What is a Batizado?
The Batizado is Capoeira’s most significant tradition. It is a cultural performance and ceremony open to the public. The batizado tradition formally welcomes beginners into our school, and some students are awarded a new cord during the troca de corda or “changing of cords” ceremony. To “baptize” new students into Capoeira, each new student plays a jogo (game) with a high-level instructor or master, receives their first cord, and gets their “apelido” (nickname.)
The batizado is an opportunity to celebrate student achievement and the collective growth of the school. It is a landmark of ABADA-Capoeira San Francisco’s work, and a chance for instructors and students from around the world to congregate and share in the tradition.
“Troca de Corda” aka Changing of Cords Ceremony
Some new and continuing students receive a cord representing their level of skill, knowledge and dedication. Having cords that delineate and represent different levels helps the student’s instructor place the student in the appropriate training cohort for the year ahead.
There are different color systems for different populations. For example, youth cord colors denote more levels—ponta, half cord, full cord—to mark a youth’s growth so that they arrive at the appropriate level upon entering the adult/teen cord system at age 16. The cord system continues to evolve as ABADÁ-Capoeira school grows and evolves.
Why “Apelidos” aka Nicknames?
Throughout Capoeira’s history, practitioners needed to protect their identity. During slavery, slaves used aliases to protect their identity from slave owners, particularly those who escaped captivity. After Brazil abolished slavery in 1888, former slaves remained marginalized within society. Many continued to gather and practice Capoeira, and the authorities began to associate it with anti-government and criminal activities. Post-slavery social conditions in cities were chaotic and police feared ex-slaves would join forces and use Capoeira to revolt against the government.
In 1890, Capoeira was outlawed in Brazil. Despite this, Capoeiristas continued to practice, in secret, adopting apelidos (nicknames) to make it difficult for police to discover their identities. The law prohibiting the practice of Capoeira remained in effect until 1920. Capoeira groups around the world continue to keep the tradition of apelidos alive by giving each new student an apelido at their batizado, a name that stays with them forever.
Master Workshops
Each year, alongside the batizado, we organize workshops, classes, and lectures featuring our guest master artists.
These educational activities connect our community with top-level artists, offering intensive learning opportunities and fostering the exchange of important cultural knowledge from world-class capoeiristas from around the globe.