East Side Still Alive presents Free Youth Capoeira Angola Program

Capoeira Angola is a multiform phenomenon. It draws elements from dance, fight, ritual, and musical performance. It is a person's way of defense, and it is also a form of entertainment.

This is shown by some of the words used in referring to it, such as "brincadeira", "vadiação", meaning merriment, entertainment; and by the fact that it was frequently played when individuals were resting from their work, particularly sailors and laborers on the docks.

An ancient martial art of African origin, it is one of the many cultural weapons used to break the chains of enslavement in Brazil. Played close to the ground, Capoeira Angola combines fluid, dance-like movements with kicks, head butts, tripping sweeps and the appearance of playfulness or vulnerability.

Music is played on traditional instruments to accompany the players, to teach the rhythmic heart of the art, and also to mask its power. In the eyes of the enslavers it appeared to be a joking and playful acrobatic dance, but eventually its power was realized and Capoeira was outlawed.

Death was the penalty paid by those caught playing Capoeira during the slavery era. For almost 400 years Capoeira Angola was taught and practiced in secret, and only in the 1930's did this African martial art become legal to teach and practice.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Capoeira
• Angola
• East
• Austin
• Texas
• Tx
• Cedar
• Ave
• African
• Martial
• Arts
• Slavery
• Freedom
• Brazil
• Music
• Rhythm
• Orun
• Cultural
• Center
• of
• the
• Chronicle
• 2010

[mmunera]

Beautiful Work! very inspiring !