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Capoeira History Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian martial art developed initially by African slaves in Brazil, starting in the colonial period. It is marked by deft, tricky movements often played on the ground or completely inverted. It also has a strong acrobatic component in some versions and is always played with music. There are two main styles of capoeira that are clearly distinct. One is called Angola, which is characterized by slow, low play with particular attention to the rituals and tradition of capoeira. The other style is Regional (pronounced 'heh-jeeh-oh-nahl'), known for its fluid acrobatic play, where technique and strategy are the key points. Both styles are marked by the use of feints and subterfuge, and use groundwork extensively, as well as sweeps, kicks, and headbutts. The derivation of the word capoeira is under dispute. One possible meaning and the one people believe the most is that it refers to an area of forest or jungle that has been cleared by burning or cutting down. Alternatively, Kongo scholar K. Kia Bunseki Fu-Kiau thinks that capoeira could be a deformation of the Kikongo word kipura, which means to flutter, to flit from place to place; to struggle, to fight, to flog. In particular, the term is used to describe rooster's movements in a fight. HistoryDuring the 1500s, Portugal shipped slaves into South America from Western Africa. Brazil was the largest contributor to slave migration with 42% of all slaves shipped across the Atlantic. The following peoples were the most commonly sold into Brazil: The Sudanese group, composed largely of Yorubaa and Dahomean people, the Islamised Guinea-Sudanese group of Malesian and Hausa people and the Bantu group (among them Kongos, Kimbundas and Kasanjes) from Angola, Congo and Mozambique. There are engravings and writings that describe a now-lost fighting dance in Cuba that reminds us of capoeira with two Bantu men moving to the yuka drums. It is called the baile del maní. Batuque and Maculele are other fight-dances closely connected to capoeira. These people brought their cultural traditions and religion with them to the New World. The homogenization of the African people under the oppression of slavery was the catalyst for capoeira. Capoeira was developed by the slaves of Brazil as a way to resist their oppressors, secretly practice their art, transmit their culture, and lift their spirits. Some historians believe that the indigenous peoples of Brazil also played an important role in the development of capoeira. After slavery was abolished, the slaves moved to the cities of Brazil, and with no employment to be found, many joined or formed criminal gangs. They continued to practice capoeira, and it became associated with anti-government or criminal activities. As a result, capoeira was outlawed in Brazil in 1892. The punishment for practicing it was extreme (practioners would have the tendons on the back of their feet cut, or would be sent to jail for up to 6 months), and the police were vicious in their attempt to stamp out the art. Capoeira continued to be practiced, but it moved further underground. Rodas were often held in areas with plenty of escape routes, and a special rhythm called cavalaria were added to the music to warn players that the police were coming. To avoid being persecuted, capoeira practitioners (capoeiristas) also gave themselves an apelido or nicknames, often more than one. This made it much harder for the police to discover their true identities. This tradition continues to this day. When a person is baptized into Capoeira at the batizado ceremony, they may be given their apelido. In 1937, Mestre Bimba was invited to demonstrate his art in front of the president. After this performance, he was given permission to open the first capoeira school in Brazil. Since that time, capoeira has been officially recognized as a national sport, and has spread around the world. Mestre Bimba's systematization and teaching of capoeira made a tremendous contribution to the capoeira community. In 1942, Mestre Pastinha opened the first Capoeira Angola school, the Centro Esportivo de Capoeira Angola, located in Bahia. He had his students wear black pants and yellow t-shirts, the same color of the "Ypiranga Futebol Clube," his favorite soccer team. Most Angola schools since then follow in this tradition, having their students wear yellow capoeira t-shirts. Together, Mestre Bimba and Mestre Pastinha are generally seen as the fathers of modern Capoeira Regional and Capoeira Angola respectively. Roda and philosophyThe "roda" is the circle of people within which capoeira is played. People who make up the roda's circular shape clap and sing along to the music being played for the two