my community

At a meeting last week I presented the community that I will follow. The community is the capoira that is in the SWCU. Who participated in the community it is a friend of one of my boarders all join capoeira other than me. They always exercise each afternoon at 18.00-20.00 in the students center and track exercise capoeira in front of kodim every Thursday at 14.00-18.00 capoira is a dance which includes also do sports so each of my friends finished the exercise then they should drink milk to replace the energy lost when exercise capoeira.

Capoeira nowadays is not only a martial art or a small aspect of Brazilian society, but an active exporter of Brazilian culture all over the world. Since the 1970s masters of the art form began to emigrate and teach capoeira in other countries. Present in many countries in every continent, every year Capoeira attracts to Brazil thousands of foreign students and, often, foreign capoeiristas work hard to learn the official Brazilian language, Portuguese, in an effort to better understand and become part of the art. Renowned Capoeira Masters are often invited to teach abroad or even establish their own schools. Capoeira presentations, normally theatrical, acrobatic and with little martiality, are common sights in the whole world.

The martial art aspect is still present and, like old times, is still subtle and disguised, leading many non-practitioners to ignore its presence. Trickery is ever present and expert capoeiristas never take their sights off their opponents in a Capoeira game. An attack can be disguised even as a friendly gesture. Such trickery amongst a collection of others are all a form of malicia which is used by both Capoiera Regional and Angola.

Symbol of the Brazilian culture, symbol of the ethnic amalgam that characterizes Brazil, symbol of resistance to the oppression, Capoeira definitely changed its image and became a source of pride to Brazilian people. It is officially considered intangible cultural heritage of Brazil.

Martial Art

Capoeira is a fast and versatile martial art which is historically focused on fighting outnumbered or in technological disadvantage.

See also: List of capoeira techniques

Simple animation depicting part of the ginga

The ginga (literally: rocking back and forth; to swing) is the fundamental movement in capoeira, important both for attack and defense purposes. It has two main objectives. One is to keep the capoeirista in a state of constant motion, preventing her from being a still and easy target. The other, using also fakes and feints, is to mislead, fool, trick the opponent, leaving them open for an attack or a counter-attack.

The attacks in the Capoeira should be done when opportunity arises and must be decisive, like a direct kick in the face or a vital body part, or a strong takedown. Most Capoeira attacks are made with the legs, like direct or swirling kicks, rasteiras (leg sweeps), tesouras or knee strikes. The head strike is a very important counter-attack move. Elbow strikes, punches and other forms of takedowns complete the main list.

The defense is based on the principle of non-resistance, meaning avoid an attack using evasive moves instead of blocking it. Avoids are called esquivas, which depend on the direction of the attack and intention of the defender, and can be done standing or with a hand leaning on the floor. A block should only be made when the esquiva is not possible. This fighting strategy allows quick and unpredictable counter attacks, the ability to focus on more than one adversary and to face empty-handed an armed adversary.

A Capoeira movement (Aú Fechado) (click for animation).

A series of rolls and acrobatics (like the Cartwheels called aú) allows the capoeirista to quickly overcome a takedown or a loss of balance, and to position themselves around the aggressor in order to lay up for an attack. It is this combination of attacks and defense which gives Capoeira its perceived 'fluidity' and choreography-like style.

Capoeira game

Capoeiristas outside

Playing Capoeira is both a game and a method of practicing the application of Capoeira movements in dangerous situations. It can be played anywhere, but it's usually done in a roda. During the game most Capoeira moves are used, but capoeiristas usually avoid using punches or elbow strikes.

The game usually does not focus on knocking down or destroying the opponent, rather it emphasizes skill. Capoeiristas often prefer to rely on a takedown like a rasteira, then allowing the opponent to recover and get back into the game. It is also very common to slow down a kick inches before hitting the target, so a capoeirista can enforce superiority without the need of injuring the opponent. If an opponent clearly cannot dodge an attack, there is no reason to complete it. However, between two high-skilled capoeiristas, the game can get much more aggressive and dangerous, even though capoeiristas tend to avoid showing this kind of game in presentations or to the general public.

Roda

Capoeiristas in a roda (Porto Alegre, Brazil)

The Roda (pronounced HOH-dah) is a circle formed by capoeiristas and capoeira musical instruments, where every participant sings the typical songs and claps their hands following the music. Two capoeiristas enter the roda and play the game according to the style required by the musical instruments rhythm. The game finishes when one of the musicians holding a berimbau determine it, when one of the capoeiristas decide to leave or call the end of the game or when another capoeirista interrupts the game to start playing, either with one of the current players or with another capoeirista.

