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As you squat holding hands with your opponent, sweating, hearing the sounds of the instruments and singing, you have to chuckle. How could you not? You’re in the middle of playing Capoeira, the Brazilian martial art, that’s practiced in suburban gyms and private studios across the country. While Capoeira can most certainly be used as a method of self-defense, it is more of a game than a fight. That's why there’s the urge to just smile and enjoy yourself. Many of us around the globe have an idea of what Capoeira is but a lot of the basics still remain a mystery. So, let’s get to kicking.

What is Capoeira?
Capoeira is a few things: a martial art, a dance, a sport, an art, and a way of life. Depending on whom you ask you might hear any of the above responses. “[It] is an Afro-Brazilian martial art form. Capoeira requires a combination of dance, acrobatics and fighting skills. Those who play must go beyond physical strength to cultivate endurance, flexibility and intuition. The music capoeiristas (those who train Capoeira) play themselves provides the rhythm for games while players create a dialogue of movements,” states Prof. Boca Do Mundo.

The Basics
Two opponents square off during a roda (pronounced “ho-tha,” meaning “circle”), when someone (usually the teacher who’s leading the game) gives the permission to begin playing. The point of the game is to get your partner in a defenseless position where you can kick, blow, or strike. The whole time only your hands, head, and feet are allowed to touch the floor. Unlike other martial arts, there is hardly ever physical contact between players. “Generally there is no contact from strikes,” explains world renowned Angola Mestre (“Master”) João Grande. So what’s the point you ask? Grande explains, “The object of the game is for the capoeiristas to use finesse, guile, and technique to maneuver.”

The Roots
“Capoeira was born as an expression of resistance, as well as a method of spiritual and emotional empowerment,” says Prof. Lampreia, of the group Ginga Mundo. Legend has it that this unique martial art was created by enslaved Africans in Brazil to disguise a lethal form of fighting as dance. Capoeira was born as a form of silent defiance. “Through music and song, slaves were able to conceal the combative purpose of Capoeira, while simultaneously illustrating the strength and beauty of cultural sharing,” Lampreia says on his website. “True to its historical roots, Capoeira today is a means of empowerment for its practitioners and a forum for social and cultural exchange.”

The Sounds
The music is one of the main things that make Capoeira so unique. Playing this art without music is like jumping out of a plane without a parachute. You could but you really don’t want to. The heart of this sound is the berimbau (an instrument that looks like a bow and arrow) and everything else follows suit. If the berimbau leads with a slow rhythm, you play slowly and lower to the ground, if the rhythm is faster, expect to play a faster game and more on your feet.

Inside Stuff
Just like other martial arts, many Capoeira groups use a belt system (except they’re chords) to indicate how far along a capoeirista is in their training. As players progress they receive a new cord in a ceremony called a batizado (Portuguese for “baptism”). The first batizado symbolizes a rebirth and belonging into the group you’ve been training with. It is also where you receive a “Capoeira name.” This name is how you will be addressed and identified within the Capoeira world.

Nurture Your Inner Che Guevara
“Capoeira today represents the spirit of rebellion, of non-cooperation with oppression, of liberation.” That’s how J. Lowell Lewis explains the sport in his book Ring of Liberation. This rebellious undertone is just one aspect of what makes Capoeira unique. The continuous movement required to “play the game” is another. Players literally become a physical demonstration of “yin and yang.” When you go in, your adversary goes out, when a kick is thrown over your head you duck; these movements are in continuous relation to each other and a reaction to how each of you inhibit each other’s space. Sounds like militant movement with a Brazilian beat.