partners engaged in a capoeira match or rather a "game" ("jogo"). Depending on some capoeira schools an individual in the audience can jump in to engage one of the two players and begin another game. The minimum roda size is usually a circle where the radius is the length of a berimbau, or about 3 metres (10 feet) in diameter. They are often larger, up to 10 metres in diameter (30 feet). The rhythm being played on the berimbau sets the pace of the game being played in the roda. Slow music limits the game to slow yet complex ground moves and handstands. Hits usually aren't made but feigned or just shown. The players often turn away from each other's hits just to throw their own. Slow games are often seen as finesse games, less impressive for the casual viewer. Faster music allows for more circular momentum which is key to gaining "big air" in the roda. Capoeiristas can take up a lot of space while playing, so the roda is rarely small, especially if the players are playing quickly. In the fast game, acrobatics and big, circular kicks abound to the delight of onlookers. Sometimes actual hits are registered, but only between higher-level competing capoeiristas. The roda is a microcosm which reflects the macrocosm of life and the world around us. Most often in the roda, your greatest opponent is yourself. Philosophy plays a large part in capoeira and the best teachers strive to teach Respeito (Respect), Responsabilidade (Responsibility), Segurança (Safety/Security), Malícia (Cleverness/Street-smarts), and Liberdade (Liberty/Freedom). Modern capoeira is often criticized by more traditional practioners of capoeira as being in the process of losing its "playfulness" in the sense that many capoeiristas tend to focus more on impressive acrobatics and not so much the playful interaction with the other player in the roda. The gameCapoeira doesn't focus on destroying the person you play against, rather on demonstrating more skill (or cunning). Capoeiristas often prefer to show the movement without completing it, enforcing their superiority in the roda. If your opponent cannot dodge your slowest attack, there is no reason to use your fastest. Each attack that comes in gives you a chance to practice an evasive technique. But, again, it all depends on how the Master teaches the students and the moment of the game, the environment, etc. You should expect to see more contact between players when you go to street rodas, for example. GingaThe "ginga" (which in portuguese means a rocking back and forth) is the fundamental movement in capoeira. Both Capoeira Angola and Capoeira Regional have distinctive forms of the "ginga." Both are accomplished by having both feet at approximately shoulder distance apart and then moving one foot backwards and then back to the base. This movement is done to prepare for other movements in the game of capoeira. The rest of the body is also involved in the ginga, which also includes coordination of the arms (in a way to prevent the body from being kicked), torso (many core muscles may be engaged depending on the style that the player wishes to achieve) and the leaning of the body (forward and rear-wards, relating to the position of the feet. The body leans back to avoid kicks, and forwards to create opportunities to show attacks) and the overall movement should match the rhythm being played by the bateria. From ginga one can attack, defend, and perform acrobatics. Eye contact is very important, as it allows you to know how to move, when to dodge from kicks and when to attack your opponent. Volta ao mundoVolta ao mundo (or "trip around the world") is a short break taken by both players, and is in Capoeira Regional the only Chamada or call available to indicate a desire to change something about the game being played, while in Capoeira Angola it leads to more formalized Chamadas. The "volta ao mundo" is commonly used to force the players to cool down after a heated exchange or by a player when he/she needs a break. It is important to note that "volta ao mundo" is practiced differently by different schools – some hold hands, some do not, some walk, some run. In some schools, the "volta ao mundo" is done when the music is over and the players are waiting for the new one to start. If you ever visit a roda, make sure you respect that school's behaviors in this respect as failure to do so is looked upon as quite rude. ChamadaCapoeira Angola rodas feature a ritual called the "chamada." In a chamada, one player assumes a ritual pose, for example, with one hand in the air. Normally, the other player should approach and join the pose (in this example, touching their hand to the first player's hand). The players then walk back and forth until the first player separates and offers a slow attack, and the jogo resumes. However, the