School Students Learn the Art of Afro-Brazilian Martial Arts

These about Hazelwood West Middle School learn the art of Afro-Brazilian Martial Arts.

Hazelwood West Middle School seventh-grade students were in for an exotic and enriching historical treat Wednesday when the Cordão de Ouro Capoeira troupe came to perform as part of the school’s Black History Month celebrations.

Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian art form that combines music and dance with acrobatics and martial arts. Tebogo Schultz, director of the group, said he originally learned about capoeira a video game he played in the school. When he found out it was more than a game, said he decided to learn more. In 1998, Shultz went abroad to study in Brazil, where he learned from some of the Capoeira master.

“Every culture in the world has a martial art,” he said. “We tend to forget that Africa is a diverse place with a diverse culture, and that there are still martial arts there today.”

The performance started with the players introducing the students to their instruments, which included drums, tambourines and an African string instrument. Shultz gave students a history lesson about Capoeira. The group then played a bit of music and began to demonstrate some of the more intricate Capoeira moves, individually at first and then in pairs. Students were enthralled by the performances, clapping and cheering throughout.

After the initial demonstrations, the players invited several students to try Capoeira. Once the players had given them a quick tutorial, most of the volunteers were surprisingly adept Capoeiras and participated enthusiastically.

“This is my first time doing it,” said seventh-grade student Jacob Pickett, one of the student volunteers. “It was a lot of fun…it’s great.”

Another seventh-grade student who took a shot at Capoeira, Lee Russell, seemed to be a natural during his performance with one of the players.

“I think it’s easier to know how to do it if you’re already a dancer,” Lee said. “It was a lot of fun and I may try doing it again sometime.”

Stacey McMackin, HWMS’s library media specialist and the event’s organizer, said this is just one of the many ways the school has celebrated Black History Month.

“Today’s performance is a multicultural thing that I thought the students would enjoy as part of our month-long Black History celebration,” she said. “I thought the seventh graders might really be engaged in something having to do with martial arts, too.”

She said that since many students don’t get the chance to see live arts outside of the school, it’s especially important and a personal goal of hers, to bring these performances in.

The purpose of Black History Month is to celebrate the many accomplishments of black Americans throughout history. Throughout the years, this month of celebration has served to unify Americans through learning new history, and for Shultz, Capoeira “transcends sport” by not being about competition, but rather a unifying art form that brings people together.

“Capoeira is the art of making friends,” he said.

A World of Culture Expressed Through Capoeira

Above article about Capoeira. Try product from the bottom of this blog under sponsor links. ^_^

Cordão de Ouro Atlanta demonstrated the martial art of Capoeira during the Arts in the Heart festivities in downtown Augusta as a representative of Brazil.

Cordão de Ouro, which is Portuguese for "golden cord," is a global organization founded by Mestre (Portuguese for "master") Reinaldo Suassuna as a way to spread the art of Capoeira.

"Mestre Suassuna for me and for Brazilians is a big mestre in Brazil," said Muriel Ribeiro, a contra mestre in Capoeira and student of Suassuna. "You cannot find someone equal to Mestre Suassuna. He is very rich in culture and Capoeira."

Ribiero started his Capoeira training at the age of 18 in São Paulo, Brazil, but when Ribeiro decided to teach Capoeira himself, he thought that Brazil already knew about the art.

"I decided I wanted to go some place different and show my culture and show the dances, the music and the art," Ribiero said. "The University of California brought me here the first time for one month and I liked (it), so I thought I would try to stay here in the United States. I went to California, Florida, New York, but I love Atlanta. I came here five years ago, and one student saw me and he loved my performance. He said to "Come to Atlanta, I'm going to help you." This made a difference because I had some support for (Capoeira). When you don't have support it is hard when you go to another country and try to start your life."

Cordão de Ouro Atlanta was founded in 2006 by Ribeiro, who not only teaches students the martial art, but he also teaches students how to play the instruments that are involved in traditional Capoeira events.

"The main instrument for Capoeira is an instrument from Africa, called the berimbau," said Ramon Ramesha, a native of Brazil. "It is a bow, called the verga, a string and a gourd. With these three pieces, we put it together and we make different sounds which gives the rhythm for the games of Capoeira. The drums just give companionship to the berimbau. At the end of our performance we have a batucada, which is samba. It was also developed in Brazil, and it's just like a style of music in Brazil."

Ramesha has been involved with the culture of Capoeira, but had never studied it seriously. After Ramesha came to the United States from Brazil in 2004 and met Muriel, he started to take capoeira seriously. Cordão de Ouro helped him adjust to the culture shock.

"As a matter of fact when I came into the United States I didn't know how to speak English," Ramesha said. "I had to learn how to speak a brand new language so I would feel a little bit depressed because I couldn't talk and have a conversation with anyone. I wasn't doing Capoeira. I didn't have any Brazilian friends here, so it was different."

