Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!
Please take note that the academia will be closed from Thursday, 23 Dec 2010 - Sunday, 2 January 2011 for the Christmas & NY holidays. Class will resume on Monday, 3 January 2011.
If anyone of you who can’t sit still for an extended period of time doing nothing (like me!) and would like to train in the meantime, do contact one of your seniors and we’ll arrange to have the academia opened for you.
Feliz Natal e um feliz ano novo! Boas festas e nos vemos em 2011! 
No class on Hari Raya Haji
Hi all,
Please be informed that there will be no class tomorrow, 17 Nov 2010 (Wednesday) in lieu of the Hari Raya Haji holiday.
Thanks!
No class this week
Please take note that there will be no classes at the academy this week. For more information on where fellow Bantulinos will be at, please check the Bantus Capoeira Malaysia Festival 2010 itinerary.
To participate in the workshop & batizado, please check the registration details at the above link. Otherwise, you are most welcomed to come and watch.
Classes will officially start again on Wednesday, 10 November 2010.
Até logo!
Class
Olá!
It’s finally here! The KL leg of the 2010 Bantus Festival officially kicks off this week!
Please note that 8.15pm class on Monday (1 Nov 2010) and 7pm class on Tuesday (2 Nov 2010) is still on. However, the 8.15pm class on Tuesday will be cancelled for performance rehearsals.
Drop by the academy on Tuesday night if you would like a sneak peek… otherwise, see y’all at the workshops.
Bantus Capoeira axé!
It’s party time!
Come party Brazilian style at Frangipani on Saturday, 6 Nov 2010. Loads of performances have been lined-up to thrill your senses… from the fire wielding dancers, high flying acrobatic capoeiristas to the sexy sambistas moving to the beat of the Bantus batucada. We promise that this is going to be a night to remember! (Party starts from 11 pm onwards)
See YOU there!
Ritmo Do Brasil 2010!
It’s that time of year again!
Register now for the 7th Annual Grupo Bantus Capoeira Malaysia Festival - Ritmo Do Brasil 2010!
This year we will play host to Mestre Pintor, Profesor Claudinho (GBC Singapore), Formado Grao (GBC Australia), Profesor Pimbal (EBC Malaysia), Profesor Fantasma (EBC Philippines) and Profesor Margo (Grupo Besouro Maganga Singapore).
What better way to meet your Bantus brothers & sisters and experience the best of capoeira from around the region?
**Download your registration form here. Print it out, fill it up and pass it to either Rafa or Quek.
Schedule of Events: Adults
| Date | Venue/Event |
|---|---|
| Wed, Nov 3rd | Grand Hall, Garden International School (map)
|
| Thurs, Nov 4th | Grand Hall, Garden International School (map)
|
| Fri, Nov 5th | Maybank, Jalan Bukit Bintang (map)
|
| Sat, Nov 6th | Frangipani, Changkat Bukit Bintang (map)
|
| Sun, Nov 7th | Jaya One, Jalan Universiti, Petaling Jaya (map)
|
Adult’s Festival Package
Festival Package (Members Only) - Members: RM 320
- FREE CLASSES FOR NOVEMBER
- Attend ALL workshops
- Attend ALL rodas
- Festival T-Shirt
- Attend Batizado Ceremony
**Download your registration form here.
Abada Promotion!
Buy a brand new pair of abadas for only RM 120 with your Festival Package!
- To purchase your Festival Package please talk to Quek or Rafa at the academy… or wherever you happen to bump in to them!*
Schedule of Events: Kids (under age 16)
| Date | Venue/Event |
|---|---|
| Sat, Nov 6th | Grand Hall, Garden International School (map)
|
| Sun, Nov 7th | Jaya One, Jalan Universiti, Petaling Jaya (map)
|
Kid’s Festival Package
Bantus Capoeira Kids Package 1 - Price: RM 180
- Kids Workshop with Mestre
- Festival T-Shirt
- Official Bantus Capoeira Abadas (Pants)
- Attend Batizado Ceremony
Bantus Capoeira Kids’ Package 2 - Price: RM 120
- Kids Workshop with Mestre
- Festival T-Shirt
- Attend Batizado Ceremony
**Download your registration form here.
Important Notes About the Batizado Ceremony
Please note that your registration for the festival does not automatically guarantee that you will receive your first or new belts during the ceremony. Our mestre and your instructor will be responsible to award eligible students with their new belts at their discretion.