whole chamada is fraught with tension, since it is acceptable for either player (although most often the player that called the chamada) to strike out in a sudden attack – at any speed at all. If the other player is caught, it's because they weren't being careful enough. The goal of the chamada is to test a player's ability to cooperate, to appear friendly, without exposing himself to a sneaky attack. Many ritualized chamadas exist, including one resembling the "volta ao mundo", but experienced players will make up their own. Some mestres will playfully involve spectators in the chamada (for example, introducing a female bystander to their opponent only to take the opponent down while he doffs his hat). Chamadas serve to show how well a player can handle the tricks of the world ("o mundo enganador" is a common call in the louvação) AttacksCapoeira primarily attacks with kicks and sweeps. Some hand strikes exist, but they are not as common. Common hand strikes are galopante, cutila, and arpão de mão. Capoeira also uses acrobatic and athletic movements to maneuver around the opponent. Cartwheels, handstands, head- and hand-spins, sitting movements, turns, jumps, flips, and large dodges are all very common in capoeira. DefensesCapoeira defenses consists of evasive moves and rolls. A series of ducks called 'Negativas', which literally means negations (of kicks) are also staple of a capoeiristas' defensive vocabulary. There are typically different Negativas for every step of the Ginga, depending on the direction of the kick and intention of the defender. Another common defense is the 'Role', which is a rolling move that combines a duck and a low movement. This move allows the defensive player to quickly evade an attack and position themselves around the aggressor in order to lay up for an attack. It is this combination of attacks and defense which gives a game of Capoeira its perceived 'fluidity' and choreography. Other evasive moves allow the capoeirista to move away or dangerously close in an attempt to trip up the aggressor in the briefest moment of vulnerability (usually in a mid-kick). CombinationsThere are also styles of moves which combines both elements of attack and defense. An example is the 'Au Batido', a move commonly associated with Capoeira. In essence, the move begins as an evasive cartwheel which then turns into a blocking/kick, either as a reflexive response to a blocking move from the opposing player or when an opportunity to do so presents itself (an opponent's drop of guard for example). TrickeryFor students who have mastered the basic moves, their game naturally progresses towards a more cunning slant. The art of trickery, or 'Malandragem'. This involves a lot of improvisation and modifications of basic moves into a flurry of feints and fakes in a blatant attempt to trick the opponent in responding wrongly. To this end, the ability of the capoeirista lies in their skill to observe and reliance on their innate sense in anticipating the moves of their opponents and prepare the appropriate response. Some capoeristas take this aspect of the art to heights akin to the guile of theatrics and drama. Games displaying elaborate performances and even staging skits reenacting historic cultural aspects of Capoeira are commonly demonstrated amongst the most learned of the art. Styles and groups of capoeiraThere are many different kinds of capoeira. As previously stated the two largest types are Angola and Regional. Although groups of one style do exist, most groups tend to mix the two styles to some degree. Capoeira Angola groups from the Northeast will tend to identify only as Capoeira Angola and will mimic Regional for performances. Capoeira AngolaAngola is considered to be the true root style of capoeira, often characterized by slower, sneakier movements played closer to the ground and with the players playing their games in closer proximity to each other. Capoeira Angola, in actuality, is played in a great range of speeds, ranging from Mestre Rene's school (with fast, highly acrobatic movements and frenetic high tempo music) to Mestre João Pequeno's school (with much slower, methodical movements to low tempo, hypnotic music). The father of modern Capoeira Angola is considered to be Mestre Pastinha (Paas-cheen-yah) who lived in Salvador, Bahia. Today, most of the Capoeira Angola media that is accessible comes from mestres in Pastinha's lineage, but this isn't to say that he was the only one or that he was the originator. Many others helped in the preservation and propagation of Capoeira Angola, including Mestre Caiçara, Mestre Bobo, Mestre Noronho, Besouro Mangangá, etc. The Angola style, while emphasizing the traditions and history of capoeira remains a contemporaneous art in the vibrant street scene of