Update/Clarification: Those who are already subscribed to Mandingueira will automatically be entered into the giveaway draw. So again, e-mail users I already have a back-end list, but RSS users, let me know so I can put you in. And of course, you can increase your chances of winning a book by (1) introducing yourself or (2) joining Mandingueira on Facebook (deadline closed, though of course you may join anyway!) or (3) commenting on any post!
p.s. Do any of you out there happen to train with Grupo Capoeira Brasileira in Montreal? If you do, I’d love for you to shoot me an email. I may be paying a visit soon… =)
Mandingueira 
Hey, Im already a member on facebook and I’ve commented on this website a few times, but I suppose it won’t hurt to introduce myself. My name is Garça and I have been playing capoeira for a little over 8 years. The majority of my training is in regional, but my mestre made sure we learned angola to an extent and I have done one class per week with Mestre Joao Grande for the past year. I am a writer and a Capoeirista so I really love this blog. Joaninha’s stuff is most excellent. I will be leaving New York in one month to begin a job in Belo Horizonte (Minas Gerais) at a medical school. The primary reason for leaving is capoeira. I likes it a bunch. I’m also down with berimbaus.
:(|)
Garça
Since I’m at it I might as well introduce myself as well, right? ^^
In capoeira cirlces I’m called Buddha (or Buda), and I’m a capoeirista from Sweden, and in just a couple of days I’ll have been a practitioner for precisely nine years. To my great shame I still have to visit Brazil, despite the long exposure…
In the early days of the academy we devoted more time to Angola than we do nowadays, but since that time our “brand” has gone through numerous revisions and now were are definitely in the regional corner. Still, already from the beginning Angola has been an important part as well. We’ve often had angoleiro visitors, and quite a few Angola mestres too.
Our mestre, whom we are fortunate enough to have stolen from Brazil, seems to have made up his mind regarding our style now, so I don’t anticipate more revisions for a while. Fortunately this doesn’t lead to boredom since there is much to learn, and besides that our mestre encourages us to broaden our views [1], so I’ve visited the Angola club at my Uni quite often the past few years.
Besides practising capoeira I like (obviously) reading about it and otherwise immersing myself in it. I have other interests as well, of course, but I’ll save them for another post.
Feliz ano novo!
– Buddha
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[1]: Though not unconditionally, as noted by Xixarro in another post 😉
Que voce?
I’m a beginning Capoeirsta, however, I haven’t been given an apelido yet. I’ve been reading your blog for a while, but I’ve never found the motivation to comment because of my lack of inexperience. I preferred to read rather than respond. However, I have trained with Grupo Capoeira Brasileria from Montreal, albeit indirectly.
I go to Middlebury College in Vermont, we’re two hours away from Montreal and I’m a member of the campus Capoeira club. Our teacher, Jaime is a Graduadao and a student of Mestre Peninha, who runs the Montreal Group. I’ve had a few classes with the Mestre, and I’ve been to the yearly batizado he hosts in Montreal, so my group is affiliated more or less. I could shoot the Mestre an email that you’re looking to visit, but the email is to the Grupo’s website, not Peninha’s. Still, they love to recieve guests, and I’m sure if you introduce yourself(in French or Portugese!) things will run smooth as butter. I hope you enjoy your trip to Montreal, I know I did.
Peace
-Inglijh
Hey, Garça! Nice to meet you XD And thanks for your support and commenting! WOW…to tell you guys the truth, I’m constantly surprised to find that people with so many years of experience (and so many more years than I have) are actually reading what I write. That sounds awesome, your classes with Mestre Joao Grande…good way to be more rounded than most, if being completely “well-rounded” in capoeira (style-wise) is impossible. Thanks for the kind words, as well. 🙂
Hahah wow yeah Skymandr, you’re on a roll! 😉
Heh, why are you called Buddha? And wow…another “veteran” (compared to myself)! :=O Well, I’m planning to see Brazil for the first time this coming August, maybe you could make that your first trip, too ^^”
That’s really interesting, what you said about developing your group’s “brand” (I sense a potential blog post here!). What kind of effects has that had on students, classes, etc, and is it obvious when it changes, or is it more kind of a subtle evolution of style? The only Angola mestre I think my group has had as a guest since I started was Mestre Jogo de Dentro, but it was *amazing* (his games with other mestres, etc.).
Obrigada, e feliz ano novo!
Ola, Inglijh!
Thank you for de-lurking yourself =) I hope this encourages you to comment more in the future!
But really?! That’s amazing, I wasn’t sure if someone actually had on here…I’m moving to Montreal for a new job and am hoping to train with Capoeira Brasileira, as my own group has no branch there. I am definitely planning to send them an inquiry/introduction email…most of my computer time lately though has been devoted to running the contest and (of slight importance) trying to find housing! XD
Aaaah, really? That’s fly. 😀 I love Montreal, reminds me of my hometown, just with more hills and more French.
I’ll email you his email so you can send an introduction his way. Good luck!