NATALIE

Capoeira - I began playing because I am an Actress and wanted to keep fit while doing something that amused and focussed me. I fancied keeping fit acrobatically, something that demanded co-ordination and play but I didn't fancy joining Nelly at the circus or wearing a leotard and doing gymnastics. However, I remember seeing 2 people in 'fancy linen pyjamas' do something beautiful on the roof of the BBC and I stored the image away. I was subsequently and subliminally drip fed the idea of capoeira for years without doing anything but absorb the words, the ethos and the history and file the lessons away. Finally in 2007, I met a dancer who had played for years and she told me to join a class. I went to my first class, petrified by all the white suited ninjas, the dynamic wasn't supportive and though I gave it 6 months and made a few friends who did have the spirit I had heard of, I felt inhibited, inferior and slipped away and forgot everything I had learnt.

Then the following summer I was flapping about in a park doing springs and cartwheels when a guy came over and introduced himself as Sabu. He told me his Mestre had invited me to join them with the training chair in the park. I thanked him but I told him I didn't play Capoeira nor musical chairs for that matter, unless it was followed by pineapple on sticks and birthday cake. However, Sabu had a nice smile and Mestre Celso charmed me into playing. We played for a few hours and at the end Mestre Celso suggested I join his sons class which I did and was welcomed with open arms. Then work got busy and Capoeira fell by the wayside again.

Earlier in 2009 I returned to London having just done a piece of physical theatre where we had incorporated some Capoeira inspired moves into a dance piece. Performing it every night enthused me and I came back hungry to improve rather than fall into a state of rabbit in the headlights or fits of laughter the minute I was in the roda. Bicudo got in touch to tell me Sabu had set up a class and that I should get myself to it which I promptly did bringing me here to this blog.

Capoeira is a way of life for many, the people I have met since my park days, are full spirited, generous with their smiles and their souls and I hope I give them back in equal measure. Sabu is a Trojan but he is also encouraging. After 2 months of training with Sabu, my muscles are beginning to have a memory and I'm beginning to find the soul of capoeira within my body and this feeds my desire to improve. I'm also horribly impatient at being rubbish and have moves I want to do and Sabu is always on hand to help and guide me.

The unique beauty about capoeira is that every player has the freedom to inject their own character into their style, some people are balletic, others like a ninja, some are like springs and others like boxers; legs, hands, feet jabbing at the air with neat precision. I'm not sure what my style is yet, it's still embryonic. Perhaps I'm something akin to a stray kitten, a firefly, a frog and a fawn who hasn't quite learnt to stand up on it's giddy legs and I'm yet to be able to swallow my laughter when I fall on my face! But all caterpillars turn into butterflies, all ugly ducklings into swans, and I have every faith that with Sabu as my mentor, my life as a capoerista will last longer than that of a butterfly and be as graceful and as swift as a swans.