CAPOEIRA
カポエィラ
WHAT IS CAPOEIRA?
Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian cultural practice that originated in Brazil. Forming a circle, participants play music while two people enter the center and exchange movements that blend dance and combat.
It is an open and inclusive culture in which anyone can participate. Through daily practice and learning with masters and fellow students, its wisdom and spirit are passed down across generations.
Developed by Africans who were brought to Brazil as enslaved people between the 16th and 19th centuries, Capoeira is rooted in African traditions. It is widely believed that it took shape especially in the state of Bahia in northeastern Brazil, where it was cultivated and transmitted.
In the 19th century, it also developed uniquely in the urban areas of Rio de Janeiro. The styles practiced today were shaped through the historical development of cities such as Salvador, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo.
Although Capoeira was considered illegal in Brazil from 1890 to 1937, today the culture of the “roda” (circle) has been recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, affirming its global cultural value.
Inside the Roda (Circle)
Capoeira takes place within a circle (roda), where participants surround the space with traditional instruments and songs. In the center, two people face one another and engage in a dynamic exchange that blends dance, play, strategy, and elements of combat.
Although sometimes described as a “fight,” its essence is not confrontation, but dialogue. It is an open cultural practice that seeks to bring together people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds.
Capoeira as an Integrated Art Form
Capoeira is a comprehensive physical art that unites dance, combat, martial arts, music, and song. Practitioners move to fundamental rhythms and steps in harmony with the music, synchronizing their breath and timing with their partner.
It is both a dialogue with the other and a dialogue with oneself. Through bodily expression, participants experience freedom, and by learning its history, they connect with its spirit as a “culture of resistance.”
This learning deepens through continuous practice and shared experience within the guidance of masters and the group.
Diversity as Its Essence
The form of Capoeira varies greatly depending on the master, group, lineage, and style. This diversity itself embodies the richness and vitality of Afro-Brazilian culture.
TYPES OF CAPOEIRA
カポエィラのスタイル・流派
Today, Capoeira is generally classified into three main styles.
At the same time, even within the same style, teaching methods and expressions vary depending on the mestre (master) and the group, each carrying its own identity and character.
There are also groups that simply use the name “Capoeira” without adopting a specific stylistic label, as well as practices that cultivate an independent identity.
Capoeira Angola
Capoeira Angola is a traditional style that understands Capoeira as a culture of African origin, emphasizing ancestry and lineage. It values spirituality and oral tradition, placing strong importance on the transmission of music and ritual. A commitment to nonviolence is also one of its defining characteristics.
Movements are often low to the ground, slower and more deliberate, sometimes resembling indigenous or ancestral dances. In the roda, the musical ensemble typically includes three berimbaus, two pandeiros, agogô, reco-reco, and atabaque, creating an overall calm and grounded rhythm. Uniforms often feature yellow and black, or white, and there is generally no belt (cord) ranking system.
Although it declined temporarily in the 1930s due to the rise of Capoeira Regional, it was rearticulated in the 1940s. In the 1980s, a movement led by younger generations renewed interest in Angola, reaffirming and transmitting the teachings of elder mestres.
Rather than limiting Black history to the narrative of enslavement, Angola affirms Africanness itself. It is also known for its spiritual connections with Afro-Brazilian religions such as Candomblé.
Capoeira Regional
Capoeira Regional was systematized in the 1930s by Mestre Bimba. By reorganizing traditional Capoeira and strengthening its pedagogical and competitive elements, he helped elevate Capoeira’s social recognition at a time when it was still illegal.
Compared to Angola, movements are more linear, agile, and dynamic, with faster exchanges and an emphasis on practical and martial aspects. A structured teaching system and progressive curriculum were introduced, along with the adoption of a white uniform and a cord (belt) ranking system.
The musical ensemble is generally simpler, typically centered around one berimbau and a pandeiro. The emergence of Regional marked a major turning point, bringing Capoeira from the social margins into recognized public spaces.
Capoeira Contemporânea
Capoeira Contemporânea is a broad term referring to styles that have developed since the late 20th century, incorporating elements from both Angola and Regional. It is currently the most widely practiced form worldwide.
Movements are often dynamic and may include acrobatic elements, while still respecting music and tradition. Each group tends to have its own strong identity, reflected in its teaching philosophy, atmosphere of the roda, and musical structure.
Many Contemporânea groups adopt a cord ranking system and promote international teaching networks, events, and graduation systems, contributing to the global spread of Capoeira both within Brazil and abroad.
RODA DE CAPOEIRA
カポエィラのホーダ
Roda (the circle)
is a space where two people “play” and engage in a dialogue of movement inside a circle surrounded by music.
Within the roda, respect for one’s partner is essential. Together, the players explore what kind of “game” can emerge in that very moment. Each gives their best, and the encounter ends with a handshake — this is one of the reasons why people of all ages and genders can participate and enjoy it together.
In Capoeira, techniques are generally not meant to strike the opponent directly. On the contrary, the ability to control a movement and stop it without making contact is considered a highly advanced skill.
Because it contains a strong element of play, teasing through facial expression, strategic feints, and subtle gamesmanship are also part of its unique charm.
Traditionally, there is no formal match format in Capoeira, nor is there a clear declaration of winners or losers.
In 2014, the Roda de Capoeira was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and Capoeira gained recognition not only within Brazil but also worldwide for its cultural significance.
PAST AND PRESENT
カポエィラ・アンゴーラのホーダの昔と今
The Roda of Capoeira Angola
— Past and Present
In the past, the roda of Capoeira Angola took place mainly in streets, markets, backyards, and port areas — especially in cities such as Salvador. It was closely connected to Afro-Brazilian communities and often existed under conditions of marginalization and repression.
The roda was intimate and ritualistic. Music, oral tradition, and ancestry were central. Elder mestres transmitted knowledge through direct experience rather than formal instruction. The rhythm was generally slower and more grounded, emphasizing strategy, subtle dialogue, and malícia (cunning awareness). There were no uniforms or ranking systems; learning happened through presence, observation, and participation.
Today, the Angola roda continues to preserve its ritual structure and philosophical depth, but it also exists in academies, cultural centers, and international gatherings around the world. The musical formation with three berimbaus remains a defining feature, and the emphasis on respect, ancestry, and nonviolence continues to guide the practice.
At the same time, contemporary rodas may include organized events, international encounters, documentation, and academic research. Younger generations have played an important role in revitalizing and sustaining the tradition while remaining connected to the teachings of older mestres.
Thus, while the social context has changed, the essence of Angola — dialogue, ancestry, resistance, and community — remains alive.