123 School Work

Capoeira the art of dance

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  What is Capoeira?
  On one level this is an obvious question, with an obvious answer. On another level, the question becomes muddled and indistinct, as we try to trace it's lineage and meaning back through time, historical occurrences and across vast distances.
  The simple answer is this: Capoeira is a martial art, one of the few, if not the only one still in existence, native to the Americas, developed in Brazil by the descendants of African slaves brought there by the Portuguese during the era of the Atlantic Slave trade. While the art is indeed definitely the product of African sources, in method, meaning and philosophy, it is not a native African art, and was wholly developed in Brazil, much like Jazz and Blues music is native to North America, but with strong roots in African musical concepts. The surviving "version" of this art in the late 20th century is characterized by dynamic body play, kicking, sweeping, takedowns, aggressive feinting and headbutts. All movement is based on the "Ginga" (meaning "to swing" in Portuguese), a dance like movement of the body, side-to-side, back and forth and up and down. Capoeira is played within a circle of onlookers and fellow participants, called a "Roda" (pronounced "ho-da", rhymes with soda). The game is played when two contestants enter the circle and begin to ginga, launching various attacks, counters, and initiating defenses, to the accompanying rhythm of the "Berimbau", a simple and ancient musical bow; the "Atabaque", a floor drum; and the "Pandeiro", a tambourine, among other instruments.
  Different rhythms and speeds played by these instruments dictate to the players the type and tempo of the game to be played...