Uncapping Capoeira

Uncapping Capoeira

Finally, the Afro-Brazilian dance-martial art fusion has come to Cebu shores.

By: Jareliese Mauro

Mimicking a loop (roda), about 3 meters in diameter, a group of teenagers and yuppies gather around in Sacred Heart Center in D. Jakosalem St., every Tuesday and Thursday, 

singing and clapping to the tempo being played on the archaic bowed instrument, the 

berimbau. In a struggle of one-up-man-ship, two men in the middle spar and execute lithe, show-off, yet castrated moves, parallel to a make believe cockfight. Oh, wait a second. They’re not break dancing! And the movement is too fluid for an acrobatic routine. But WHAT is it?

You struggle as your tongue rolls out the word: kap-oh-wer-ah.

Considered illegal to play until the 1920s, this self-defense technique was developed by Africans who were enslaved in Brazil during the 16th Century and forbidden from practicing martial arts. In preparation to fight their subjugators, rudiments of masquerade were used by coalescing the practice with music and song. Established on traditional African cultural traditions, dances, and religions, these slaves carried out capoeira in the New World, applying the skills of expression, play and personal interaction for combat circumstances shrouded in the semblance of a seemingly irreproachable past time.

Asia Pacific Capoeira Champion and instructor, Jensen Go Chow, spent a year in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil learning the art through the youth exchange program during 1996. After having founded capoeira academies in Australia, Thailand, Indonesia, he is back home passing on his wisdom to 50 students.

“Loose and free yet never lacks in discipline or exertion,” Jensen affirms, the ever dynamic capoeira "fight" is a game of give and take in which participants are presumed to contain themselves from imposing serious damage upon one another. Seemingly choreographed, nonetheless, aesthetically unique, this theatrical showcase of strength and agility is typified by “Cartwheels (aú), handstands (bananeira), headspins (pião de cabeça), hand-spins (pião de mão), hand-springs (gato), sitting movements, turns, jumps, flips (mortal), and large dodges.” Illusory actions like kicks, body-throws, punches, sweeps, trip-em-ups, head butts, elbows and knees strikes are capoeirista’s way of situating a “trap” for his opponent into responding wrongly. Fakes, feints, and wide use of groundwork are vital in every spirited dialogue of the game. Achieving the ability of trickery (malandragem) by observing and anticipating the challenger’s moves might seem to be the most important objective to a non- practitioner but most often in the roda, the greatest adversary is oneself.

Music sets the form, pace and style of the play, from very slow (Angola), influencing a more dance-like contact among the players, to very fast (São Bento Regional), dictating players to fling rapid and vigorous blows. Either sung or narrated, the music and lyrics depict a wide variety of subjects, from a sorry tale of a lovelorn to a jocular story about life. Indeed, music is the invisible hand that guides the game.

An Accounting and Law degree holder, Jensen, a qualified Fitness Leader under the Fitness Institute of Australia, believes that capoeira is a “fun way to get fit, lose weight, gain muscle, rhythm, balance, faster reflexes, and self defense.” But beyond its physical level, capoeira transcends a mere workout. Truth-seeking and deep, this holistic art drives players to socially intermingle with others and humankind on a large scale of things, embracing the premier goals of the soul: “Respect (Respeito), Responsibility (Responsabilidade), Security (Segurança), Street-smarts (Malicia), and Liberty (Liberdade).”

It looks like Brazil hasn’t just rubbed its influence of loving Havaiianas thongs and mardi gras, but now, Cebunanos want a taste of this exotic echelon of fitness progressively spreading in the Queen city of the South. For free tasting (first day of classes only), call (0927) 858-9023 or (412) 4076, or visit capoeira.ph

Model: Jensen Chow Go
Photo source:
http://www.newsphotos.com.au/ImageDetail.asp?RefNum=94601550