Cordão de Ouro also has members that are not native Brazilians. Ivan Brown, has been practicing the art for three years, saw a live demonstration of Capoeira in Hawaii, and was so impressed that he looked for schools when he moved to Atlanta. Capoeira has provided him with more experiences than he expected to get out of it.

"I came into Capoeira for training martial arts, but then it turned into learning Portuguese and singing songs, playing instruments, performing shows, breathing fire and all these other things that I had no idea about before. It's just a rich cultural experience."

Derrick Burns, a student of three years has discovered Capoeira and Cordão de Ouro in a slightly different fashion.

"It's funny, I first learned of Capoeira through a movie a long time ago when I was in middle school in my hometown of Beaufort, South Carolina," Burns said. "They had no Capoeira schools at all, so I had no opportunity to train until I got to college. I actually found [Cordão de Ouro] doing community service. I went over to them and I asked about the group and it's been on since then."

Burns has taken a deep interest in the Brazilian culture and the history ever since.

"A lot of people don't know the slave history down in Brazil," Burns said. "More Africans went to Brazil than to the Americas and the Caribbean combined. To this day, the second-highest African population is in Brazil. The Brazilian culture is all based off of Africa. One thing I love about Brazil is they pretty much 'give props' to the African culture. There are actually no 'black (people),' it's just one people in Brazil, so that's what makes it attractive to us. I urge everyone to do their research on Brazil. Brazil is the true melting pot."

Cordão de Ouro is always open for anyone interested in learning more about the art and culture of Brazil.

"Capoeira is for men, kids and women," Ramesha said. "Capoeira is for everybody; every shape, every size, every height. It doesn't matter how old you are, how heavy you are, how thin you are. It's not only a martial art: Capoeira is a philosophy of life. Capoeira is getting in touch with your own roots. It gives me peace of body and peace of mind. It's just like 'relax time' for me. "

Angola Liberation Movement

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Capoeira Dance Performance

Here about Capoeira.

Cory A. Booker today's market in an African rawa kapo keueseo Newark - City Hall, Brazil, circular dance performances, will host April 15 The 7:00 pm event will feature performances and other Samba announced maculele Africa - Brazil dance. The performance is free and open to the public. City Hall 920 Broad Street is located in keue Newark.
Capoeira Africa, more than 400 years in Brazil comes from plantations of sugar cane Brazilian martial art. It is an air combat skills, a combination of acrobatic moves, and music is characterized by rhythmic movements of dance. African slaves from Africa and then evolved in the battle to ban the practice began. Ra from the looks of a traditional dance as a kapo this battle has been used as a means of preservation. African customs are an important form of preservation of Aboriginal heritage.
"Portuguese and African regions have been a source of new and strong, we introduced the 400-year-old art form, presenting a range of opportunities, and its Newark keueseo to create a new generation of new residents. This performance, and Newark's own performing artists will see the excellence of his dedication and commitment, strong, proud, and a better Newark. rawa me kapo Africa - Brazilian dance performance and welcome all artists to urge residents to attend, "Mayor Booker made.
Performers, students and instructors from around the Newark Academy of Capoeira, as well as institutions of higher education around the world are included. Events this year, Newark keueseoyi 4:00 kapo rawa African representative - Brazil, watch dance performances will be held circular hole. Last year's event in the United States, Brazil, Capoeira professionals and students across the country, he said.
Events organized by the New Jersey / New Group Senzala York branch - one of the oldest and largest in the world of Capoeira is not a group. Group Annual Batizado (graduation) at the events held for students. New Jersey Cultural Arts Center 51 Bruen Street, Newark, located on the east side of the train hansi Group Senzala.
"We keuwa Newark an important part of Africa with the culture of Brazil is pleased to celebrate the day. City Hall Rotunda to show this art form is a fantastic place. We saw a lot of people come in, Capoeira, maculelê Samba learn about the different dances, "Group Senzala Wagner, director of" Zombie Master "said Dutra, please.

Capoeira all in one

Above about Capoeira.

Capoeira, pronounced “cap-o-era,” is a fitness art form from Brazil that is becoming increasingly popular in the United States and the rest of the world, especially Japan. Instructors, called mestre capoeiristas, began teaching in America in the 1970s. Groups can be spotted in parks or on beaches practicing the high kicks and dance-like movements of capoeira. Dustin Hoffman even did it in the movie Meet the Fockers, and Halle Berry practiced capoeira to prepare for her role in Catwoman.

“Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian cultural art,” said instructor Akinlana Lowman. “It is a martial art, it is also a dance and also a game. It’s a lot of things in one, and it’s very hard to kind of classify it as one thing.”

Lowman has been practicing capoeira since 1995 when his mother signed him up for a class. He is now an instructor at Prophecy School of the Arts.

Capoeira has an extensive and controversial history, dating back to when African slaves were first imported to Brazil in the 16th century. Africans, especially those from Angola, brought their traditional style of fighting with them to Brazil. There, with the influence of Brazilian folk dance, capoeira evolved. The name “capoeira” is derived from Portuguese terms referring to chicken fights.

