Only The Strongest

#96. Video here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNMUld90z-8&t=1s We discuss controlling space, filling in negative space, cutting off your partner's angles, Jewish holidays, and banishing demons back to the unearthly realm they crawled their sorry asses up from.

#95.  A discussion on good and bad sequences.  Azul argues for the fancy stuff, Varal reluctantly agrees, and Sucão never taught a sequence in his life.

#94.  A short postscript to our previous episode.  Resources: The Bail Project https://bailproject.org/ NAACP Legal Defense Fund https://www.naacpldf.org/ Resources For Accountability https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Xa9Av-NfuFsWBHlsMvPiqJHdNedZgnCRW56qAS-7PGQ/edit

#93.  Following a weekend of protests and riots, we discuss where capoeira's place is in the context of the Black Lives Matter movement.  In capoeira, are we obligated to be politically informed and active?  Does being a capoeirista confer a special obligation, beyond simple citizenship?  How To Be An Antiracist, by Ibram X Kendi https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40265832-how-to-be-an-antiracist...

#92.  Simultaneously our silliest and most somber episode.  We start with some bad news about Brazil, Bolsonaro, and the virus.  Then we clumsily lighten the mood by playing a round of capoeira-themed never have I ever. Donate to CARE https://my.care.org/site/Donation Donate to BrazilFoundation https://brazilfoundation.org/involved

#91.  A breakdown of the good and bad of attending a zoom class.  Sucão trains in a closet, Bonzinho does a million pushups, Azul is a social butterfly, and Varal doesn't do his homework.

#90.  Another episode where we inflict answers onto questions that weren't asked of us.  Listen to our professional advice about kicking faster, easy floreios, and blindness.   Sucão plays host, Varal verbally abuses corta capim, Azul says it's only a floreio if you go upside down, and Bonzinho wrestles a blind guy.

#89.  The group wade through their likes and dislikes of the movie Besouro (The Assailant, if you prefer the American title).  We talk about how silence can be better than music, the out-of-order ending sequence, playing capoeira in sand, and how Bonzinho can't say cinematography.

#88.  Sucão dredges up some pyschic mud about feeling helpless and angry in the roda, and the other hosts show compassion and maturity by making fun of him.

#87. Video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7EqAcMNgAg Another installment where we apply our questionable skills to interpreting videos of people on the other side of the world.  Azul highlights the conversation between the players and the bateria, and Sucão advocates first strike technology.

#86.  We're joined by Pirata to hear in person about exactly how numb your butt can get when you ride your bike for a year.  Pirata is the author of the book Cycle of Life: A Year on a Bicycle with Mestre Acordeon by Peter Illetschko which we reviewed on episode 82.  He fills us in on the different capoeira flavors across the Americas, Mestre Acordeon's banana schedule, and how chaotic conditions...

#85.  A different spin on the idea of recovery.  Sucão presents some ideas on how capoeira keeps your side-splits, your mind, and your social skills healthy.  The other three hosts listen skeptically and confirm at least that, yes, Sucão is less of a doofus now than 10 years ago, thanks to capoeira. The Body Keeps The Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk

#84.  The good news episode.  We attempt to provide an antidote to the fear and frustration of the pandemic.

#83.  A discussion on how we approach our elders in capoeira.  Is veneration good or healthy or helpful?

#82.  Azul gives a rundown of the book Cycle of Life: A Year on a Bicycle with Mestre Acordeon by Peter Illetschko.   We talk courage, capoeira, mestres, diarrhea, sugar slavery, and Varal gives a single irrelevant pro tip about bicycles.

#81.  More definitive, rock-solid guidery for putting on a batizado.  Bottled water, functioning toilets, early-morning workshops, and (finally) that sweet, sweet Friday night roda.

#80.  A definitive guide to throwing a batizado, for a very loose definition of "definitive."  Booking flights, sourcing shirts, making (or losing) money, and hiring the Transporter to get the most important guests there on time. 

#79.  Just for once we try talk about the appropriateness of a subject without resorting to grade-school jokes.  In this case, how best to fit jumping kicks into a game?  When is it rude, and when is it perfect?

#78.  We skim a few questions from the capoeira subreddit and attempt to answer them.  Berimbau pinkie syndrome, training with extra heft, bringing your significant other to class, and when can you call yourself a capoeirista? (it's a trick question)

#77.  Chef Bonzinho presents all the data he's collected over the course of three months of cooking and eating Brazilian food.  Pão de Queijo for quick: https://www. simplyrecipes.com/recipes/ easy_brazilian_cheese_bread/ Pão de Queijo for realz:  https://www.allrecipes.com/ recipe/98554/brazilian-cheese- bread-pao-de-queijo/ Brigadeiro:  https://www.oliviascuisine. com/traditional-brigadeiros/# m...

#76.  Game begins at 5:21 Another episode of How to Watch a Roda.  This time Bonzinho brings us a bombastic and belligerent game between two bombass players.  We argue about the ethics of violence and wishfully describe the skills we wish we had when it comes to doling out some righteous martelos.    

#75.  Our follow-up to the previous episode, specifically delving into the idea that stress can be good and productive.  Staying up too late dyeing cords, last-minute airport runs, remembering that no ones cares about us, and forging your social tools.

#74.  A discussion of the pros and cons of batizados compared to less formal events, like capoeira encounters.  Is it better to be shiny and clean in your whites, or sleek in some black joggers?  Does the formality of a batizado help or hinder it?  Can Varal convince the other three that they're entitled millennials?

#73.  We aim only to serve with this episode.  A guide to distinguishing Bonzinho from Sucão, and then we revisit au for our movement showcase.  Helping the listener learn the hosts, helping everyone do au...we're just helpful people today.

#72. Instagram here Youtube here In this episode we try to get at the sweet marrow in the bones of a capoeira game: interaction and control.  Some roda analysis to start your day off right -- specifically, why mentality and attitude is important to a game.