There’s one word everyone who starts capoeira hears sooner or later: batizado. Groups prepare for months, masters arrive from other cities and countries, and students wait excitedly for their first cord. In this article we explain what a batizado is and how the cord system works in capoeira.
What does batizado mean?
Batizado means ‘baptism’ in Portuguese. In capoeira, however, it has no religious meaning. It is the name of the ceremony in which new students officially join the capoeira community.
A batizado is usually held as part of a festival lasting several days. Throughout the festival there are workshops, music sessions and rodas. At the ceremony each student plays in the roda with a master invited by the group or an advanced capoeirista. At the end of the game the student receives their first cord.
What happens at a batizado?
- Workshops: Guest masters teach classes on movement, music and the game. Students learn perspectives different from their own instructor’s.
- Cord ceremony: Students enter the roda one by one, play with a guest master and receive their cords.
- Troca de cordas: The part where students who already have a cord move up to the next one. It means ‘change of cords’.
- Shows and championships: Some groups also add a show or a championship to the festival.
Axé Capoeira Türkiye holds batizados and festivals in different cities every year. You can see some past events in our news posts 14th Ankara Batizado and 8th Championship and 5th Istanbul Festival and Batizado.
Apelido: the capoeira name
In many groups a student is given a capoeira name, an apelido, at their first batizado or in later years. The apelido is usually inspired by the person’s playing style, character or a particular trait. In capoeira history it is common for masters to be known by their apelido rather than their real name. Mestre Bimba and Mestre Pastinha are names known in this way.
The cord system in capoeira
In capoeira the belt is called corda (rope) or cordão in Portuguese. Like belts in karate or judo, it shows the student’s level and place in the group. It is a braided cord tied around the waist.
The most important thing to know is this: there is no single cord system that applies to everyone in capoeira. Colours, their order and the number of cords vary according to each group’s own system. Some groups use the colours of the Brazilian flag, others have created their own colour sequence. Most Capoeira Angola groups have no cord system at all.
How are cords awarded?
Most groups don’t hold a formal exam. The decision is made by the instructor and the group’s masters, and it isn’t based on technical skill alone. Regular attendance, knowledge of the music, behaviour in the roda, contribution to the group and commitment to capoeira are also taken into account.
Cords are usually awarded at batizados, and there is no rule that you move up a cord every year. Staying at some cords for several years is perfectly normal.
Titles
Advanced cords also indicate teaching authority and titles. They vary between groups, but the titles you’ll hear most are instrutor (instructor), professor, contramestre and mestre. Mestre is the highest title in capoeira and the result of decades of work.
You can meet our instructors in Türkiye and their titles on our Who Are We? page.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I need to train before my first batizado?
It depends on the group’s calendar and the instructor’s assessment. Students are usually invited to their first batizado after a few months of regular training.
Is it compulsory to take part in a batizado?
No. But it’s the best opportunity to meet the capoeira community, learn from masters and receive your first cord.
Is a cord I received in another group still valid?
Because cord systems are specific to each group, this is decided together with your instructor when you move to another group.
Start the journey with the first step
Every capoeirista’s story begins with a trial class. In Axé Capoeira Türkiye groups the first class is free. Who knows, you might be the one receiving your first cord at the next batizado.
Read more
- What is an Abadá? The Story of the Capoeira Trousers
- Capoeira Movements: A Guide to Ginga, Aú, Meia Lua and the Basics
- The Story of Axé Capoeira: Mestre Barrão from Recife to the World
New to capoeira? Start with our guide What is capoeira and how is it played?.
Contact us for a free trial class
For class times and venues, see your city’s page: Istanbul, Ankara, Bursa, Antalya, Trabzon, Sinop, Şanlıurfa. Axé!