo) and Eric (GBCJ) for taking video which you can link to from within the above YouTube video for some alternative camera angles.

A big Bantus Capoeira Axé to the following friends that helped out a lot at this year’s Antaru Festival performance:

Lagoa do Abaete

Capoeira Nação

Capoeira Nasceu Sol

Associação de Capoeira Ave Branca

Grupo Tempo

Nação Capoeira

Capoeira Regional Japan

Força da Arte (Osaka)

Expressção e Arte

Capoeira Narahari Tokyo

View Photos on Picasa

日本語

(Above: Graphic warnings displayed on cigarette packs in Australia)

Link

To celebrate “World No Tobacco Day 2009″ Grupo Bantus Capoeira Japan will be holding an open roda on Sunday, May 31st. So come on down to Inokashira Park (井の頭公園) and let’s enjoy a day of fresh air, green grass, and capoeira. After the roda we’ll go out for dinner, so bring your “My Hashi”!

Date: Sunday 31st, May

Time: 1pm-5pm

Location: Inokashira Park (井の頭公園). Next to the Ghibli Museum (ジブリの横) See below for map

Cost: FREE (no entry fee required)

Access: 10 minutes walk from JR Kichijoji Station

Bring your “My Hashi”

No Smoking Please

Tobacco is the leading preventable cause of death. More than five million people die from the effects of tobacco every year — more than from HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined. It is the only legal consumer product that kills when used exactly as the manufacturer intends. Up to half of all smokers will die from a tobacco-related disease. Second-hand smoke harms everyone who is exposed to it.

Link

Despite Japan’s pathetic attempt at reducing cigarette smoking by minors and in open areas such as train stations, second-hand smoke remains a major concern for citizens.

With further education in schools, and less attractive packaging and aggressive promotional campaigns on the streets things may eventually change in “smoker’s heaven“.

View Larger Map

日本語

To celebrate “Earth Day Tokyo 2009″ Grupo Bantus Capoeira Japan will be holding an open roda on Sunday, April 19th. So come on down to Inokashira Koen (井の頭公園) and let’s enjoy a day of fresh air, green grass, and capoeira.

After the roda we’ll go out for dinner. Whoever forgets to bring their “My Hashi” has to pay for someone else!

Date: Sunday 19th, April

Time: 1.00pm-5pm

Location: Inokashira Koen (井の頭公園). Next to the Ghibli Museum (ジブリの横) See below for map

Cost: FREE

Access: 15 minutes walk from JR Kichijoji Station

Bring your “My Hashi”

Ghibli Museum

Inokashira Park on wikipedia

No Smoking Please

Keep reading for our Environmental Message and Google Maps.

The humble waribashi – disposable wooden, or literally ’split-apart’ chopsticks. Japan consumes a massive 25 billion sets of them every year – about 200 pairs per person.
Link

All over the world people will be celebrating our environment on Earth Day and thinking of ways they can save the earth. One way you can help save the earth here in Japan is by refusing to use Waribashi (disposable chopsticks).

Get your own pair of “My Hashi” and take them with you everywhere you go. There are thousands of shops where you can get your own portable chopsticks, from the 100yen variety to the now highly fashionable “My Hashi” online store, or collapsible chopsticks you can wear around your neck. Just pop into your local bento shop and have a look around. There are boundless designs to capture your heart, from Hello Kitty to Doraemon, Sakura to Mt. Fuji.

My Hashi – 日本語

My Cutlery

Mottainai

Earth Day on wikipedia

Earth Day Tokyo 2009

The most important Japanese phrase every visitor and local should know and use is “そのままで” (sono mama de – as it is). Use this one before the shop clerk wraps up your purchase in another one of the horrible plastics bags.

If you’re not convinced you should be doing something, then the movie you should watch is Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth”. Get the DVD, or watch it online somewhere.

Official Site

Japanese Site – 日本語

Another environmental movie you can watch online right now is “The Story of Stuff”. It’s only 20 minutes long, but packed full of important information.

Watch it now!

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