HOW DO I GET READY?!
GETTING READY
So you saved up your money and are now ready to go to your first batizado. You’re getting excited because at this event you get to see another group, play their students, and learn new things. But it can be a little nerve-racking because you might not always know what you need to bring with you. I’m going to give you 5 tips to help you manage going to a three day Capoeira batizado.
FORGET AIRBNB, GET HOSTED
One thing you should know about going to a Capoeira event is that a lot of times you can be hosted by a local. Instead of booking a hotel or an Airbnb which can add to the cost to the event, you can stay with one of the people who trains at the school you’re visiting. This is a great way to make new friends and hopefully one day you can host them when they come to your event. This is something that brings the Capoeira community close and makes our events unique.
In terms of what to bring, when you’re at somebody’s house, you might want to think about bringing a sleeping bag so that no matter what happens, you can be ready for a good night’s rest.
THE BASICS
You’ll need to bring all the stuff that you would typically bring to stay over a friend’s house for a couple days. This includes things like toiletries, soap, toothpaste, a toothbrush, extra bit of clothing, etc. Bring extra underwear! After all that exercise, you’ll be glad you did.
Bring cash! A lot of people in the community sell things like pants, the newest CD, and other cool stuff that you’ll need to pay for in cash. Nobody has square, but that’s something that can change!
Here is a list of some of the things you might consider bringing…
Toiletries
Small towel
Cash
Snacks
Water bottle
Phone charger
Playlist (for the drive)
Headphones
Tape for injuries
Joint brace/wrap
Capoeira clothes
Street clothes
Sleeping bag
PRO TIPS
Some people do get blisters on their feet and if you get one, you’ll need to tape them up quickly so that you can get back into the action. The upside about going to Capoeira batizado is that you’re going to an event that will force you to work out for the entire day. The downside is that your feet might not be able to take the punishment.
Another thing to bring is an ankle wrap or wrist wrap. Sometimes people have acute or chronic pain in their joints and although this IS NOT A SOLUTION for your injury, you can use a wrap in case your weak wrist starts acting up. If you’re one of those people who has this problem, it might be a good idea to look into some physical therapy. But until then, make sure that you have whatever equipment you need to make sure that you get the most out of the event and if that means wrist wraps for you, then have at it.
BRING YOUR UNIFORM
Don’t forget to bring your uniform! That means your abadás and a white shirt representing your group. This is probably the most important thing you can bring to the event because with many groups, if you don’t wear your uniform, you can’t participate. Many people are strict about this and require you to wear your uniform every day of the event. Other groups allow you to wear “street abadás” or other workout clothes for non-batizado days, but you can always reach out to the batizado organizer and ask them what the dress code is. If you’re not sure, bring two pairs of white abadás of your school, just in case.
AFTERPARTY!
Bring clothes to go out with. After burning thousands of calories moving throughout the day, everyone’s going to want to get food and hang out. A batizado is a celebration for students who obtain a new cord, so you want to make sure that you’re ready to celebrate with them.
Batizados can be a super fun experience where you make new friends and expand your Capoeira horizons, so enjoy them as much as you can!
