Professor Paraiba
Location: Toronto, Canada
Website: www.axetoronto.com
What song gets you pumped up in the roda?
Most of Mestre Barrao’s fast songs sung by him still give me goosebumps when I hear them live.
How did you start capoeira?
Vi and Lelo used me to play Super Nintendo, so they would always want to come over and in turn they taught me some capoeira and took me to class with mestre.
What do you love the most about capoeira?
I love always being challenged. I think many capoeiristas would get bored or demotivated doing other things because they are too one dimensional. Capoeira can be tough today, playful tomorrow and spiritual the day after. It all depends what your body and mind are craving that day.
What was something you struggled the most with in capoeira?
At first was rhythm and flexibility. Now after 15 years I still do, but to the average person, I’m a musical ninja.
What is the main thing you try to focus on when you train?
I always try to ask myself, “How would I train if mestre was here teaching me?” That usually gets me motivated.
How do you push yourself to keep getting better?
I think about the people I want to get in the roda and the people who have gotten me. Also, people who I look up to and what to one day incorporate one or more aspects of their capoeira into my own.
What’s your power food before a roda?
As of 2012, lots of water.
What is in your life now because of Capoeira?
Many of my friends, my confidence, my way of viewing things, my dedication, much of my business knowledge and more.
How has capoeira changed your life?
When growing up, teenagers need something to identify with. For me that was capoeira. It’s not possible to have negative things in your life and succeed in capoeira (drugs, alcohol, etc). Maybe if I identified with something else as a teenager, a healthy lifestyle might not have been important to me.
If you could play anyone in the roda, living or deceased who would it be and why?
Definitely Mestre Bimba, then Mestre Pastinha. They are icons in capoeira. Having a picture with them too would be precious!
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Traveling to various events worldwide and running Canada’s largest capoeira school which will allow me the freedom to bring guest instructors to train with us on a bi-monthly level.
What’s your favorite movie?
Cidade de Deus, Tropa de Elite
What’s your favorite book?
Rich Dad Poor Dad
What’s your 2nd most favorite thing to do?
Sleep!
FILL IN THE BLANK:
If I wasn’t a capoeirista, I would be an entrepreneur.