Pol Briand

Pol Briand
b. on October 10 1955.

Learning capoeira

My involvement in capoeira dates back from 1988. My first steps were directed by master Beija-Flor from Santos, São Paulo, and by master Vasco, (a student of master Calazans, from Salvador, Bahia), who were partners in the two first years of Capoeira Paname, an association founded officially in february 1989 in Paris on the basis of a year-long effort.

facing in the passagem left, Mestre Vasco (Vasco Ariston de Carvalho;
on the right, no berimbau, Mestre Sombra (Roberto Teles de Oliveira);
on the back with pandeiro, Luis Goulart Bom Moço.

Two trips to Brazil, in Bahia and the Northeast and in Santos, gave more colours to this first contact in the end of 1988 and in 1990.

Capoeira Paname held its first batizado in june 1990 under the supervision of Master Sombra, Beija-Flor's master and the leader of the Senzala academy in Santos, S.Paulo).

Listing the many capoeiristas who have contributed to my learning in capoeira would go to such lengths that it cannot be done here; none of them may claim more influence than the already named.

In 1995 I met Lúcia Palmares in Santos. In september 1996 we began the Capoeira Palmares group in Paris. We married in november of the same year.

I received the formado belt in april 1997 and the monitor green/white belt from Master Beija-Flor.

Videos

I directed and shot a few video programs that may interest fellow capoeiristas:

• Iwo Ama Lo Sibé, video Betacam, 17 minutes, 1996
  Contemporary dance. Coregraphy by Armando Pekeno dansed by Armando Pequeno and Michelle Brown.
• Senzala 20 anos, video, 20 mn, 1995.
  Shot in Santos. With roda de batizado and interview (in Portuguese) with Mestre Sombra.
• Capoeira de Massaranduba, video, 12 mn, 2000.
  Shot in Salvador. With Mestre Um-por-Um.