COMMUNITY MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
~ Michelle Sieling – Graduada Tinta ~
Michelle Sieling, Graduada Tinta, has been a member of the ACSF community since February of 2010.
To say ACSF is lucky to have Michelle as a strong and supportive member of our community is an understatement. She is one of our most dedicated students, a longtime ACSF volunteer, a donor, and a member of the board of directors.
This month marks her 10th anniversary as an ACSF student. Join us in celebrating her and her achievements!
Michelle’s interest in Brazilian culture attracted her to Capoeira. She first was introduced to ACSF as a spectator at San Francisco’s Carnaval, where she says “I always thought it was inspiring to see Mestra Marcia lead the group, even before I knew anything about her. Later on when I was working on a story about Capoeira for my work in marketing and advertising, I took a class as part of the review, and here I still am.”
In the last ten years she has been a dedicated student, regularly participating in classes, workshops and events. She assisted Antonio Contreras “Instrutor Corrente” with youth classes in the 2019-2020 school year. She traveled to Brazil multiple times and has been an active Board Member since 2015. With over a decade of memories, Tinta says one that stands out was her graduation to her blue cord in 2019. “I felt extremely proud at that moment, but know that there is more to come.”
Another highlight for Tinta was her first trip to CEMB (Mestra Camisa’s Centro Educacional Mestre Bimba just outside of Rio de Janeiro.) “It’s an amazing place to be a Capoeirista. To get away from the rest of the world and just be a Capoeirista for a few days, and be exposed to all the knowledge of the Mestres and Mestrandos is a cultural experience I’d highly recommend.”
Though traveling to Brazil is not something that is feasible now, Tinta, like many Capoeiristas, is turning to virtual classes to continue her training. She says “Capoeira and the ACSF community has always been an important part of my life. I feel more confidence and connection to the world when I train. Online classes keep me connected to our community, and provide space for me to regularly focus on something positive.
Like all of us, Tinta is looking forward to a time when we can be together again with our families, our friends, and community.
We look forward to seeing her– and all of you– at ACSF’s Capoeira Arts Center or in a Carnaval parade soon in the future!
Happy Capoeira Anniversary Tinta!
