Capoeira was formed by African slaves that were forced into immigration by Portugal into South America between the 16th and 19th centuries. The most popular destination for these African captives was Brazil, and with them, the slaves brought their music, traditions and religions. The oppression caused by slavery was a huge mechanism for Capoeira, and the martial art was mainly developed as a way to escape and resist the domination that governed their everyday lives.

History of Capoeira: A Simple Introduction

Capoeira is an artform which can be described in many ways. It encompasses Afro-Brazilian culture, art, music, language, and movement into one cohesive whole. The result is at once beautiful yet dangerous, smooth yet powerful.

Capoeira is very hard on the body, especially the knees and joints. Beginners often find out that after a short time of practicing capoeira moves, their bodies become tense and sore. Therefore, it is very important to stretch thoroughly after warming up, and again after your capoeira workout. Make sure that you go all the way down the body from the neck to the ankles. Make sure to pay special attention to the waist, hips, hamstrings, quads, knees, ankles, and especially the lower back.

Ones experience when attending class for the first time can be intimidating and confusing. The main reason for this is due to the fact Capoeira uses moves that are unfamiliar to most people outside of Brazil. Even moves that may seem simple, like ginga and role, are difficult to master even after months of practicing. Though someone new is usually nurtured on their way to becoming a capoeirista, the first class my seem like being thrown into the deep end of a pool. This should not discourage the beginner for this feeling is felt by almost everyone at first.

Usually when one sees capoeira (regional) for the first time they notice fast kicks, the strange ground movements and the high flying acrobatics. Even though these flips look like showing off (many times they are), in capoeira, a flip can also be a dangerous weapon. A well-timed floreo (acrobatic move) is not only pretty, but it can also be used to cover distance, surprise your opponent, or can even be turned into a devastating attack.

The beginning stages of learning to play Capoeira are spent on basic fundamentals used to help the novice know how to move around safely. Being able to throw a properly executed kick and being able to escape in an appropriate manner in response to an opponent are very important elements. In an academic setting, repetition usually helps with perfecting ones form and skill level. But this is only a small part of learning Capoeira. The majority of learning for any capoeirista happens in the roda (pronounced hoda), where practiced moves, ideas, and reactions get applied.

One of the things most often heard after a capoeira performance is, “I could never do that, I’m way too old!”

Well, I was one of those people who fell in love with capoeira at a relatively late age, 28, and I am a strong supporter of capoeira for all ages. There are mestres (capoeira masters) in their mid 80s who still find time to play. Even though they may not be able to perform all of the acrobatics that the under 20 club do, these old mestres are still amazingly agile, and are able to control the roda at will.

Music is an essential element to the art of Capoeira. The rhythmic pulses that resound from the berimbau (Capoeira’s main instrument, bow like), the beating of the drums, and the overflowing sound of singing participants all add to the dynamic energy that is Capoeira. In fact it is almost impossible to play capoeira with out music. There would be no rhythm, and since the moves and kicks depend on rhythm and timing, there would be no capoeira. This is what separates this art form from other Martial Arts.

In Brazil, hundreds of years ago, African slaves fighting against oppression developed a new kind of martial art capoeira (sometimes misspelled capoeria). Today, capoeira's legacy can be found across the globe and in many nations. Capoeira’s oral history tells of the years of persecution and hard work that made the art what it is today. Anyone wishing to study capoeira needs to first learn about into its rich historical foundation.