Where to Catch the Capoeira on a Brazil Vacation

Tips and ideas of where to enjoy the thrilling capoeira dance during a Brazil vacation, written by a Brazil travel expert at Brazil For Less

Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian art form that uses music and dance in the form of martial arts. It is an incredibly demanding dance requiring core strength and balance. Historically, this beautiful artform was invented by slaves in Brazil that were brought from Africa, particularly from Angola. Capoeira became a strong derivateive of the states of Bahia, Pernambuco and Rio de Janeiro.

Dancers gather in a circle, singing, and playing musical instruments while one or two people go to the center of the circle to spar or dance. The sweeps and kicks are performed in an acrobatic play so that really, very little contact is made. The fighting movements are improvised and so the partners must be reading eachother in order to react accordingly. If a mistake is made the fluidity of the dance can be lost.

Capoeira dancing is growing enormously on a worldwide scale. Mestre capoeiristas (masters in Capoeira), immigrated to foreign countries such as the United States and began teaching the dance abroad. Now, you can find Capoeira schools all over the planet. Attracting a broad spectrum of multicultural and multiracial students, the physical fitness of the sport is demanding and also unique and different.

The grace and fluidity with which experts dance Capoeira is really a spectacular site to see. The ability for them to walk on their hands, do cartwheels and flips as if they weigh nothing but a feather really comes across in this beautiful dance.

The music is composed of instruments and song and the tempo varies from very fast to slow. Often there is a call and response method to the singing. Among the three kinds of basic Capoeirea songs are ladainha (litany), chula, and corridos which are sung while the game is on in the center of the circle.

The bateria is the row of intstruments being played to accompany the singing and fighting. A stringed percussion instrument called the berimbaus is played; it kind of looks like a long skinny harp or bow. One or many pandieros (tambourines) are also played in the bateria as well as a reco-reco (rasp), and an agogo (double gong). You will sometimes see an atabaque which is like a conga drum.

The Roda is the name for the circle of people that make up the rink. The circular shape is symbolic of the players and musicians retaining the powerful energy needed to create the spirit of the fight.

A complete Brazil vacation package visiting the culturally rich and exciting sites of Rio de Janeiro, Salvador de Bahia and Manaus in the Amazon Jungle is available and a fantastic way to organize your South America vacation. In these parts of Brazil you will definitely need to take advantage of the history of Capoeira, either taking a class yourself or going to a Capoeira performance, or both. You won’t regret this amazing Brazil culture experience as a part of your South America vacation.

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