In a roda every cultural aspect of Capoeira is present, not only the martial side. Aerial acrobatics are common in a presentation roda, while not seen as often in a more serious one.

Batizado

The batizado (baptism) is a ceremonial roda where new students will get recognized as capoeiristas and earn their first graduation. Also more experienced students may go up in rank, depending on their skills and capoeira culture.

Students enter the roda against a high-ranked capoeirista (a teacher or master) and normally the game ends with the student being taken down. However, the more experienced capoeirista can judge the takedown unnecessary. Following this 'baptism' the new cord is given.

Apelido

Traditionally, the batizado is the moment when the new practitioner gets or formalizes his or her apelido (literally nickname). This tradition was created back when Capoeira practice was considered a crime. To avoid having problems with the law, capoeiristas would present themselves in the capoeira community only by their nicknames. So if a capoeirista was captured by the police, he would be unable to identify his fellow capoeiristas, even when tortured.

Apelidos can come from many different things. A physical characteristic (like being tall or big), a habit (like smiling or drinking too much), place of birth, a particular skill, an animal, trivial things, anything.

Nowadays, even though apelidos are not necessary anymore, the tradition is still very alive not only in Capoeira but in many aspects of Brazilian culture.

Chamada

Chamada means 'call' and can happen at any time during a roda where the rhythm angola is being played. It happens when one player, usually the more advanced one, calls his or her opponent to a dance-like ritual. The opponent then approaches the caller and meets him or her to walk side by side. After it both resume normal play.

While it may seem like a break time or a dance, the chamada is actually both a trap and a test, as the caller is just expecting to see if the opponent will let his guard down so she can perform a takedown or a strike. It is a critical situation, because both players are vulnerable due to the close proximity and potential for a surprise attack. It's also a tool for experienced practitioners and masters of the art to test a student's awareness and demonstrate when the student left herself open to attack.

The use of the chamada can result in a highly developed sense of awareness and helps practitioners learn the subtleties of anticipating another person's hidden intentions. The chamada can be very simple, consisting solely of the basic elements, or the ritual can be quite elaborate including a competitive dialogue of trickery, or even theatric embellishments.

Volta ao mundo

Volta ao mundo means around the world.

The volta ao mundo takes place after an exchange of movements has reached a conclusion, or after there has been a disruption in the harmony of the game. In either of these situations, one player will begin walking around the perimeter of the circle counter-clockwise, and the other player will join the volta ao mundo before returning to the normal game.

Malandragem

Malandragem is a word that comes from malandro, which means a person who possesses cunning as well as malicia, which translates to "malice". This, however, is misleading as the meaning of malicia in Capoeira is the capacity to understand someone's intentions. In Brazil men who were marginalized from main stream society and possessed street smarts were called malandros.

In the Capoeira, malandragem is the ability to quickly understand an opponent's aggressive intentions, and during a fight or a game, fool, trick and deceive him.

Music

Main article: Capoeira music

Music is integral to Capoeira. It sets the tempo and style of game that is to be played within the roda. The music is composed of instruments and song. Rhythm, controlled by a berimbau, differ from very slow to very fast, depending on the style of the roda.

Instruments

A capoeira bateria showing three berimbaus and a pandeiro.

Capoeira instruments are disposed in a row called bateria. It is traditionally formed by three berimbaus, two pandeiros, one atabaque, one agogô and one ganzá, but this format may vary depending on the Capoeira group's traditions or the roda style.

The berimbau is the leading instrument, determining the tempo and style of the music and game played. Two low pitch berimbaus (called berra-boi and médio) form the base and a high pitch berimbau (called viola) makes variations and improvisations. The other instruments may only follow the berimbaus or may be free to vary and improvise a little, depending upon the Capoeira group's musical style.

Capoeiristas change their playing style significantly, following the toque of the berimbau, which sets the game's speed, style and aggressiveness. So it is truly the music that drives a Capoeira game.

Songs

Many of the songs are sung in a call and response format while others are in the form of a narrative. Capoeiristas sing about a wide variety of subjects. Some songs are about history or stories of famous capoeiristas. Other songs attempt to inspire players to play better. Some songs are about what is going on within the roda. Sometimes the songs are about life or love lost. Others have lighthearted and playful lyrics.