“In the beginning of slavery, Africans were encouraged to keep practicing the forms of fighting they had in Africa for the purpose of keeping the rivalries between different tribes,” said Lowman. “They wanted to keep these rivalries so that people couldn’t band together against slavery.”

In 1888, capoeira was declared illegal and went underground. Capoeira gangs formed, particularly in Rio de Janeiro. Those caught practicing capoeira received harsh punishments.

“Sometimes if you were found practicing capoeira your feet and hands would be tied to the back of a horse and they would drag you to the jailhouse,” said Lowman.

Despite this, one capoeira master named Mestre Bimba created a new style called “Capoeira Regional” and was able to get it legalized in the 1930s. He is known as the “father of modern capoeira” and started a school to teach the art form in Brazil.

“That started the academy period where capoeira was supposed to be practiced inside,” said Lowman. “It was only supposed to be practiced inside places registered with the government.”

From that time on, instructors started to travel to Europe to teach capoeira. Its style evolved to seem more like a martial art in that cords are awarded to signify ranks. The ranks are student, graduated, formed, teacher and master. The game of capoeira begins with the “roda,” which is the circle of people in which it is played. Those sitting around the circle play instruments or clap and sing along with the music. The two players in the middle of the circle spar, using head butts, acrobatic kicks, feints and sweeps. Their movements are fluid and go along with the beat of the music.

“When you’re playing the game you’re trying to show the person where their openings are and kind of making each other more on guard,” said Lowman. “That kind of translates to life and living your life, being able to have your eyes open and be on guard.”

The object of the game is not to hurt the opponent, but to demonstrate skill. There is minimal bodily contact, and capoeira is more theatrical and meant to teach how to protect oneself and manipulate situations to one’s benefit. It’s all about learning and realizing that there is always something new to learn.

“Capoeira is a liberating art on different levels,” said Lowman. “It liberated people from slavery, but it’s also something that liberates your soul.”

Those who practice this fitness art form learn strength, flexibility and concentration. It is possible to practice the moves of capoeira alone, but it’s a more communal type of fitness.

Two players are needed for the game. Currently there are five to seven students that regularly attend Lowman’s class at Prophecy School of the Arts. People at any skill level are encouraged to come and can join at any point. The classes have no “beginning,” so even coming a month before the classes end is acceptable.

“It’s a way to stay fit and practice a martial art and at the same time be involved in something that is functional and cultural,” said Lowman.

In the class, students are taught about the history and philosophy of capoeira as well as the moves. Also, traditional instruments are provided for people to learn the music that goes along with capoeira. The songs are sung in Portuguese, so it’s an opportunity to learn a bit of a foreign language.

“(Capoeira) is a very physical art,” said Lowman. “It keeps you very physically fit, and you gain strength from it, but it’s also something you can use to learn about life. There’s a lot of life-learning and philosophy to capoeira.”

Capoeira is an art form

Here’s about Capoeira art form.

Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian art form that combines elements of martial arts, games, music, and dance. It was created in Brazil by slaves brought from Africa, especially from present day Angola some time after the 16th century. It was developed in the regions known as Bahia, Pernambuco and Rio de Janeiro. Participants form a roda, or circle, and take turns either playing musical instruments (such as the Berimbau), singing, or ritually sparring in pairs in the center of the circle. The sparring is marked by fluid acrobatic play, feints, and extensive use of sweeps, kicks, and headbutts. Less frequently used techniques include elbow strikes, slaps, punches, and body throws. Its origins and purpose are a matter of debate, with theories ranging from views of Capoeira as a uniquely Brazilian folk dance with improvised fighting movements to claims that it is a battle-ready fighting form directly descended from ancient African techniques.
Historians are divided between those who believe it is a direct descendant of African fighting styles and those who believe it is a uniquely Brazilian dance form distilled from various African and Brazilian influences. One popular explanation holds that it is an African fighting style that was developed in Brazil, as expressed by a proponent named Salvano, who said, "Capoeira cannot exist without black men but its birthplace is Brazil".
Even the etymology of the word capoeira is debated. The Portuguese word capão means "capon", or a castrated rooster, and could mean that the style appears similar to two roosters fighting. Kongo scholar K. Kia Bunseki Fu-Kiau also suggested capoeira could be derived from the Kikongo word kipura, which describes a rooster's movements in a fight.[citation needed]Afro-Brazilian scholar Carlos Eugenio has suggested that the sport took its name from a large round basket called a "capa" commonly worn on the head by urban slaves. Others claim the term derives from the Tupi-Guarani words kaá ("leaf", "plant") and puéra (past aspect marker), meaning "formerly a forest". Another claim is that given that capoeira in Portuguese literally means "chicken coop", it could simply be a derisive term used by slave owners to refer to the displays as chicken fights.