Salvador, Bahia. There is a diversity of styles and players, all of the traditional form, playing or performing in a great range of speeds and testing each other in various academies and in the street. Capoeira RegionalRegional is a newer and more martially-oriented game. Regional was developed by Mestre Bimba to make capoeira more mainstream and accessible to the public, and less associated with the criminal elements of Brazil. While capoeristas can sometimes play Angola-like, slow games, the Regional style is most often composed of fast, acrobatic, and athletic play. This type of game is characterized by high jumps, acrobatics, and spinning kicks, while maintaining the trickiness and ground-work characteristic of Capoeira Angola. Regional ranks capoeiristas (Capoeira players) by ability, denoting different skill levels with the use of cordão (colored cords) worn as belts. Angola does not use such a formal system of ranking, relying instead upon the discretion of a student's mestre. In both forms, though, recognition of advanced skill comes only after many years of constant practice. Capoeira ContemporâneaToday, there are many fusion styles, which mix the Angola and Regional traditions. Some refer to this as "capoeira atual," or "capoeira contemporânea." Whether playing Angola or Regional, groups often have different styles of wildly different movements. In general, older groups/styles often have a greater emphasis on the traditions of capoeira, while newer groups concentrate chiefly on sports-like technique. Internationally renowned mestres
Capoeira in popular cultureCapoeira has recently been popularized by the addition of Capoeira in a number of computer games. Two capoeiristas, Eddie Gordo and Christie Monteiro, fight in the popular games Tekken 3, Tekken 4, and Tekken 5. Elena fights Capoeira in the game Street Fighter III. In the massively multiplayer RPG World of Warcraft, troll males perform capoeira moves as a non-combatitive dance emote. In addition, Meet the Fockers and Ocean's Twelve, two highly successful movies of 2004, featured capoeira in several memorable scenes. A character of Tenjho Tenge, Bob, also practices capoeira. Moreover, several pop and rock artists, such as Soulfly, Sepultura, Ben Harper and Gjallarhorn have published albums containing one or more tunes featuring the berimbau. The automobile company Mazda has also made a Capoeira song, Zum Zum Zum, the theme songs for their advertisements. Breakdancing, developed in the 1970s, has many analogous moves. Indeed, many Brazilians had immigrated to the US, and particularly to New York, by that time, and would practice capoeira in the streets where it was able to influence this new dance form. While the attention capoeira has received has caused a boom of interest in this martial art, more skeptical capoeiristas have argued that the way it is used in the media is misrepresentative of what capoeira truly is. Finding a place to playIf you are interested in playing capoeira, most major cities throughout the world have at least one club/group to join. Make sure you find out about your group's style and watch a class. Different groups have many differing advantages, so do the research yourself. Some styles are heavily geared towards being clever in the roda whereas others focus more on the physical capabilities of the players. Some groups practice exclusively Angola, while others practice exclusively Regional, so if the style you see isn't what you hoped for, keep looking. Special eventsIf you join a Capoeira Regional group, you may eventually have a chance to take part in a batizado, a baptism into the art of capoeira. At this point, you will normally be given a corda, a cord belt, as well as your apelido or capoeira nickname. Batizados are great celebrations of capoeira, and normally a number of groups and masters from nearby or far away are invited to the celebration. Sometimes a Batizado is also held in conjuction with a Troca de Corda, or a 'Change of Belts'. In this event, baptised students who have trained hard and deemed worthy by their teachers are awarded a higher-ranking belt as an acknowledgment of their efforts in their respective schools. These ceremonies are a great chance to see a variety of different capoeira styles, to watch mestres play, and to see some of the best of the game. Sometimes they are open to the public, and they are a great chance for outsiders to learn about the art. Batizados and Troca de Cordas do not occur in Capoeira Angola, which traditionally does not have a system of belts. However, some contemporary schools of capoeira have combined the study of both arts and may require their students to be learned in the ways of Capoeira Angola before being awarded a higher belt.
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