There are four basic kinds of songs in capoeira, the Ladaínha, Chula, Corrido and Quadra. The Ladaínha is a narrative solo sung only at the beginning of a roda, often by a mestre (master) or most respected capoeirista present. The solo is followed by a louvação, a call and response pattern that usually thanks God and one's mestre, among other things. Each call is usually repeated word-for-word by the responders. The Chula is a song where the singer part is much bigger than the chorus response, usually eight singer verses for one chorus response, but the proportion may vary. The Corrido is a song where the singer part and the chorus response are equal, normally two verses by two responses. Finally, the Quadra is a song where the same verse is repeated four times, either three singer verses followed by one chorus response, or one verse and one response.

Capoeira songs can talk about virtually anything, being it about a historical fact, a famous capoeirista, trivial life facts, hidden messages for players, anything. Improvisation is very important also, while singing a song the main singer can change the music's lyrics, telling something that's happening in or outside the Roda.

Rhythms or "Toques"

There are different rhythms or toques that are played by the berimbau inside the roda that will determine the mood and the game to be played. All of the different rhythms have a history behind them. Some were invented so the slaves could communicate with each other within the roda without having to say a word (ex. Cavalaria), while others were created to expand Capoeira (ex. Regional de Bimba). Below is a description of five different rhythms of Capoeira:

Angola: It is the true origin of Capoeira. It is traditionally the first rhythm to be played in a roda. Its rhythm requires Capoeiristas to have a game that is slower and closer to the ground. Capoeiristas usually play with their hands on the ground for most of the game, displaying strength and equilibrium.

SãoBento Grande: This rhythm is played in almost every roda. It calls for a lot of energy, acrobatic movements, take downs and leg sweeps.

Iúna: This rhythm is not played often in rodas. It is usually played in batizados for Mestres and students with higher belts to display all of their abilities. These abilities might include jumps, flips, hand stands, floreios, etc. Mestre Bimba is believed to have invented this rhythm and created a sequence of movements called “cintura-desprezada” or “balões cinturados” to go along with it.

Cavalaria: In Capoeira this rhythm carries the most anxiety and stress. It is the highest level of alert system in a roda. When Capoeira was still prohibited, this rhythm was played to alert the slaves that the police was coming. The rhythm imitates the sound of galloping horses. Today it can be played to warn players of the dangers, violence and disagreements inside a roda.

Idalina: A relaxed, dominant rhythm played with razors and knifes. Mestre Bimba also invented this rhythm. Not played in rodas very often.

Other known rhythms are: São Bento Grande de Bimba, São Bento Pequeño, Samango, Santa Maria, Amazonas, Regional de Bimba, Samba de Roda, Banguela and Miudinho.

^{[13] [14]}

Styles of Capoeira

Determining styles in capoeira is a very tough task, since there was never a unity in the original capoeira, or a teaching method before the decade of 1920. However, a division between two styles and a sub-style is widely accepted.

Capoeira Angola

Main article: Capoeira Angola

Capoeira Angola refers to every capoeira that keeps the traditions held before the creation of the Regional style.

Existing in many parts of Brazil since colonial times, most notably in Rio de Janeiro, Salvador and Recife, it's impossible to tell where and when Capoeira Angola began taking its present form. The name "Angola" starts as early as the beginning of slavery in Brazil, when Africans, taken to Luanda to be shipped to Brazil, were called "black people from Angola" regardless of their nationality. In some places of Brazil people would call capoeira as playing Angola and, according to Mestre Noronha, the Centro de Capoeira Angola Conceição da Praia, created in Bahia, already used the name capoeira Angola illegally in the beginning of the 1920 decade.^[12]

The name Angola was finally immortalized by Mestre Pastinha at February 23, 1941, when he opened the Centro Esportivo de capoeira Angola (CECA). Pastinha was known as a great defender of the traditional Capoeira, much respected by recognized Capoeira masters. Soon many other masters would adopt the name Angola.

Capoeira Angola is the closest style to the way slaves used to fight or play Capoeira. Characterizes by being strategic, with sneaking movements executed standing or near the floor depending on the situation to face, it values the traditions of malícia, malandragem and unpredictability of the original Capoeira.

Typical music instrument formation in a roda of Capoeira Angola is three berimbaus, two pandeiros, an atabaque, an agogô e a ganzuá, and a reco-reco.

Capoeira Angola developed alongside Regional, but with a traditionalist and contrary dogma. Its primary representative, Mestre Pastinha, “found in the old tradition (of capoeira) some concepts which he made fundamental.” Unlike Bimba, he was against using physical movements foreign to capoeira. The ludic aspects of the game rather than the martial are emphasised along with the use of traditional movements, songs, philosophy and conduct of the ritual of capoeira, all done with respect to the fundamental concepts emphasised by Mestre Pastinha.

