Capoeira Mandinga uses cords (cordões) as a ranking system. These cords are awarded at the Annual Capoeira Convention and Graduation. Before the event, the Capoeira Master determines what students will move up in rank, based on skill, experience, and dedication. Batizado, meaning baptism in Portuguese, is the ceremony in which students are awarded their first cord. Although, it is not religious, it is symbolic of the beginning of a student’s journey into Capoeira. In subsequent years, students advance to the next level in the Troca de Cordões (Change of Cords).
Capoeira Mandinga cords are the colors of the Brazilian flag. Green is the first cord, followed by combinations of yellow, then blue and ultimately white. Cords with color combinations have one that dominates over the other. Basic levels are as follows, yet color combinations may vary.
