Criança Esperança, February 18 - 21, 2010

Teacher Training Seminar

In February 2010, Project Commotion hosted a Teaching Seminar for Adult Capoeiristas and Youth Capoeira Encounter. This 4-day event was the first of its kind, beginning with a training seminar in PC’s philosophy, and followed by 3 days of classes and fun activities for youth and their families, led by experienced youth instructors and professors of capoeira. The classes served as an experiental lab-setting for seminar participants, to exchange teaching techniques and perspectives on how to support children’s learning and development through the great art-form and culture of capoeira.

Goals of the seminar for instructors included:

  • Gaining new perspectives and useful approaches to working with diverse communities of children in our society.

  • Learning language based in child development and sensory activities that are provided through capoeira.

  • Becoming empowered to advocate for the work that we do within capoeira, and for the children and families with whom we work.

  • Providing opportunities to observe youth capoeira classes and shadowing experienced instructors throughout the Youth Capoeira Encounter.

  • Exchanging resources with fellow capoeiristas.

Project Commotion supports working artists with training opportunities to learn about child development and effective methods of supporting children in learning environments. Please contact us to find out about on-site training opportunities, or to schedule a workshop for your staff or organization.

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Youth Capoeira Encounter

Criança Esperança, open to all youth ages 4 – 18 with all levels of experience in capoeira, provided a fun-filled weekend of capoeira, music, dance, games, and crafts, led by some of the most outstanding teachers of capoeira who work with youth and families in the Bay Area and beyond! Over 40 youth students from San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, and Arcata participated in the event, ending with a great Sunday-afternoon capoeira roda led by the youth themselves. An educational and inspiring weekend for youth and adults alike, Criança Esperança grew from the heart of PC’s mission, “to foster deep healing, strong interpersonal connections, and inclusiveness in our community by supporting the unique developmental processes of our children.”

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