Capoeira Workshop

About capoeira:
Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian art form that combines elements of martial arts, music, and dance. It was created in Brazil by slaves from Africa, especially from Angola, Mozambique and Congo sometime after the sixteenth century. It was developed in the region of Quilombo dos Palmares, located in the Brazilian state of Alagoas, which was the state of Pernambuco before dismemberment, and has had great influence on Afro-Brazilian generations, with strong presence in the states of Bahia, Pernambuco, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.
Participants form a roda, or circle, and take turns either playing musical instruments (such as the Berimbau), singing, or ritually sparring in pairs in the centre of the circle. The sparring is marked by fluid acrobatic play, feints, takedowns, and with extensive use of leg sweeps and kicks. Its origins and purpose are a matter of debate, with theories ranging from views of Capoeira as a uniquely Brazilian folk dance with improvised fighting movements to claims that it is a battle-ready fighting form directly descended from ancient African techniques.

KolibriCARF and Ekstremsportveko cooperate
Founder of KolibriCARF, Gregory Smith, sold everything he owned and moved from Norway to Brazil to spend the rest of his life helping children in need. This was the beginning of the organization in 1992. Most people thought he would return to Norway quickly after a reality check in São Paulo, but he didn't. 20 years later, his work and ideas still influence thousands of children.

Very few of the children who grow up in the extreme conditions of the favelas survive with body and soul unmarked. Social exclusion is one of the fundamental aspects in the understanding of poverty and violence in urban areas. Pessimism, lack of hope, disbelief in society and disavowal of the future are characteristic of this exclusion.

KolibriCARFs method, using arts and culture in the fight against poverty and social exclusion, has been proven to give children an inner drive, better self-esteem and belief in their own abilities. At Ekstremsportveko you will have the opportunity to take part in a Kolibri Fun For Kids day and a Capoeira workshop, where capoeiristas (some of them former street children) from KolibriCARF in Brazil will facilitate the workshops.

Together, Ekstremsportveko and KolibriCARF will contribute to give these children a public voice, and a chance to opt out of their risky environments by providing them with new role models, other interests and more opportunities than they otherwise would have had.