Table Of ContentTHE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO MASTERING THE AR
Mestre Poncianinho
Nev Holland Publishers Lid
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Copyright © 2007 New Holland Publishers (UX) Lut
Copyright © 2007 i tex: Ponciano Almeida and Michelle Porter
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CONTENTS
1_Introduction 8
What is Capoeira? An explanation of the aims and benefits of the
‘sport, along with its history and eign,
2_Development 14
Intzoducing the two main styles of Capoeira — Capoeica
Jonal and Capocia Angola — contemporary Capoeira and
the techniques of some ofthe most famous mestres,
3._ Training 2
Warming up; basic moves; defence and escape moves; falling;
stretching; kicks; raining combinations; strengthening exercises;
‘ground movements; more advanced acrobatic movements
4 The Music 108
‘The importance of music In Capoeira, the signiticance of the
‘pateriaand the instruments that are used,
S_the Game
‘The roda and the jogo. Heirarchy within Capoeira, mestres and
the grading system,
Glossary
‘Making contact
Index
ERE
NTRODUCTION
the tender age of for, and 22 years ater am sl.
hooked. Taday Capooia i played all over the
‘old, and | often stop to rellect an what attrant
people to thc art. Sinco moving to London in 200, 1
Tua tau yates fall wats uf ite end
havo travllod thoughout Europe and tho USA to hare
‘uy wai yuu tai tha ee fll
understood tho appeal of Capers. Peopa atk me wy
Aiea eT Ua sn ats ll
‘them that Capoeira offers much more than simply
scoring points, Ihave seen Capoeira rarsforn peo
lives; it takes them on a journey of self development,
ving them an ouslet to express thelr indhvdualty
Snthin the tractional framework of 2 martial at.
In the following pages | wil uilne the extraordinary
history of Capocira, from its african roots to the
present day. | wll also outine Its development and
introduce you to its mort famous Mestes, Mestre
Bima and teste Pasrnha. music 1 vital within
Capoeira, but canuses many who are new tothe at,
‘01 have included a section an the music and culture of
‘Capoeira, a wel san lteoduetion tothe instruments
| play. Asa besinner the rles and etiquette of Capoeira
may seem alien, so have also included a section onthe
roda (the cicle within which Capoeira is played) and
the hierarchy within Capocira, also explain the nature
‘ofthe Jogo ("the game’); what it entails and how Is
played, withthe help of my students from the Cordio|
‘de Ouro school in London, | have broken down some of
the basic moves, from the fundamental ginga, ick,
‘round movements and sequences, to simple acrobat
es have ale included a bret insight nto some ofthe
more advanced moves to inspire your proses.
Te would be imposible for me to cover all the pos
ble moves within Capocia, as these often difer from
sup to group, Capoeira is always growing and devel
‘ping and due tothe spontaneous nature ofthe game,
I hagan stusyingapoera wath my rater art at
new maves are developed ll the time. ths ponk
simply gulge for thore withing to eapore the world of
Capoeira, and I pe thats wil ngpire you to tnd a
las in your are, Asan intrucor Ica teach students
the mavet, tho mucic and tho tradition, but i aly
by wlayng Ue game uf Carls at you sat uly
fovprece your individuality. Each Capooirsta wil find
ce urn wave ad hs isha hes ital ase
rt, Duo to tho oxprosiva nature of the art, no two
selols ave ena he sae ad ther ct samen
be aleagreements over the way thing are dene, | have
simply shared the knowledge, experience and tradition
"nave been lucky enough to accumulate within Cordio
de Ouro over the last 22 years. | have almed tobe rue
to the spirit of Capocia, and | hope that thc bea.
Inspres you, In the words of Mestre Bimba, one ofthe
founders of modern Capocirs, "Take what | teach yeu
and develo it into your avn reality
Mestre Puneiuninho (Ponciane Almeida)
What is Capoeira ?
So what 1s Capoeira? | am often asked to describe
Capoeira, to clarity the confusion between whether oF
roti isa dance or a martial at Isa martial art for
self-defence or a dance created for street perfor
mance? | will answer that iti neithes, but rather &
Unique art that can be seen asa dance that simulates
fight, o¢ a fight that simulates a dance. Capoira i
an expressive art and dificult to pigeonhole, as it
‘encompasses musi, fighting and lud movements akin
toa dance. A common misconception about Capoeira is
that iti @ non-contact sprt, and some argue that it
‘cannot therefore be a martial art. Contact does not
feature heavy in Capocra and this does indeed distin
fish it from other forms of martial arts
Each Capoersta develops his or her own style of
play, with many choosing to avoid contact altogether
| Caposirita can choose to make contac f there Isa
failure in their opponent’ defence, but as Capoeira
oes not place an emphasis on rules and pint scoring,
contact snot an obligatory part ofthe game. The way
the game is played in Capoeira — the interaction
between the Caposirstas~ is considered to be more
‘mmportant than the contact made. One dees not win a
same of Capoeira by making contact with the oppo
ent, and this what makes it unique. should nt be
forgotten, however, that Capoeira was developed 353
fighting art too, and can be used effectively asa form
(of self defence. Some of the kicks within Capoeira can
be lethal
Why Capoeira?
