Capoeira (pronounced kaa-puh-weh-ruh) is an Afro-Brazilian martial art that incorporates elements of dance, music, acrobatics, and spirituality. It was originally disguised as a dance by enslaved Africans forcibly taken by Portuguese colonists to Brazil, who combined shared customs, dances, rituals, and fighting techniques to create capoeira. Enslaved Africans used capoeira to fight and resist capture as well as to express themselves and preserve their culture through music, dance, and storytelling.
As an art, capoeira trains and strengthens not just the body but the mind, connecting physical and mental well-being. When people play capoeira in the roda (circle, pronounced ho-da) it’s often called a game because they exchange kicks, acrobatics, and footwork to engage each other in a unique conversation. People standing or sitting in the roda clap their hands and sing capoeira songs led by the bateria (the ensemble of instruments). For many, the experience of playing capoeira and being in the roda is energizing, joyful, and spiritual.
Here are some resources to learn more about capoeira: