My name is Todd Russell...meu nome é Carcará. The first time I saw Capoeira was an amazing time. I saw endless possibilities and a form of self expression that I knew would be an important part of my life. I started merely practicing with a good friend in our basements. Who knew it would grow to the point that it has. Starting our own, then meeting up with a small group at Buffalo State College. Within a month of joining this small group of 6-8 individuals I learned we were part of a larger group...Capoeira Mandinga, under Mestre Marcelo "Caveirinha" Pereira. I will save more details of my beginnings for a future post.
Years of training passed and in 2004 I officially started a group in Rochester, NY. This was an amazing time with amazing people. Seeing the students training and excelling brings a great joy to me. In 2006, I graduated to Contra Mestre from Capoeira Mandinga. This placed me as a formado or "formed" student. I was always told that a formed student is the time to develop your work...and this is what I started to do. I always had some ideas in the back of my mind, but now was the time to start their development. I started to researching through countless disciplines and think of how some of these things could produce the best process for me. Near the later part of 2011 this continued research and development gave me a strong feeling to develop this process to a much fuller extent.
Enter com Expressão
At the end of 2011 I decided to form my group as a new identity, com Expressão. This meant "leaving" Capoeira Mandinga. I don't really see it as leaving; just extending the family tree to a new branch. It makes me think of the stories I heard of the older times when a student would graduate and start their own work under a new name; just as Capoeira Mandinga comes from Cordão de Ouro. My training with Mestre Marcelo was great and I could not be more proud to be part of this family. They are an extremely large part of what has brought me to where I am today. Mestre Marcelo will always be my Mestre. Now, with a new name I feel I am doing what I need to do as a "formed" capoeira. Let's see what develops... :)
Some Focus
Education: com Expressão looks to educate through capoeira, not only physically but mentally as well. We promote awareness and understanding of our bodies as well as our surrondings, both in capoeira and everyday life.
Training: com Expressão teaches through progression. We take a strong look at proper preparation, basics fundamentals, our weaknesses and strengthes and learn to move toward the more complex. Our goal is a pure sense of improvisation.
Examination: com Expressão teaches the traditions and history of capoeira. We look to have a strong understanding of different views within capoeira.
More to come...
This is only a small start to what I hope is a large future.
“People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness. Just because they’re not on your road doesn’t mean they’ve gotten lost.”
― Dalai Lama XIV
No comments:
Post a Comment