The benefits of Capoeira are endles. Not ony does it
Impcove your physical strength, flexibility and reflexes,
tals improves your musicality and encompasses rich
cultural and historical heritage, Many. students of
Capocira learn simple Portuguese, and others take the
opportunity to vist raz at part of thelr training
Capoeira is a martial art that embraces musi, aro:
atic, fighting, sport and pilosopty. It is steeped in
{radon and eval, and werks to develop the inv
talon both physical and menta eves.
In Capocira one doesnot tain alone, andthe sci
aspect of Capoeira is one of the most appealing
features of the art. Capocra transcends all social,
boundaries and in Brazil, for example, you wil find
Capoeira academies everyahere from exclusive gyms
to faveas (shanty towns) Capoeira isa democratic art,
and all Capoeiristas can play together within the roda
regardless of level or ability. The spin of Capoeira can
be extremely playful and does not rely on physical
strength. This enables men, women and children to
train and pay together regardless of ability. Capoeira
can accommodate both a fierce and awe-inspiring
"game" between two strong. adults, or a playful
exchange between father and sen, Capoeira has place
for everyone who's wing to learn
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The history of Capoeira
[Although Capocira ie» Broan mortal art dose not
originate from the Tupt people native 10 Braz. Dut
Instead has is root firmly In African culture. There i
rn qutinn «tothe african rte nt re at ur here
fa much debate asta whether ar not it wes imparted
Uunolecaie tn Kram oF develop atin the cenraae
{the slaves’ quarters) on Brazilian sal. The argument
{ends to Tav0ur the theory that Capaatra was dove.
coped by African slaves within Brazil, and not brovaht
uth tham a part of the eultural heritage ef thei
Iramelards. This (s supoored by the fast that the
history of Capoora can only bo tnkod to Bra despite
‘He widespread ue of Afi slaves worlddes The
history of Capooira, therfore, bogins wth th hetory
of african slavery in Broa
‘The colonization of Branl began In 1500 whan a
Portuguese fleet chanced upon her shotes The teader
The histery of Capoeira
(of the leet Pedro Alves Cabral. promprly decarea
Brasil to be the possesion ofthe king of Portugal and
for te next three centuries she remained unger
Portuguese conto, Broil wos colonized and exploited
{nr ecaanmic gain, ePeiting i a nped fr an exten
labour fore, Detwesn 1540 and 1800 Greil received in
excess of tun miion staves, pening tanour Yor the
saffee and sugar plantations. The frst few hundred
years oF savory within Krai are poorly documenta,
‘but what is certain i that they fed cruel and intl
‘erable treatment. What ie ineradine 6 that, in the
face of such adversity and oppression, the ican
{aver continue to maintain a rong level of cultura
ieoity, Eves ta hie tine sis ard deren
‘wore banned by tha lave oumar, they cl managed to
keep Ue wan wait alive. Cava thereore wan
bom under the shadow of oppression, and can be seen
tw represent the tiumpi of sit over adverse,
‘The origins of the word Capocira can aso lead to
rch debate, and severa theories exist to account for
how it got its name. Many believe that the word
Capoeira comes from the Tupi language and is derived
from the name given to an ara of jungle that hae been
cleared to make way for qulombos (an area of safety
and hiding for fugitive slaves). Te Tupi words “caa”
meaning ‘down’ and "litle’, and "punera’ meaning
‘gras’, ae combined to crete a word tat quit li
erally means “hiding In the grass". This explanation
ives credence to the underground and hidden practice
‘of Capoeira by the early Atrican slaves.
Another explanation forthe uie ofthe word Capoeira
Is that it closely related tothe ward ‘capa’. A capa
was a basket worn by Afian slaves to carry bids to
‘the market, A“capoeira’ literally refers tothe person
no wears the basket. twas atthe markt that games
of Capoeira were played, so this explanation also car
ries much weight. The third theory is that Capoeira
finds its oot inthe word "kipura’. Kura, meaning to
flutter, 1s often used to describe the movements 3
rooster makes when he fights
Its often said that Capocira was developed as a
form of self-defence against brutal slave masters. The
rusia elements are sid to have been added to fol
the masters into believing thatthe slaves were simply
dancing. Evidence suggests that this account isa myth
because even dancing was a forbidden practice. It can
‘also be argued that Capoeira was no match for the
us, hnivas and chains used by the ppressers, and
‘would not have been an effective form of self-defence.
Capoeira in effect was an expression of African culture
‘during a time when it faced the most oppression
Despite this suppression, Caposia continued to fou
Ish as an underground movement, inelving secret
meeting places and intlation ceremonies throughout
the colonial years.
