Only The Strongest

Today we run through an intro workshop that Varal taught to a group of bright-eyed, enthusiastic college kids and how it made him grumpy. Turns out having no instruments is cool, but bloody injuries aren't. Luckily college kids have no legal framework and they never even thought to sue.  Plus, a quick PSA to say that farting in front of your partner can save you a trip to the hospital (seriously).

Bonzinho leads the discussion today by posing the question: what does capoeira have in common with other previously-fringe sports like skateboarding or yoga, and why did those go mainstream while capoeira has languished in obscurity? Azul says the hierarchy ain't helping so let's get rid of it, and Varal says let me please just keep this hierarchy cuz it's real nice at the top. More importantly, w...

Varal taught a workshop where he talked too much.  Azul got lazy and fell into a tesoura de costa.  Bonzinho assessed where he is in capoeira and discovered that he's not an ogre.

Following up on our last episode, does your teacher believe capoeira is about conversation or about domination (if we're being reductive enough to say those are the only options)?  We debate some tells that let you know whether your instructor is training you to reduce your opponent's mobilization or to give a "yes, and" in the roda.

It's a simple question - is capoeira a conversation? https://www.capomaha.com/capoeira-angola-a-primer-for-beginners

Our feeble minds can't be holding up this podcast all day long, so we thought we'd take a look at what our listeners have planned for 2022. What goals do we all have? Can we somehow take your dreams and aspirations and then distill them down into a 45 minute podcast with a few fart jokes?

For next episode: https://forms.gle/ yaoUeaV7AvVQjdEi8 Varal says why not do a deep dive on the misunderstood nature of testosterone?  Then we work back over to capoeira to, in our amateur way, diagnose the best medicine for capoeira's reform in this year of our lord 2022.

Azul takes over the controls to talk a little about the year and wish everyone a good start to the next one.  It's been a tough year for a lot of us, and we wish you all the best for 2022.  After all, time marches on regardless so we may as well use it wisely.

Special guest and host of the Singing for Survival podcast Desconfiado joins us to talk history. We subject him to our many interruptions and bad jokes, but he graciously plows on to help us understand why the history of capoeira is important to the capoeira of today, how it can helps current groups in their reform efforts, and where the heck all this history can even be found for the enterprising...

A rundown of some ideas on running down your best demos and show (supplemental videos below).  Varal and Bonzinho have a few things to say here and there, but Azul takes the reins in her teeth and is off to the races.  She touches on organization, choreography, audience participation, and plenty more big words. Stage Performance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j51t01_uIck Women's show https://www....

First off, Azul's got some problems with armada.  Harking back to our early episodes, Bonzinho and Varal try to offer some helpful advice on doing the move.  Then, in a frenzy of meta whatever whatever, our podcast recounts some ideas from another podcast about practical, usable changes capoeira can make to improve the poisonous hierarchy problem. Original 'cast with Versatil  https://www.youtube....

The pale disc of the harvest moon rises, outlining the trees' bare, skeletal branches.  Your footsteps on the sidewalk echo out into the darkness and you hunch your shoulders against the bitter wind.  I thought they said the roda was on this block, you think to yourself, scanning left and right.  Something rustles the weeds just off to your left, or was it only the wind?  Hairs on the back of your...

A sobering episode today.  We discuss one of the largest sexual assault scandals capoeira has seen for a while (article below).  Then we talk about our own personal, pre-podcast history living through the ramifications of a similar revelation in our former group.  https://apublica.org/2021/07/capoeiristas-from-one-of-brazils-biggest-groups-denounce-their-masters-for-sexual-crimes/

Some good ol' fashioned Q&A.  We give thoughts and answers (loosely defined) to some internet questions about capoeira.  Varal wishes he were Ip Man, Bonzinho embraces the shoe life, and Azul doesn't believe that top rope drops count as cultural appropriation.

Last time we talked about returning, so this episode we must talk about leaving.  We put together a survey for folks who've quit capoeira and we go over what our quick and dirty, unscientific, amateur research tells us about capoeira.  Diagnosis: capoeira makes people uncomfortable.  Doctor, whatever can we do to save the patient?

105.  We are delighted to be back, and we want to talk about it.  Our theme this episode is "returning."  We offer some advice on returning to capoeira in these halting, cautiously optimistic times, and dwell on our collective weight gain.  Never fear, OTS is back, and its finger is jammed so far up the pulse of capoeira we can feel the lump in its throat.

A short message to explain that we're taking a break for the month.  We'll be putting together future episodes, so please do send any thoughts, ideas, complaints, and topic suggestions to onlythestrongestpodcast@gmail.com .  See you in a few weeks!

#104.  Special guest Instrutor Guerreiro joins us to talk about everything.  We go over BLM, Minneapolis, organizing patrols, sourcing medical supplies, practical self-defense, clashing with the KKK, whether Maculelê sticks beat gunfire, and how capoeira prepares you to be a leader.

#103.  Sucão presents a model for part of why we get angry in the roda.  Losing control, getting flushed, adjusting self-image, and the eternal B-roll capoeirista.

#102.  We outline some common bad habits and how to fix them.  Pirouettes, plateaus,  and bringing the axé of a sloth to the roda.

#101. Here: https://youtu.be/C5plaWSLTg8 Another installment of How to Watch a Roda.  This time our video is a sampler of the hosts in their early days, struggling to earn their cords in a batizado.  We discuss the failings and successes of our former selves, pointing out our stage-fright, apprehension, bewilderment, and the persistent need to turn sideways in the back of the ginga.

#100.  Our centennial episode, where we're delighted to have Bandeira back with us to discuss his essay concerning the idea of security.  We talk about how the idea of security has changed over time, how it influences norms and behaviors in capoeira, and how it relates to the current BLM protests. Bandeira's essay: https://www.themdrm.com/writing/on-security

#99.  Special guest G. Bandeira walks us through the ways that capoeira makes for a practical system of self-defense.  Long-range weapons, big dumb heads, hammer fists, and some aggro dudes chest bumpin' each other straight into Condition Red.

#98. One of us recently gave birth, and she details her transformation from small to big to less big. The decreased range of motion, the diminished strength, and - most importantly - how to stay mentally strong and positive.

#97.  We apologize but we do in fact have to talk about Catwoman.  Friend of the podcast and industry pro Fome graciously tries to lead us through why we don't yet have the Ip Man of capoeira movies.