I’ve updated the classes list with Angola classes from Grupo de Capoeira Angola London and Kabula.

Wow, just got news of two major London festivals this summer, both featuring capoeira big time!

Fresh from a sell-out tour of Australia and New Zealand, the Brazil! Brazil! show is on from 11 June to 18 July as part of  Festival Brazil at the South Bank – a thrilling spectacle of capoeira, samba, carnival and world cup football fever!

Meanwhile, this year the City of London Festival is celebrating the culture of the Portuguese-speaking world, and includes new choreography by capoeira mestre Ponciano Almeida working with the Aurora chamber orchestra.  There’s a concert performance at St Lukes at 8 pm on Friday 9 July, or follow the Moment and Monument street performance from the Tower of London to the Royal Exchange, starting at 12.30 and 6.00 pm on Monday 5 and Wednesday 7 July.

That last post reminded me of a conversation about the breadth and variety within capoeira.  Even within the main Regional and Angola styles, there can be major differences in philosophy and approach.   All capoeira movement has a martial element, of course, but some teachers focus mainly on artistic and cultural expression whereas others are more into combat.

For the student, it’s fun to try different schools and experience their ways of moving – but it’s as well to be a bit wary, especially in the roda.  If you’re used to a safer style, you might be surprised or even injured when you meet a proper fight.

Sorry it’s a bit late but the London International Capoeira Campeonato is taking place this weekend, 29-30 May as part of the International Combat Sports Show at Excel in East London – easily reachable on the Docklands Light Railway (or the Jubilee line if it’s running, which as Brent folks will know, it most likely isn’t).

There’ll be a capoeira taster event from 3-5 pm on Tuesday 13 July in the foyer area of Willesden Green Library, as part of Brent Dance Month.  All welcome!

Capoeira Kabula is hosting Angola events with Mestre Valmir this weekend, 1 to 4 pm Saturday 29 May at the Thanet Centre in Chalk Farm and Sunday 1 to 3.30 pm at Hargrave Park School near Archway – see flyer here.

They regularly hold classes at the Thanet from 2-4 pm on Saturdays.

A couple of people have registered on this site using email addresses that look as though they’re not real.  That’s ok, if it’s what you want to do. But the only benefit of registering is getting email updates of new information on the site.  And that won’t work if you’ve given a fake address.  So I’m not sure why you’d bother.

Anyone can use the RSS feed, without needing to fill in the registration form, by the way.

I’ve updated the classes list to include Capoeira Canal at the Tabernacle in Westbourne Grove.

Capoeira Canal will be performing with a free open roda at the Brent Respect Festival in Roundwood Park on 4 July 2010, see here for details.

Capoeira Arte’s hosting an instruments workshop at the Charteris centre from 5 to 7 pm on Sunday 6 June – details here. No acrobatics, just music, bring your friends!

Carcará tells me that after the workshop there’ll be a meal in a Brazilian restaurant for those who want, maybe followed by a bit of a roda or samba dancing.