capoeira-world.com

Interview with Graduado Suxi

Capoeira-World.com: Hello Suxi! I'm pleased to meet you and very excited about this interview :)

Graduado Suxi: Hello to the Capoeira-World.com readers. I am honored to answer your questions!

Capoeira-World.com: Please, tell us who is Graduado Suxi with a few sentences?

Graduado Suxi: My name is Ivan-Alexander Jung. I am 34 years old German citizen with a Japanese mother and a German father. My birthplace is Ibiza/Spain. I grew up in the town of Wiesbaden (near Frankfurt). I have lived 10 years in Cologne/Germany and 2 years before that in Rio de Janeiro/Brasil.

Now, I live in Varna, Bulgaria with my Bulgarian wife and 1 year old son. I work as a freelance Consultant for OnlineMarketing and Project Manager for Web Design and Applications.

I love my life in Bulgaria!  ;-)

Capoeira-World.com: How long have you been practicing capoeira, where have you trained and what is your capoeira grade?

Graduado Suxi: I started with Capoeira in 1991 in Rio de Janeiro with Mestre Camisa from the group ABADA Capoeira. Later, I moved to Germany and continued to train with Professor Pacoca from ABADA Capoeira. In 1998, I moved to Cologne and began to train with Contra Mestre Porquinho. At this time we belonged to the group Porto de Minas. In 2000 we split from Porto de Minas and created the group Companhia Pernas Pro Ar, to which I still belong.

My graduation is green-blue which belong to the title of Graduado. So I am officially authorized to teach Capoeira.

• Mestre Camisa: He is a very strong character had contributed a lot the contemporary Capoeira.  ABADA was one of the first who introduced competition into Capoeira.  A lot of people criticize ABADA for its methods, however no one can deny its influence.

Last but not least he teached me my first Ginga and gave me my apelido Suxi, which comes from the japanese food.

• Prof. Pacoca: A great and determined Capoeirista, who gave me continuity for the base I got in Brasil. From him I got my next graduation.

• Contra Mestre Porquinho: He is not only a great Capoeira teacher but also a good friend. With his work which reaches a big part of Europe and abroad (Germany,Poland, Syria and not to forget Bulgaria) he is a well respected Mestre and is invited to workshops and festivals all over the world. He also organizes a big event every year in Cologne. With him I could digg deeper into the understanding of the jogo, the history, the music, everything which is part of Capoeira.

Capoeira-World.com: Why did you choose capoeira than other sports? What caught your attention in capoeira?

Graduado Suxi: Actually I didn't choose Capoeira, Capoeira have chosen me.  ;-)
The first time I saw Capoeira was on the beach of Ipanema in Rio deJaneiro, where I saw a Roda. Everything caught my attention - the music, the moves and how two people could interact with their bodies. So I asked a friend of mine, what this is and where I can learn it. So, I found the academia of Mestre Camisa.

Capoeira-World.com: What about teaching capoeira - how did you decide to start teaching and when did that happen for the first time?

Graduado Suxi: The process of teaching came step by step. First, I just made the warmups, later then I began to substitute my Mestre if he was not available. In 2003 I started to teach the children group, which I did for a couple of years. By the way, Capoeira is a perfect sport for children because of its playful character. Shortly after, I also started to teach teenager and adult groups outside of our Academia.

Teaching Capoeira is very important because you begin to start to think more about Capoeira and its essence. Important is that you have a certain method and style.
You have to focus on the small details. Capoeira is not about making saltos. Capoaeira is about the Ginga. I can tell right away from the Ginga of a Capoeirista, if he is a serious Capoeirista or if he had just learned it by watching Youtube videos.

Capoeira-World.com: Do you teach capoeira now and what is the name of your school? Is your school part of any capoeira group, like Senzala, Axe, etc.?

Graduado Suxi: Yes, I am still part of the Companhia Pernas Pro Ar (Company Legs in theAir). At the moment I teach at the Fitness Club Orange Fitness in Varna, Bulgaria.

Capoeira-World.com:How many students do you have and what are their grades – beginners or more advanced capoeiristas.

Graduado Suxi: At the moment I have around 10-12 people who train regularly with me. I still consider them as beginners.

Capoeira-World.com: Are you planning any workshop or batizado any time soon?

Graduado Suxi: I am thinking about an workshop in the autumn. For a batizado it is too soon yet.

Capoeira-World.com: How do you find capoeira – more like a dance or simply a very attractive fight technique?

Graduado Suxi: I consider Capoeira neither a dance nor a fight. For me Capoeira is a life style. It's a way to express your feelings and your character through your body.
The jogo is a non verbal dialogue between two persons. Capoeira is an art form. You have the music, elements of fighting; the dance, of course,but its even more than this.

Like Mestre Pastinha said: Capoeira is everything that the mouth eats. (Capoeira é tudo que a boca come)

Capoeira-World.com: What would you like to say to the readers of Capoeira-World.com?

Graduado Suxi: Play Capoeira whenever you like, everywhere. Train a lot, but don't forget to play the instruments and sing the songs. The energy is the most important. Also search for good Capoeira. Go to the workshops, travel to events and Batizados. Try to study about the history of Capoeira, know the old Mestres.

Be modest. Don't try to show off. Always look. Be smart.

And have fun!

Capoeira-World.com: Thank you very much for your time and for this great talking!