Capoeira Gradings (Batizados)

Mestre Bimba (the father of Capoeira Regional) invented the capoeira batizado, which in Portuguese means baptism. Originally in Capoeira Regional, a new student was “baptized” when he/she entered the roda to play for the first time. A more experienced student guided the newer student in the “roda” and would give the student an apelido (nickname) by which they would be known to other capoeiristas. The batizado was a kind of initiation ritual, and the purpose of the giving of an apelido was to make it much harder for the police to discover a capoeirista’s true identity.

These days however, the batizado is generally an annual event for most capoeria groups, and is not the first time a student plays in a roda. The main purpose of the batizado is the troca das cordas (changing of the belts). Students may receive a new belt, demonstrating that they have advanced in capoeira. The student receives the new belt before or after a game played against a Mestre in which they have to show that they have earned the right to wear the new corda. It is common practice for the Mestre or Teacher grading the student to execute a ‘take down’ and put the student on the floor to earn their belt. A Batizado event is also a chance for students in a school to come together with guests from other schools, and to train capoeira in intensive workshops.