You are required to own a pair of official Bantus Capoeira Abadas (Pants) to be eligible to for grading.
Payments
Payments can be submitted to our instructors, Mr. Rafael Rosario or Mr. Quek Wei Kin in the form of cash or check made payable to Bantus Capoeira Malaysia Sdn Bhd.
In the absence of the above mentioned, you can also pass your payments to Perereca (Ivan), Preá (Lynn) or Xuxa (Stanley).
The Story of Makulele
Long ago. Back in the times when men could talk to animals, and plants sang ‘oh sim sim sim’ to the sun, there lived a boy. No. There wasn’t a need for names yet. Nor a need to label things as such. Strong. Handsome. Charming. These words were not yet born of this world for it was a young world.
This boy grew up with his tribe. His family. Everyone older than him was his brother, sister, father and mother. For even though these words have not come into this world yet, love was already walking the earth.
There were many worlds back at the beginning. And more often than not, these worlds merge. Some things never change. The borders of worlds, now called countries and states to you and I were ever shifting. Men knew magic darker than that of gods. They knew that borders redrew themselves with the sacrifice of blood.
Death came to their village one day. They were legion. Each had a mask on them. They were human, but not. Driven by the drum beats, they danced with their knives. And called upon the ritual to redraw the borders of their worlds. To absorb the boy’s world. To make it their own.
They sang. They danced. They shed the blood of the boy’s family. The boy was 20, still a sapling in the age when man lived 2000 seasons. But he was strong and patient. And he watched. And waited. And studied their moves. He painted his face with the blood of his father and mother, he drew symbols of strength on his arms with the blood of his brother, and he painted an armour of blood on his chest with the blessings of his sister.
And so he danced their dance. And sought to redraw the borders and seal his world away from his enemies. It was a beautiful dance. From up above the gods looked down and marveled as a child would the wonderful beauty of fireworks.
And like all fireworks, it always ends all too soon.
The gods hungered for more. They sent their oldest son to seek out the cause of the end of this beautiful crimson firework display. He came in the form of an old witch. And saw that the boy was bathed in blood, both his and of his family.
‘You fought well, my son. The gods delight in your dance. Your blood returns to Mother Earth, yet we yearn to see more. I will seal your wounds, make you live forever, help you banish your enemies, but we want you to continue your Crimson Dance once again, for you are Makulele, the dancer of death.’
With his dying breath, Makulele gurgled a yes. He drank from a vial of the tears of his mother, and he rose and danced the Crimson Dance once more. The drum beats on, even though everyone is dead. There was an empty land. Blood soaked. And empty. Makulele despairs and curses the gods for giving him everything and nothing. And curses them even more now that he is sworn to entertain the gods with his Crimson Dance forever more.
He ate the skull of his father, and heard his ancestors speak to him. ‘Sleep Makulele. Only when you sleep, your dance of death stops. And the world can continue.’
Makulele retired into the Dreaming. He says a silent prayer before he does. He prays for death. Or never to wake. Fearing the dance that he is to play for the gods once again. He sleeps. And he dreams.
In his dream, he sees a man playing the drums of death. He sees that he has a tribe. And he sees Makulele and his enemies doing the Crimson Dance of Death. He sees villagers from different worlds applauding the bloodbath, just as the gods do.
Up above, the gods sit transfixed. For now they are content. For as long as they see the dance in Makulele’s dreams, they need not wake the God of Death.
Bantus Batizado Tour of Duty 2010
The official schedule is out!
Start trainin’
Start singin’
And more importantly, start saving and checking out those Air Asia ticks! This year promises to be even more action-packed than the last! And it definitely is the next best thing to being in Brasil.
