steadily growing group of capoeiristas continue to share Capoeira in its fullest form through their regular classes at the Manila Polo Club, De La Salle University Manila, Ateneo de Manila University, the Raya School and even in Bacolod. They also wow the crowds at public demos and events with their incredibly fast exchanges of kicks, high-flying acrobatics and intensely compelling music. The enthusiasm and energy a single game of Capoeira generates can be felt even by spellbound audiences outside the roda or circle.
Have you ever noticed how falling in love seems to transform how you experience the world around you? It keeps sneaking into conversations with friends until even your best friend gets sick of hearing you talk about it. It alters your established routine and changes how you plan your weekends. It slowly seeps into every aspect of your life until everything around you holds reminders of why you feel unusually ecstatic. If you’re lucky, it helps you discover yourself and grow as a person. When it comes to Capoeira and its practitioners, “love” is certainly an appropriate word to describe the allconsuming fervor characteristic of longtime capoeiras or capoeiristas. In 2003, Cookie Pido was one in a small group of people interested in learning more about the Brazilian martial art that “combines the movements of martial arts with the graceful flow of dance.” They took their passion to the next level by helping Escola Brasileira de Capoeira bring the first official Capoeira school into the Philippines straight from its headquarters in Brasilia, Brazil. Today, EBC Philippines, Professor Fantasma and the
“Capoeira is a passion, an energy in me that you can't shake off,” says Cookie. “I have a love-hate relationship with this passion but it's always there. And I think it'll always be there, only because we've been through so much together.” Because of this shared love for Capoeira, the spirit of community within the group is astounding. In 2009, Cookie decided to spend her birthday with the kids of the Gawad Kalinga Molave Community in Payatas, Quezon City. As one would expect, she brought along her family, friends and a considerable amount of food. Of course, with Capoeira so ingrained in her life, she and her friends from EBC did what came naturally to them, incorporating Capoeira into the games and entertainment. When asked about the reactions to what must have been a strange and novel experience, Cookie enthused, “the kids loved it! So I asked if we could come back and play with the kids at least once a month… It was a different activity for the children and the volunteers were excited about the doors that would open for the program and for the kids because of this.” Things snowballed as Cookie’s idea was met with much excitement from all around. With the support of GK, the Molave Community and the Ateneo Alumni Association, EBC Philippines began holding