Due to the recent tragic events caused by the tsunami disaster, the new year’s eve event at the Curve has been cancelled out of respect for the victims and the families affected by this tragedy.

We will host a new year’s eve pot-luck for members and friends from 10pm at the academia. Please RSVP Quek or Ngeow if you would like to usher the new year with us.

For all the huge advances in the control of our lives through science and technology, an earthquake on this scale is truly humbling as well as profoundly tragic. - Jack Straw, British Foreign Secretary

On behalf of Bantus Capoeira, we would like to extend our condolences and prayers to the victims, families and loved ones affected by the devastating tidal waves which hit many coastal regions of Asia including Malaysia.

• CNN Special Report: Waves of Destruction
• Tsunami deaths soar past 212,000

We’ve reached the end of another year already—just when you think a year is a long time, how quickly time flies and slips through our fingers. But we’ve still got some housekeeping and events to settle before the year is over:

• Academia will be closed for Christmas. There will be no classes on Friday, 24th December and Saturday, 25th December.
• Bantus Capoeira will have its last public roda for 2004 on Wednesday, 29th December at Bangsar. Meet up in front of Telawi Street Bistro from 9pm. Everyone is invited and there will be no more classes for the rest of the year after this, so don’t miss out!
• We’ll be partying and performing on New Year’s Eve at Mutiara Damansara’s newest shopping centre—The Curve, opposite Ikea/Ikano Power Centre. Join Bantus Capoeira there from 8pm to 10:30pm then stay on as we count down to 2005! This show has been cancelled.
• The academia will reopen for 2005 on Monday, 3rd January.

That wraps up our last month in 2004. It has been a great year for Bantus Capoeira Malaysia, and we hope it has been for you as well. In closing this update, we want to shout out a big THANK YOU to all our family, friends and students for their support and making everything possible.

There are many ways of going forward, but only one way of standing still. - Franklin D. Roosevelt

Merry Christmas, happy holidays and have a fantastic new year!

Informative article on the cross-cultural influence of capoeira and break dancing:

Hollow back to a head spin into a leg sweep, followed by some old, next-type floor work. Slick’s fast moves all seem like a routine he choreographed with his boy who moves in perfect sync with him. The music that accompanies what seems like an impromptu battle isn’t Hip Hop, and despite a few recognizable moves, these guys definitely aren’t breaking—they’re playing capoeira.

• Read the rest of this article

KDU’s Open Day begins this Friday, 10th December and we need people to help showcase Bantus Capoeira. We will also need volunteers at our booth for this weekend. The schedule for this event is as follows:

Friday, 10th December

• 10:00am—Opening ceremony
• 2:00pm—10 minute roda
• 3:30pm—10 minute roda

Saturday, 11th December

• 2:00pm—10 minute roda

Sunday, 12th December

• 12:00pm—Closing ceremony
• 2:00pm—10 minute roda

Come on by, lend your axé to the rodas and represent your grupo this weekend at KDU.

Sorry to disappoint everyone, but the road trip to Singapore is cancelled. Our organizers in Singapore couldn’t confirm a suitable location for the workshop and had to pull the plug on the event.

Fret not, for we are in the midst of planning Bantus trips to Penang and Kuantan early next year for workshops and beach rodas! Details to be posted as soon as they are available.

As mentioned in the previous posting, due to the upcoming shows for twelveSI and World AIDS Day this Friday, 3rd December and Saturday, 4th December, there will be no regular classes on these days.

Saturday’s music class and public roda at Bangsar, however, will still be conducted.