The development
In 1888, the Golden Law was passed and slavery was
officialy abolished in Bran. In effect many slaves
were made homeless by this and, gaining no financial
assistance from the government, were forced to head
to the cities in search of work. Competing for work a
such a prejudiced society often proved dificult forthe
slaves and many tured to petty crime for survival.
was during this period that Capoeira gained its bad
reputation and became associated with the criminal
classes and anti-government movements. The name
Capoeira became synonymeus with the bandit, the
thief and the vagrant. Eventually it was banned, and 2
Capoetrita could face the harsh punishment of having
ther tendons cut if they were caught playing it, Just a5
"had survived slavery, Capoeira continued to thrive a5
an outlawed practice. Capocirstas assumed ‘apelids*
(sickrames) to avoid detection from the police. This
custom is stil used today where Caposiristas assume a
Capocira nickname a ther rt "batizado" (baptism, of|
trading ceremony). This is another example of Bow
the traditions of Capocira derive from its abiity to
resist oppresin.
‘2y the twentieth century Capoeira was widespread in
Bra, but stil mainained its reputation as the art of|
‘the mercenary and thet. Public opinion frowned upon
‘it and Capoeira was driven futher underground. The
suppression didnot abate until the 1930s, when Getto
Vargas came to power. Vargas was eager to support all.
forms of Brazitan cultural expression, including
Capoeira. The tide was finally turing in favour ofthe
at, It was during tis time that Meste Bimba (one of
the forefathers of modesn Capoeira) was invited by the
State Governor General to perform an exhibition of his
Caposira Regional for foreign alignitaries. Slowly
Capocira was beginning to mave away from its criminal
past and towards the respectability ofa martial art.
Ie was during the 19305 that the foundations were
laid for modern Capoeira. With the permision of
tuto Vargas, Mestre Biba opened his doors to the
fist Capoeira schoo n 1932, moving Capoeta onto 3
ew level of organization and respectability, Mestre
Bimba aimed to promote and teach Capoeira as a form
of self-defence and as a disciplined martial art. He
wanted to reclaim the art and fre it from ts criminal
past. Te style he developed is refered to as Capoeira
Regional an is til practised as part of contemporary
Capoeira A few years ater Mestre Pastnha opened an
academy teaching Capoeira Angola In an effort to
reserve what he saw as traditional aspects of the
game, and thus the two maln styles of Capoeira tai
‘ng were In place. Capeeta moved from being simply &
Spontaneous, expresive art to becoming a structured
and disciplined martial at. During the 1960s and 19705
‘became so structured that it was almost unrecogiz:
able. The traditional style of Capoeira Angola began to
decline, and Capoeira saw the emergence of compet:
tons with rules and bet systems inspired bythe Asian
martial ats
The development
The history of Capociea is stil evolving. Since the
19705, Capoera has spread throughout Brazil and to
the rest of the world, Mestres have travelled abroad
and academies have opened in Europe and the USA
Despite these developments, Capociritas still play
using the styler established by Mestre Bimba and
Mestre Pastnha during the 19305. The durabilty of
Capoeira, its adaptability and resience are Is Nstory
Capoeira. was born fom slavery and has survived
‘oppression and globalization, enabling it to become
‘one ofthe fastest owing martial ats in te wore
tt, Cpa cone toe pet
tomo Ceca, vino es fone An
fn eame Cpe nl plete
pct Gamsoel aos tore re ee
feral a pe eth or eceped
tr hese Se, ec eye oe ia
Ma come eter teers
Tenpeny Cpe, Kilt ave on
Mestre Bimba and
Capoeira Regional
In 189 Manoel Dos Reis Machado was born in Salvador,
Bahia. He is more conmenly known as Neste Bnba,
Bimba being @ nickname given to him by his mother
when he wasa cid, He began to tak informa lessons
In Capoeira atthe age of 12 under the instruction ofan
‘rican bythe name of Bentinho. He dedicated the rest
Of his tite to Capoeira, developing a syle he referred
to as "the Resona fight from Bahia’. The style and
tuaiton i now referred to as Capoeira Regional and
is practised wortdvie.
When Mestre Simba besan to practise Capocia it
stil ha the reputation of beng an at used by thieves
and vagrants. Pracized inthe street orn workplaces,
ithad no organized strecture and was not realy con
sidered tobe a serous marti art, During the 193s,
however, Mestre Bimba set out to change this, and in
1932 he opened the ist Capoeira academy. Mestre
Bimba aimed to discipline
insti ‘nto is
EVELOPMENT
students — vagrants were banned from attending
Classes and anyone arcving late to cass was fined
Mestre Simba famously diplayed the rues of bis
academy on a noticeboard
‘The nine commandments
of Mestre Bimba
Stop smoking. Smoking during training ts
forbidden.
Stop drinking. Drinking affects the muscles.
Do not use Capoeira to impress your frien.
‘Always remember that suprise is your best
friend in a fight
1 Do not talk during traning Use the ime you are
paying for to observe others
Always use the ging,
Practise the basic exercises dally
Don't be scared to get close to your opponent.
Yu wil lem mare from claer play.
At Eliminate unnecessary tension from your bod.
You're better off being beaten inthe roda than
in the streets
Mestre Bimba was quite an eccentric character, and the
fiat time a student attended his academy they would
be expected to undergo one of his infamous tests
Potential students were subjected toa test of physical
ability, which involved being held in a neck lock by
estre Bima without utering a word of complaint. On
‘the Second visit he would hold their hand and teach
‘them the glaga (see section five, pages 34-35). He