Capoeira Regional

Capoeira Regional began to take form in the 1920 decade, when Mestre Bimba met his future student, José Cisnando Lima. Both believed that Capoeira was losing its martial side and concluded there was a need to restructure it. Bimba created his sequências de ensino (teaching combinations) and created the first Capoeira's teaching method. Advised by Cisnando, Bimba decided to call his style Luta Regional Baiana, as Capoeira was still illegal at that time.

The base of Capoeira Regional is the original Capoeira without many of the aspects that were useless in a real fight, with less subterfuge and more objectivity. Training was mainly focused on attack and counter-attack, giving high importance to precision and discipline. Bimba also added a few moves from other martial-arts, notably the batuque, old street fight practiced by his father. Use of jumps or aerial acrobacies was kept to a minimum, since one of its foundations was always keeping at least one hand or foot firmly attached to the ground. Mestre Bimba often said, "'The floor is a friend to the capoeirista'".

Capoeira Regional also introduced the first ranking method in Capoeira. Regional had three levels: calouro (freshman), formado (graduated) and formado especializado (specialist). Ranking was determined by a scarf tied on the capoeirista's waist.

The traditions of roda and Capoeira game were kept, being used to put into use what was learned during training. Musical instruments disposition, however, was changed, being made by a single berimbau and two pandeiros.

The Luta Regional Baiana soon became popular, finally changing Capoeira's bad image. Mestre Bimba made a lot of presentations of his new style, but the most well known was the one made at 1953 to Brazilian president Getúlio Vargas, where the president would say: "Capoeira is the only truly national sport."

Capoeira Contemporânea

Contemporânea is a term for groups that train multiple styles of capoeira simultaneously. Very often students of Capoeira Contemporânea train elements of Regional and Angola as well as newer movements that would not fall under either of those styles. This sub-style is seen by some as the natural evolution of Capoeira, by others as adulteration or even misinterpretation of Capoeira.

Nowadays the label Contemporânea applies to any Capoeira group who don't follow Regional or Angola styles, even the ones who mix Capoeira with other martial-arts.

Ranks

Because of its origin, Capoeira never had unity or a general agreement. Ranking or graduating system follows the same path, as there never existed a ranking system accepted by most of the masters. That means graduation style varies depending of the group's traditions.

The most common modern system uses colored cordas (cord or rope) tied around the waist (also called cordéis or cordões). Some masters use different systems, or even no system at all.^{[citation needed]}

There are many entities (leagues, federations and association) which have tried to unify the cord system. The most usual^{[citation needed]} is the system of the Confederação Brasileira de Capoeira (Brazilian Capoeira Confederation), which adopts strings using the colors of the Brazilian flag.^{[citation needed]}

Even though it's widely used, with many small variations, many big and influential groups still use different systems. Even the Confederação Brasileira de Capoeira is not widely accepted as the Capoeira's representative.^{[citation needed]}

Related activities

Even though those activities are strongly associated to the Capoeira, they have different meanings and origins.

Samba de roda

Main article: Samba

Performed by many capoeira groups, samba de roda is a traditional Afro-Brazilian dance & musical form that has been associated with capoeira for many years. The orchestra is composed by pandeiro (tambourine), atabaque (drum), berimbau-viola (berimbau with the smallest cabaça and the highest pitch), chocalho (rattle – a percussion instrument), accompanied by singing and clapping. Samba de roda is considered one of the primitive forms of modern Samba.

Maculelê

Main article: Maculelê (dance)

Originally the Maculelê was an indigenous armed fighting style, using two sticks or a machete. Nowadays it's a folkloric dance practiced with heavy afro-Brazilian percussion. Maculelê is a different type of game played in Capoeira that represents the celebration of the end of the sugar cane harvest. Capoeiristas used sugar cane sticks to play with an opponent by hitting them in rhythm with the music being played. Machete's are also used in a Maculelê game, since they were used to cut the sugar canes during the harvest.

Puxada de rede

Main article: Puxada de rede

Puxada de Rede is a Brazilian folkloric theatrical play, seen in many capoeira performances. It is based on a traditional Brazilian legend involving the loss of a fisherman in a sea-faring accident

Capoeira in fighting games

• Christie Monteiro and Eddy Gordo, two playable characters from the Tekken series, fight in the Capoeira style.
• Elena, a playable character from the Street Fighter series, fights in the Capoeira style.
• Richard Meyer and Bob Wilson from the Fatal Fury series fight in the Capoeira style, Richard Meyer was the first fighting game character to use Capoeira.^{[citation needed]}
• Trident from Eternal Champions Sega game was touted as a master of Capoeira, which is a bit of an anacronism as he was an Atlantian during the Roman Empire.