GingaLakota

The classes are going very very well. We have atleast two classes per day. The kids come in from afterschool at 3pm. The adults at 6pm. We have about twenty kids. About 5 adults--all female. Today was the kid's third day and they are starting to get it.

The very first class was challenging. With about 50 kids spread across the basketball gym floor you can imagine the diversity in personalities. There was almost a 50/50 mix between kids that were genuinely interested and others that were acting out.

By the second class things settled down a lot. Some of the ringleaders that were testing me our first day were now really trying to get it. We had our first roda and they were able to see it add up to something.

Our third today was great. The kids know the names of the movements, are focused and sincerely trying to get it. The roda was fun. Sifu Paula and I got in there and played the kids--which amused them all when we showed them how unpredictable and adaptable capoeira can be.

Some of the kids have taken to staying after the hour long class ends and working their movements. That is rewarding to us because we know something is sticking. It is also developing bonds that allow for future and more frequent trips/workshops.

For all our females out there: as usual the girls are more focused, more skilled and more willing to try new things than the boys. We even had one boy catch a bencao from a girl...he dropped in embarassment and all the kids laughed...PURE CAPOEIRA.