Capoiera in the park

I have always said that the colder months do not really bother me. If I had to choose a favourite season, it would be winter. Unlike most people, I do not despair when the weather turns cold. The short days do not get me down. It does not mean however, that I do not like it when the weather turns warmer, and the days are longer. Today was a day that really made me appreciate the summer. 

It's not quite summer yet, but it felt like it. We had better weather today than we had many a summer's day last year. There always seems to be something going on when the weather's good. I was out cycling along the sea with a friend last weekend in similar good weather, and we counted twelve or thirteen different activities along the beach from baseball to horse riding, to roller blading, to basketball. We could not agree whether "power walking" could be counted, and if so whether "just walking" should also be counted. In which case, drinking coffee and eating ice cream should perhaps also be added to the list. The point is, there is so much going on when the weather is good. People spend more time outdoors, everyone is relaxed and in a good mood. 

So, I was out for a run after work, and was cycling home. It's another story as to why I was cycling to go for a run, and not just running from home, but I won't go into that now. I was actually very tired from running, and the ride home was taking me much longer than usual. But as the weather was nice, I was not in a hurry. I was enjoying cycling slowly listening to Brandi Carlile on my iShuffle. As I cycled through the little park close to my place, a group of people in white at the other end of the park caught my attention. I looked again and noticed that there seemed some kind of choreographed dance going on. I stopped to get a better look, thinking that perhaps it might be capoiera. Sure enough, it was! There seemed to be several pairs of people practising some movement or other. At some point, I noticed that there were a few people who were going through the group, occasionally stepping in in the place of one of the pairs. It occurred to me then that they were perhaps instructors. Which meant that this was a lesson. And if it were a lesson, then there much be part of some class. 

Now, I should back track a bit. For a long time, the Les Mills Body Combat class was one of my favourite exercise classes. It no longer is, but that is a whole other story which involves me pushing the boundaries of my workout routine, and me starting to get slight concerned about where the limit is. But as I said, a whole other story. Part of the last routine in the Body Combat class which I had been for, incorporated a bit of capoiera which I really, really liked. Since then I had been keen to try it out for real. I had even looked online and found a couple of places around here which offer it. But, seeing as I do not actually have many free days left to add another workout to my schedule, and as I was concerned about the costs, I never actually contacted either of them to find out more. 

Seeing the group less than fifty metres from me was too good an opportunity to pass up. I turned my bike around and headed over to them. One of the persons whom I had decided was an instructor was standing on his own as I rode up, so I spoke to him. I found out where the classes are, he introduced me to the "master" and he in turn introduced me to another one of the instructors. Next thing I knew, my bike was laying on the ground, sunglasses were off, earphones were dangling somewhere around my shoulders and I was being shown the moves by one of the instructors. And I was loving it! I couldn't stop smiling. He must have thought I was nuts. Every time he explained something to me, I just stood there, nodding and grinning at him!

After a while, a couple of people pulled out some traditional musical instruments, and they got us all to gather in a close circle. I stood outside the circle and watched. One of the instructors spotted me there and said "no, no". That I had to watch from within the circle, or rather as part of the circle. And that was apparently the way to really experience capoiera. So, the others made space for me and I stepped in. They started playing some music and got us all to clap. Then they started singing, and soon everyone else was singing too. It was a simple repetitive melody so I could join in. But before that, they told us what we had to do. The musicians stood at the "top" of the circle. The two persons closest to them were to step into the circle and greet each other. After a cartwheel inside the circle, they were to begin the decided movement, involving the basic ginga. Then one person kicks while the other ducks, and there is some spinning around and jumping, all the while keeping to the rhythm and the basic movement. When the instructors did it, it was so graceful and beautiful to watch. 

They let me off the first round, and I was allowed to stay in the group clapping and singing while people skipped pass me to the top of the circle. The next round though, I was told that I had to join in. The movements were of course more complicated now. And while I had a bit of trouble knowing whose turn it was to kick and which direction to kick in, and which way to spin, they were all nice about it and showed me what to do. I went in the circle twice, and am pleased to report that the second time went much better than the first. I had so much fun. I was grinning all the way home on the bike, and still singing when I stepped into the shower at home. 

Completely spontaneous, completely random, but so much fun.