As of this Saturday I've earned the first belt, or rather cord, of my group, and thus consider myself "officially" inducted into the club of capoeira. I would've been at the congratulatory barbecue but my body crashed for three hours, so I figured I'd hang with you all instead.
As a primer: Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian martial art developed by both native and African slaves in the 1500s. It mixes elements of traditional African dance with African and local martial arts into a kinetic, unpredictable style that favors dodges (esquivas) for blocking, puts the practitioner into position to dodge and strike simultaneously, and uses the constant momentum and rotations to fuel powerful strikes. You've no doubt seen it if you know Eddy Gordo of Tekken, Elena from Street Fighter, or even Hitmontop from Pokemon (its idle back and forth animation is the ginga, or "swing," the foundational movement of the art.)
The art is played in a ring of people called a roda ("ho-da") and set to live music led by the Mestre (master) or other high-ranking capoeirista. The music sets the speed and game type, allows the Mestre to control the actions of the players, and reinforces folkloric, religious, and historical traditions and emotional bonds through the use of songs, all of which are in a call-and-response style.
During the 1800s after abolition was achieved in Brazil, the art was prohibited due to its effective use in crime for newly freed slaves who were denied job and living prospects in favor of European immigrants, turning capoeiristas into outlaws. The development of the art during this era is a fever dream soup of countless branching styles and exaggerated, almost anime-esque acts of cunning and displays of skill, i.e., malandragem. It is common to hear of blades being used during this time, even within the instruments themselves.
It was not until Mestre Bimba forged the first school in capoeira and set strict standards for his Regional ("hey-jo-nal") style in the late 1930s that capoeira became to be seen not as a tool of black deviousness, but as a cultural art worth persevering and celebrating. Prohibition was lifted in 1940, and now the art is practiced worldwide, with some moves partially being incorporated into UFC.
I myself practice the contemporary style, which is a modern mix of Bimba's regional style and the competing Angola style, a slow-paced but deadly game that starts near the ground. We learn to play both low and high and are completely free to incorporate those famous acrobatics (floreios) into our game.
So that's capoeira in a nutshell. You're free to ask me specifically about moves, roda stories, training regimens and drills, the music, terms, and anything to do with the art. If you also practice capoeira or know of it, share your stories and knowledge too. General Brazilian input is also encouraged because my Portuguese is sorely lacking. Eu falo palavras pequenas. Memes and jokes are welcome. So let's have some fun in here!
As a primer: Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian martial art developed by both native and African slaves in the 1500s. It mixes elements of traditional African dance with African and local martial arts into a kinetic, unpredictable style that favors dodges (esquivas) for blocking, puts the practitioner into position to dodge and strike simultaneously, and uses the constant momentum and rotations to fuel powerful strikes. You've no doubt seen it if you know Eddy Gordo of Tekken, Elena from Street Fighter, or even Hitmontop from Pokemon (its idle back and forth animation is the ginga, or "swing," the foundational movement of the art.)
The art is played in a ring of people called a roda ("ho-da") and set to live music led by the Mestre (master) or other high-ranking capoeirista. The music sets the speed and game type, allows the Mestre to control the actions of the players, and reinforces folkloric, religious, and historical traditions and emotional bonds through the use of songs, all of which are in a call-and-response style.
During the 1800s after abolition was achieved in Brazil, the art was prohibited due to its effective use in crime for newly freed slaves who were denied job and living prospects in favor of European immigrants, turning capoeiristas into outlaws. The development of the art during this era is a fever dream soup of countless branching styles and exaggerated, almost anime-esque acts of cunning and displays of skill, i.e., malandragem. It is common to hear of blades being used during this time, even within the instruments themselves.
It was not until Mestre Bimba forged the first school in capoeira and set strict standards for his Regional ("hey-jo-nal") style in the late 1930s that capoeira became to be seen not as a tool of black deviousness, but as a cultural art worth persevering and celebrating. Prohibition was lifted in 1940, and now the art is practiced worldwide, with some moves partially being incorporated into UFC.
I myself practice the contemporary style, which is a modern mix of Bimba's regional style and the competing Angola style, a slow-paced but deadly game that starts near the ground. We learn to play both low and high and are completely free to incorporate those famous acrobatics (floreios) into our game.
So that's capoeira in a nutshell. You're free to ask me specifically about moves, roda stories, training regimens and drills, the music, terms, and anything to do with the art. If you also practice capoeira or know of it, share your stories and knowledge too. General Brazilian input is also encouraged because my Portuguese is sorely lacking. Eu falo palavras pequenas. Memes and jokes are welcome. So let's have some fun in here!
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