Oct 13-17 : JAPAN
Oct 20-24 : AUSTRALIA
Oct 27-31 : SINGAPORE
Nov 3-7 : You better not miss this one… MALAYSIA
Nov 10-14 : INDONESIA
Nov 17-21 : THAILAND
For travel details, have a quick chat with Rafael. We’re in the midst of sourcing email contacts of all the persons in charge so that it’ll be easier for you guys to find out more info. Also, ask around. A few of the seniors have been to the above destinations for batizados.
Valeu Na Paz!
6 Years Young
6 Years Young
- Thank you Bantulinos for gracing our 6th anniversary. We are grateful to have so many of you along on this wonderful journey. And we can’t help feeling sentimental every time this happens. We hope you all feel the same way.
Because this is but one small thread in the huge tapestry (perhaps the better metaphor for us would be a ‘cordao’?) that makes the history, culture and community that is Bantus Capoeira.
Here’s a little photoscrap of this thread.
2003 @ the park - From far left, terry. Doing a role, Andrew. On berimbau, Quek. Pandeiro, coelho. In front of the sorry excuse of a bataria, Riz.
2004 - Tartaruga left a year ago to perth to pursue his studies. He joined Bantus Perth and invited us for their batizado. The rest, as they say, is history.
A very skinny and tattoo-less Rafa at our very first academy.
The first academy and pioneer crew. Try and spot some familiar faces.
2004 - one of the first rodas with mestre
Tartaruga’s wedding. Don’t ask.
Rafa and a bunch of beefcake instrutors at a world meet in singapore. This was one of the first trips that culminated into the founding of… Bantus Singapore
Rafa and Marissa tie the cordao
bantus has always been about giving back to the community. Here’s one of our earliest orphanage visits.
On our very first trip to Jakarta. Subsequent visits would lead to the founding of Bantus Indonesia.
- Putting up finishing touches to our new Academy!
The first roda in the current academy
Mural. Artwork by Terry
2006 - the bantus malaysia contingent visits brasil. Pic with Mestre Joao Pequeno.
Mestre Joao Pequeno deserves a photo of his very own
the crew on the way to our epic performance @ brunei to the prince and people. We were on tv. We were on the front page. We were the next best thing since roti canai!
- We’ve done some pretty cool and memorable shows, but check out the stage of epic proportions
- It was so epic we even had our very own fanclub! Well, the queue to get Rafa’s autograph was too long, so they decided to get ours while waiting.
- we used to do the open roda circuits at bangsar. Here’s one from ‘07
- Our 5th noite brasileira. I can still smell the axé in every roda we’ve been in.
- last year’s batizado street roda. Yep. Can so smell it.
At our 6th anniversary roda. You know what? After all these years? It’s still there. The smiles. The energy. The communidedade.
And for that very reason, we’re still standing, 6 years young! From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you.
That’s our little journey, from one point-of-view. There are many. Please share with us some of your fondest memories of Bantus! We’d love to hear from all of you!
Bantus Turns 6 Years Old
This month Bantus Capoeira Malaysia turns 6 and to celebrate we’re giving you a gift! Come by to Bantus Capoeira Academy and receive ONE WEEK FREE CLASS and get a good insight to Capoeira.
Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian martial art. It was brought over by the African slaves over 400 years ago and today is seen all over Brazil, as well as all over the world. Capoeira incorporates martial art moves, acrobatic moves and moves that you wouldn’t think possible. The thing that makes Capoeira so unique is the music. Without music there is no Capoeira.
By training Capoeira, you will gain strength, flexibility, stamina and quicker reflexes. As you progress you will learn acrobatic moves. You will also learn about the culture of Brazil, the language as you learn the songs and how to play instruments.
Offer is only valid between 24 April to 24 May. This is only for those who have never done a class at Bantus Capoeira. Additional terms and conditions apply.
Please call me for more information on 012 2713983 or send me a message.
See you at the academy. FORMADO RAFAEL