Capoeira performers showcase talent Feb. 24

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Samantha Pugeda

RIT’s Capoeira Mandinga club will be one of the many groups who will showcase their talents at the first “Clubs Got Talent” competition.

Capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian martial art, was practiced by slaves who were brought to work on Brazilian plantations. Disguising the martial art as a dance, the former slaves would practice this art form, even in front of their slave owners. Capoeira Mandinga came to RIT in 2007 and has grown to include more than 20 regular members.

Capoeira Mandinga is one of more than 13 student clubs that will compete in RIT’s first “Clubs Got Talent” competition. The event is 6–9 p.m. Feb. 24 in Ingle Auditorium. Participants will showcase their talents in 3-minute acts. A “celebrity panel” of judges will judge the performances. The first-place prize is $500, which will go to the winning club. A second-place prize will award $300, and third place will be $100.

“‘Clubs Got Talent’ is the first event that will really challenge RIT’s clubs to compete with each other on a level playing field. We’re hoping that this event will lead to a series of future events that really showcase students’ talents, and what RIT clubs are all about,” says Sarah Griffith, club administration coordinator, Center for Campus Life.

Capoeira Mandinga will feature a “trailer” version of its Imagine RIT: Innovation and Creativity Festival performance in May. Its festival show, “Shadow Showdown” will feature the talents and skills of club members, including computer animation, choreography, music splicing and four types of martial arts.

The club meets twice weekly, from 7–9 p.m. Mondays in the Student Development Center, room 1310, and from 7–9 p.m. Fridays in the Student Life Center, lower dance studio.

For more information, contact Chris Tarantino at clt2626@rit.edu or Sarah Griffith at sbgccl@rit.edu.