It’s commonly acknowledged that if you share something in common with people from your travel destination, you’ll have no problem connecting with locals. Cricket in India, surfing in Australia, tango in Argentina; there will always be a lively conversation around the next corner if you’re an enthusiast or a practitioner.
One of the great Brazilian passions is Capoeira (cap-o-wear-a), a mixture of martial art and dance that was developed some time after the 16th century by African slaves in Brazil. Under the watchful eye of their captors, the slaves developed a way to practise their fighting techniques disguised as a traditional dance. Capoeira spread from Brazil rapidly in the 1970s, and is now practised all over the world in a wide variety of forms from its original state.
If you’d like to be able to break some common ground with Brazilians either over a conversation or by jogo (game or match), here are some suggestions to be well prepared.
Listen to Brazilian music and do some dancing
Brazil has a rich culture of music and dancing, so if you’ve got two left feet you should try and learn to loosen up a bit. Get together with a group of friends and check out a Brazilian music venue, or even put on some samba at home to dance to if you can’t bear the thought of showing your moves in public.
Build up strength in your body
Capoeira can be a very physical dance with constant, flowing movement and combatants often being on their hands as much as their feet, so try doing some regular excercises to build up some strength. Handstands, push-ups and cartwheels will be useful. If you do an existing martial art, try doing it to music to adjust to constant movement.
Learn about the music, instruments and etiquette of a Capoeira ‘game’
A match or ‘game’ isn’t just about the dancers; musical instruments and singing also play a large part in the experience as the match can change depending on the tempo of the music and all movements are synchronized with the band. With different songs for the different elements of the match, you’ll get much more out of the experience with a bit of research. You’ll also probably want to know why both combatants may begin walking in a circle (a Volta ao mundo), why they swing around in a trianglar step pattern (Ginga) or how one combatant signals to another for a ritual within the match (a Chamada). Check out Wikipedia for a more complete explanation of the terms, customs and elements of Capoeira.
Attend a class or watch some online tuition videos to get the basic moves
Once you’re a bit clearer about the intricacies of the dance, you can try mastering the basics. If you prefer to turn up to a class with a bit of experience under your belt, try searching the Internet for some instructional videos; plenty exist. If you would rather get to grips with Capoeira under the helpful eye of an instructor, search your local listings for a class and get signed up. As with any dance or martial art, it’s worth making a commitment of a few months and being disciplined by turning up to every class; results only come with time and frequent, dedicated practise.
If you’ve made it all the way to this point, you’ll have enough Capoeira knowledge under your belt to be able to strike up a conversation with anybody spinning around in the typical uniform of white trousers and t-shirt. From there, who knows where your Brazilian vacation could lead!
Author: Gary Sargent - Escaped to Peru / Escaped to Latin America
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