Axe Capoeira in Ukraine
History
The history of "Grupo Axe Capoeira" in Ukraine began in spring 2002.
The first step to the foundation of "Grupo Axe Capoeira" was when Irina Boyko met Yan Shastitko (Monitor Yan), the teacher of "Grupo Axe Capoeira Russia".
Just a few days of communication of these people changed the course of events in the future. At that time there were no possibilities in the countries of CIS to choose a school, usually everyone was satisfied with what there was.
Yan demonstrated absolutely another techniques and style, different from what could be seen in Ukraine. This impressed many who were present at his trainings in Kiev. This made Irina think that she should search for her own group of capoeira.
The trip to Germany (Hamburg) to an international capoeira encounter “Summer Meeting” in summer 2002 helped to make a decision - "Grupo Axe Capoeira". After the trip Irina organised a couple of open workshops with Monitor Yan in Kiev.
In autumn the same year a workshop was organised in Moscow with Mestre Barrao and his student Paraiba (at that time Monitor Paraiba).
At the workshop Mestre discussed with Irina the possibility of opening a branch in Ukraine. In 2004, after 1.5 year of work which included trips to Moscow as well as Yan’s visits to Kiev and everyday trainings, Irina with her students visited the workshop held in Wroclaw (Poland).
At this international workshop Ukrainian branch was introduced to the other Axe Capoeira groups (France, Brazil, Canada, Poland). There Irina had her Batizado of Grupo Axe Capoeira, and in 3 months she had her troca de corda (belt change) and more than 10 students of Grupo Axe Capoeira Ukraine had their Batizado.
In 2005 even more students from Ukraine visited the workshops of Axe Capoeira in Russia and Poland. The group grew, trainings were held at the schedule of beginners and advanced groups. Since not all students who wanted to visit other countries could afford it, Irina decided to organise an international Axe Capoeira workshop in Ukraine.
The workshop took place from 19 till 23 of October 2005. This event was of high importance to the development of capoeira in Ukraine as it was the first time such a famous Mestre visited Ukraine.
During the workshop "Grupo Axe Capoeira" took part in the festival “Golden Lily 2005”. This was the first time capoeira was presented as a martial art at such a grant sporting event which took place in Kiev at the Palace of Sport - one of the biggest buildings for sport and entertainment in Ukraine with the capacity of more than 6000 people.
Here you can find an article dedicated to this event.
More than 40 students were graduated, many of them changed their belt to the next one including the leader of the group Boyko Irina (Monitora Irena). Furthermore, the First Festival of Capoeira and Brazilian Dance was organised in Kiev.
In January 2006 Irina participated in Axe Capoeira Workshop in Turkey. Apart from the workshop itself, she took part in a TV program about capoeira on Turkish television and in the group’s attestation. At that workshop a possibility to hold a long workshop in Ukraine was discussed with Mestre Barrao.
After returning home preparation started. It was the first such event in the history of capoeira in Ukraine regarding length. More than 20 days a Brazilian teacher (Mestre Itabora) trained the students in Kiev.
During this workshop two branches in Kharkov and Khmelnitskiy were opened in "Grupo Axe Capoeira Ukraine". A little earlier the branch in Kryvyy Rih appeared.
At the beginning of 2007 Grupo Axe Capoeira counted more than 150 students only in Kiev. The next workshop and group attestation took place in April at which Mestre Barrao, Mestre Boi, Instrutor Paraiba and Monitor Yan were present.
A summer sport camp was organised in summer 2007 which then became a yearly event.
In August 2007 Irina with her senior students visited Brazil. For a month they had a tight schedule of two trainings per day which included not only capoeira but also Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Brazilian dance, percussion lessons. They raised their level a lot and got new knowledge for the further development of capoeira. Also they visited the second international workshop Encontro Mundial de Capoeira e Cultura organised by Mestre Barrao in Recife. More than 15 Brazilian Mestres of capoeira were present at the workshop.
Returning to Ukraine, Irina organised a workshop with a Brazilian teacher, Professor Barraozinho. The workshop lasted 14 days.
Up until 2008 the number of people in Ukraine interested in capoeira grew 3 or 4 times compared to the start of its development. The brunches of "Grupo Axe Capoeira" in Kiev and other cities of Ukraine also numbered.
Traditionally in April took place the third workshop and festival of Brazilian culture.
In August Irina with four senior students spent a month in Brazil where at the international workshop of "Grupo Axe Capoeira” (3 Encontro Mundial de Capoeira e Cultura) she received the belt marrom-verde and the title Graduada.
Autumn began with a workshop with already known Professor Baraozinho. This time it was scheduled with two weeks of trainings and two trainings per day. During the workshop the First Internal Competition of "Grupo Axe Capoeira" was held in Kiev.
In May 2009 Mestre Barrao, the founder of the group, visited Ukraine for the fourth time already. Also the students got acquainted with the teacher from Czech Republic - Graduado Tartaruga. The Batizado was organised in the centre of the city in the Molodoy Theatre. At the fourth festival for the first time in Ukraine were presented such dance and music trends as Maracatu, Brazilian funk, Afoxe. More than 200 people were graduated in the school.
