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In a traditional capoeira school there are students with different levels of knowledge. These students, as well as many other capoeirista in Brazil or abroad belong to the following ranks:
A - Calouro
B - Batizado
C - Formado
D - Contra-mestre
E - Mestre
Calouro means "freshman". The calouros are applicants to become regular students in the school. During this trial period, the students may determine their real desire to study capoeira, while learning the basic movements and etiquettes of capoeira, as well as the rules and regulations of the school. The instructors also observe the student's attitude and their level of commitment to be accepted as one of the regular students.
Batizado is the ceremony in which the student plays for the first time under the berimbau rhythm in a formal capoeira setting and when more advanced students move to a different graduation level. Batizado is also the denomination for those who become regular students after their participation in the batizado ceremony.
Formado are the students who completed the entire system of techniques, and have been formally inducted into the art as a senior practitioner.
Contra-mestres are those formados who have contributed to the school by teaching and assisting their mestres in many different ways.
Mestre is a traditional and valued title attributed to some capoeira teachers. To become a mestre, the capoeirista must have a long career teaching capoeira and satisfy the following requirements:
- Must be indicated to the title by a recognized and well known teacher;
- Must be recognized by an official confederation of capoeira in Brazil such as the Confederação Brasileira de Capoeira;
- And, more than anything else, must have the popular recognition as a mestre and unanimous acceptance as such by the traditional masters of the art.
During classes and formal capoeira settings, students must address the mestres as "Mestre". You may have noticed that in the same circumstances, mestres also address themselves as such. This treatment is part of the traditions of the art form and a recommended behaviour within the capoeira circles.
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