People gather around in a circle while an African related rhythm starts to play. Two of the people go inside the circle and start the fight. The others clap and sing.
This ‘fight’ accompanied of music and clapping also brings smiles to all faces. It is the Brazilian originated martial art, capoeira. Debate goes around as to what it really is. It is an art of many forms that brings many elements together.
“It’s more than just a defense, it’s a dance, it’s a workout, and it’s not so strict like karate. It’s a freer martial art,” said Nei Silva, who practices capoeira for 7 years.
Capoeira originated more than 400 years ago. The slaves created capoeira to defend themselves against their European masters. Most of this martial art moves are done with the feet because Europeans used to fight with their hands. Therefore, the slaves always won.
Although capoeira is a Brazilian martial art, closely associated with Brazilian culture, many capoeira schools are established around the world, especially here in the U.S. And many of the students are not Brazilians.
The fight in capoeira is a sequence of body response between two people. Rarely these people touch each other’s body.
Joshua Rodhead, capoeira instructor, known as Mico owns a capoeira school of about 80 students, none of which are Brazilians.
Mico himself is not Brazilian. He started to practice capoeira 10 years ago in Gainsville after watching the movie “Only the Strong.”
“I tried karate and kickboxing but I didn’t like it. When I saw the movie, I feel in love with capoeira. It looked like so much fun because people were kicking and flipping and smiling the whole time,” said Mico.
The fun associated with this art is the music. It is the only martial art that music plays a fundamental part in the fight.
“The music provides the energy for the capoeiristas (people who practice capoeira), without it, it just wouldn’t be the same,” said Mic.
The lyrics of the music tell stories of the slaves who created this art. Some are about the hard times of being a slave, other are about their lifestyle, while others are about warnings of their masters. The beat is made with three instruments: the berimbau, the atabaque and the pandeiro.
The berimbau is the instrument that leads the fight and the other instruments. The faster the berimbau plays, the faster capoeiristas must respond to each other. Here is a sample of how the berimbau sounds:
The atabaque is a drum made with cow skin tied with metal wires and ropes. The sound is similar to a drum sound.
The pandeiro is similar to tambourines. It is well-known in samba. This is a sample of how the pandeiro sounds:
All music are sang in the original form, that is, in Portuguese. Non-portuguese speakers must learn the songs to participate.
These elements come together to form the famous roda, or circle. The roda is the ultimate expression of capoeira. It is in this circle that the capoeira happens, and where capoeiristas show what they can do. It is in the center of the roda that two capoeiristas must respond to each other’s moves to continue the fight. Once someone standing in the roda, responds to one inside, he or she moves in, one of the previous two leave and a new turn starts.
“The roda is the best part of the entire class. In the roda, we fight this very complex martial art, and we sing and dance at the same time,” said Nicolas Moreno, capoeirista for 4 years.
Moreno used to practice acrobatics, but he didn’t like it much. Once, he saw a capoeira event in the beach, he was amazed.
“The moment I saw it, I knew that was what I wanted to do,” said Moreno.
Moreno isn’t the only one who fell in love at first sight with capoeira.
“The first time I saw capoeira, I was still a child gowing up in Cuba, but my parents didn’t have enough money to afford it. I had always wanted it and now I’m on it for life,” said Leonardo Martinez, capoeirista for 5 years.
Martinez says capoeira is a “unique martial art.” Natasha Oriano, 7, says the same.
“I wanted to practice a sport and I thought this was a good one. It’s so different from all others,” said Oriano.
Capoeira, like other martial arts, works in a colored belt system according to the student’s level. The belt ceremony is called the batizado, or baptism, leading one to believe it is related to religion.
“It’s not a religion, but it is something that you’ll carry in your blood,” said Silva.
“I want to do capoeira forever,” said Oriano.
A sample of the roda when the berimbau is slow:
And now, the berimbau plays faster:
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