Week 2 - Eligibility

Leadership Program Participants are A+ Students An A+ student exhibits the Attitude, Aptitude, and consistent Attendance required for success in the Brazilian Capoeira leadership program. A student will be required to demonstrate all three before being accepted into the program. This week’s lesson will give an overview of these requirements and your first homework assignment.
 

Attitude

A winning attitude is the most important qualification for success in capoeira and in life. To qualify for the leadership program a student must demonstrate the kind of attitude that represents the academy’s chore values of focus, discipline, and respect. The next three leadership lessons will emphasize each of these principles.
 

Aptitude

Students accepted in the leadership program have, in their first few weeks of training, shown an aptitude for learning capoeira and the ability to develop the leadership skills that will be studied. Joining the leadership program represents a commitment on the part of the student to train until receiving the yellow cord. Acceptance into the leadership program represents a significant commitment on the part of Brazilian capoeira instructors to help the student achieve this goal. A recommendation from a Brazilian Capoeira instructor will be required as part of the application for the leadership program.

Attendance

Consistent attendance is essential. A student must maintain an attendance rate of at least 80% to be accepted in the leadership program. We recognize that every student will go through periods of lower and higher attendance. To stay on track to achieving the goal of earning the yellow cord in the normal period of about four years, a student should try to attend at least 100 classes per year, or an average of twice a week.

O que faz um bom capoeirista?

You’ve probably seen the phrase “O que faz um bom capoeirista?” painted on the wall at the studio. This is a big part of our mission at the academy. It is important for students to understand and to begin developing their own answers to this question. The phrase as it is in Portuguese has two different meanings, so when we translate it into English, we have to translate it two different ways:

"What makes a good capoeirista?"

This is the first meaning of the question. It takes a lot to become a good capoeirista (capoeira player.) Students have to learn the language, the culture, the movements, and the music of capoeira. To say that you are “good” at capoeira means a lot. The benefits you’ll get from all of the varied training will help you to get into shape, to develop yourself mentally, to have a insightful understanding of another culture, and build confidence that will impact all areas of your life.
 

"What does a good capoeirista do?"

This is the other interpretation of the phrase that is significantly more important and more profound. It won’t take you long to discover that the benefits of training capoeira reach far beyond the classroom. What will you do with your new-found skills? How can all that you’re learning have a positive impact on your community, your family, your employment, your school work, and your personal relationships? This is the purpose of the leadership program at the Academy. It is a goal-oriented program designed specifically to help students to develop the discipline, physical ability, focus, and leadership skills necessary to reach the rank of yellow cord and to be highly successful contributors to their individual social groups. We are working hard to create a community of amazing people at the academy that are all dedicated to helping each other find greater success in all parts of their life. We would love for you to be a part. Homework: Your first homework assignment is to memorize this phrase in Portuguese and its two translations. Kids! Repeat the Portuguese phrase “O que faz um bom capoeiristas?” and it’s two translations for your instructor and receive a red attitude stripe for your cord!