In June Monitora Irena and students from Ukraine visited the first workshop of Grupo Axe Capoeira Czechia organised in Prague, accepting the invitation of the teacher from Czech Republic.
The history of the group continues even today. Apart from developing capoeira in Ukraine "Grupo Axe Capoeira" does immense work for development of Brazilian culture.
At the lessons in our group the students have the opportunity to learn capoeira in all its aspects, Brazilian dance, music, Portuguese language, Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
We constantly work on introduction of Brazilian culture. With the aim of development of Brazilian culture public organisation “Cultural Center Axe Capoeira” was created in Ukraine. Its aim is popularisation of healthy, harmonious and full way of life.
Yearly events of Grupo Axe Capoeira:
- yearly summer sport camp;
--yearly international capoeira workshop with Brazilian Mestres;
- yearly festival of capoeira and Brazilian culture;
- yearly two weeks training with a Brazilian teacher.
Grupo Axe Capoeira is:
1. Laureate of International Capoeira Festival “Spotted Cheetah 2005”
2. Laureate of the Olympic champion Lilia Podkopaeva’s Cup “The Golden Lily” in 2005
3. Winner of the II International Capoeira Festival “Spotted Cheetah 2006”
4. Axe Capoeira students were the winners if the First Kiev Capoeira Competition in 2006 (1st and 3rd places)
5. Participants of the 2 Encontro Mundial de Capoeira e Cultura, Brazil, 2007
6. Participants of the 3 Encontro Mundial de Capoeira e Cultura, Brazil, 2008
7. Participants of the Kiev workshop in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, 2008
Also the teachers and students of Grupo Axe Capoeira Ukraine are the participants of:
13.05.2010-16.05.2010 UA-Kiev - Grupo Axe Capoeira Workshop
Mestre Barrao, Professor Barraozinho, Professor Tigrao, Monitor Barril
17.06.2009-21.06.2009 CZ-Prague - Grupo Axe Capoeira Workshop
Mestre Barrao, Professor Barraozinho, Graguado Tartaruga, Monitor Barril, Monitor Osso Duro
07.05.2009-10.05.2009 UA-Kiev - Grupo Axe Capoeira Workshop
Mestre Barrao, Professor Barraozinho, Graguado Tartaruga
28.10.2008-10.11.2008 UA-Kiev - Grupo Axe Capoeira Workshop
Professor Barraozinho
26.08.2008-30.08.2008 BR-Itamaraca island - 3 Encontro Mundial de Capoeira e Cultura
Mestre Barrao, Mestre Piraja, Mestre King, Mestre Jogo de Dentro
23.04.2008-27.04.2008 UA-Kiev - Grupo Axe Capoeira Workshop
Mestre Barrao, Instrutor Barraozinho, Instrutor Pe, Monitor Yan
02.10.2007-15.10.2009 UA-Kiev - Grupo Axe Capoeira Workshop
Instrutor Barraozinho
28.08.2007-02.09.2007 BR-Recife - 2 Encontro Mundial de Capoeira e Cultura
Mestre Barrao, Mestre Piraja, Mestre Cobrinha Mansa, Mestre Espirro Mirim, Mestre Maurao, Mestre Nem, Mestre King, Mestre Boi, Mestre Hulk, Mestre Pit-bull, Mestre Indio
24.04.2007-29.04.2007 UA-Kiev - Grupo Axe Capoeira Workshop
Mestre Barrao, Mestre Boi, Instrutor Paraiba, Monitor Yan
21.03.2006-11.04.2006 UA-Kiev - Grupo Axe Capoeira Workshop
Mestre Itabora
25.01.2006-29.01.2006 TR-Ankara - Grupo Axe Capoeira Workshop
Mestre Barrao, Mestre Itabora, Monitor Barraozinho
19.10.2005-23.10.2005 UA-Kiev - Grupo Axe Capoeira Workshop
Mestre Barrao, Mestre Duvalle, Monitor Vinicio
01.10.2005-02.10.2005 UA-Kiev - Samba From Rio-De-Janeiro
Professor Vinicius
29.04.2005-03.05.2005 PL-Wroclaw - Grupo Axe Capoeira Workshop
Mestre Barrao, Mestre Itabora, Monitor Barraozinho, Graduado Vinicio
15.03.2005-20.03.2005 RUS-Moscow Grupo Axe Capoeira Workshop
Mestre Barrao, Mestre Itabora, Monitor Barrazinho, Graduado Vinicio
12.07.2004-22.07.2004 RUS-Anapa - Axe Summer Workshop
Yan, teacher of the Moscow branch of Axe Capoeira
14.05.2004-20.05.2004 RUS-Moscow - Grupo Axe Capoeira Workshop
Mestre Barrao, Contra-mestre Bola, Professor Andrezihno
10.02.2004-15.02.2004 PL-Wroclaw - Grupo Axe Capoeira Workshop
Mestre Barrao, Mestre Itabora, Contra-mestre Bola
02.10.2002-06.10.2002 RUS-Moscow - Grupo Axe Capoeira Workshop
Mestre Barrao, Monitor Paraiba
25.09.2002-29.09.2002 UA-Kiev - Senzala de Capoeira Workshop
Contra-mestre Ruj
21.07.2002-02.08.2002 DE-Hamburg, Berlin - Summer meeting 2002
