What is capoeira? | dubaicapoeira

capoeira Duabi

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Capoeira is a Brazilian art form involving movement, music and elements of philosophy. At the heart of the discipline is ritualized combat ‘played’ as a game. This is known as jogo de capoeira or simply jogo. During the game two players (capoeiristas) exchange movements of attack and defence in a constant stream, like a conversation. It is important that they observe the rituals and proper manners of the art. The players both attempt to control the space and the game by confusing the other with feints and deceptive moves.

The speed and nature of the game come from the rhythm played by the berimbau, a single-stringed bow instrument, which is also the most recognisable symbol of capoeira. The berimbau has a number of different set rhythms known as torques, capoeiristas take not only the speed but also the style of their play from the torque that is playing. The berimbau is complemented by percussive instruments including the pandeiro (tambourine), atabaque (single standing drum), agogo (double bell) and reco-reco (grooved bamboo which is scraped with a stick); the music of capoeira also includes vocals, both solos and collective singing in a call-and-response format. The songs are based around nature, everyday activities and the practice of capoeira. They are rooted in the history of the art but whilst some are very old new ones are constantly being written.

A capoeira session is called roda de capoeira, literally translated as ‘capoeira wheel’, many people refer to it simply as a roda. The roda is comprise of the musical ensemble, the capo," or simply roda. The term roda, refers to the ring of participants that defines the physical space for the two capoeiristas engaged in the ritualised combat.

History

Between 1500 and 1888, almost four million slaves were brought to Brazil from Africa, this was an incredibly important factor in shaping the culture and the people of Brazil, and led to the birth of capoeira. That capoeira came out of the crimes of slave trading is known and accepted, but exactly how it developed is still under debate.

Theories include:

Capoeira was imported fully formed from Africa

It is a fusion of different African dances and fight styles, with or without the influences of the indigenous people, which formed in the slave quarters.

Closely related arguments centre around where the word capoeira comes from, how much the fighting movements were ‘disguised’ as dance to allow them to be carried out under the watch of slave masters and the role of the quilombos (groups of escaped slaves living in the jungle) in developing or just using capoeira.

At the end of the nineteenth centaury two key things took place in Brazil. In 1888 slavery was finally abolished, Brazilwas the last country in the world to do so, and in 1889 Brazilbecame a republic. Capoeira occupied an ambivalent position during the last years of slavery and the first years of the republic. On one hand capoeiristas were involved in putting down a mutiny, were employed by politicians to rig elections and made up the Guarda Negra (Black Guard) formed by monarchists to protect Princess Isabel on the other hand capoeira was persecuted by the police and state. Capoeira was specifically outlawed in the republic’s first penal code of 1892.

During the years it was outlawed capoeira did not disappear but continued under ground. Mestre Bimba (1889-1974) was considered by his students, his peers and the general public as an extraordinary capoeirista and an important personality within the African-Brazilian religion of candomblé. In 1936 he exploited a loophole in the law to open a legal capioera school, registered with the Office of Education, Health and Public Assistance of Bahia. Mestre Bimba’s capoeira was different to what had gone previously. He instituted training inside in school facilities using a curriculum and a systematic training method; this all served to turn capoeira from an illegal activity into one that was socially acceptable; in 1953 Mestre Bimba was congratulated by Getùlio Vargas, the president of the time when he was visiting Salvador.

Mestre Pastinha was involved in the same movement which relocated capoeira into schools, studios and legality. However the style of capoeira he taught was different. These two styles are known as Capoeira Regional and Capoiera Angola. The distinction survives until today with Angola (Mestre Pastinha’s capoeira) characterised as more traditional with a lower and slower style of play, it is more of a ‘head game’ and involves more ‘malicia’. Regional is played higher and faster; of course the music denotes the style of play. Capoeira de Mestre Alabama in Dubai trains both styles, creating versatile capoeiristas.

Benefits of capoeira

Capoeira allows practitioners to explore their strengths and weaknesses both physical and mental. Training capoeira provides a full body workout including some muscles which are not targeted by most forms of exercise. It is an extremely effective cardiovascular workout which also improves balance, flexibility and reflexes. Additional benefits are that capoeira is an excellent de-stressor and improves concentration and mental agility; skills which are transferable to areas of life outside the roda.

Best of all, capoeira is not just a workout. Caporistas are keen to play and train meaning ‘talking-yourself-into’ going to the gym becomes a thing of the past. You will also meet new people through doing capoeira and spend time hanging out with them doing an activity you love.

Capoeira Dubai

capoeira Duabi

History

Benefits of capoeira

Further reading