The Art of Capoeira

Capoeira is the Brazilian national martial art that combines elements of acrobatics, games, and accompanied by the national Brazilian music. As a martial art the stronger elements are the large numbers of acrobatic elements.

The history of Capoeira take us in Brazil, in the16th century where a slave from Angola used it as a way to practice a ancient form a African martial arts without his master know what is doing. This is the explanation way Capoeira seams like a dance or a game and not like a dangerous form of martial arts.

Music is a very important part to Capoeira and can’t be one whiteout the other. To master Capoeira you must be able to play several percussion instruments all of African origin. Here are some of the African instruments that make Capoeira an interesting way to express yourself thru martial arts.

The berimbau

The instrument elements are: a stick (pau), a single string of steel wire (arame) and a gourd (cabeca) attached to the stick. Another stick (varreta) is used to strike the wire and coin (dobrao) or stone (pedra) is held beneath the wire to alternate the note by holding it on like you doing on a guitar.

The Pandeiro

It’s just like a tambourine make from an animal skin.

The Agogo

It is formed of two iron bells soldered into one piece.

The reco-reco

It’s a bamboo scraper that can play a more complicated rhythm to contrast with the agogo.