Capoeira

[skwiggy]

Has anyone ever heard of Capoeira? It's a Brazilian martial art that is sort of a cross between acrobatics and dancing. It's always done to music, and involves the interplay of two people basically sparring, but rarely if ever making physical contact. To me, it seems like a form of dancing. :)

I saw it once in a nightclub while I was visiting a friend in Amsterdam. I have to say, it was breathtaking. I fell in love with it immediately. Over a year later, I find myself preoccupied with thoughts about it. I have been doing a little research, and I might look into a beginner class. To be honest, I'm pretty intimidated by how difficult it looks.

Does anyone have any experience with it that they can share?

[diputs]

It is fairly popular here in NYC. A lot of health clubs offer classes in it.

I think it is fantastic. But you have to be ok with being upside down. If you do not like being on the ground, sliding around and upside down on your head, this probably is not something for you. I came from a gymnastics background, so I really enjoyed it.

What sort of info are you looking for?

[SDsalsaguy]

I don't have any first hand knowledge but, coincidentally, I just finished reading a great new ethnography about Capoeira by anthroipologist Greg Downey (Learning Capoeira: Lessons in Cunning from an Afro-Brazilian Art, Oxford University Press, 2005).

[Rosa]

Never done it, but they offer it at the studio where I go to do Salsa, and the classes are always very popular.

My local university has a student society that does it, too, and it's open to the general public as well.

Rosa :)

[Joe]

I thought Capoeira was supposed to be an imitation of monkeys or something.

I assume it's not the same thing as the "Brazilian Jutisu" on Emily's Reasons Why Not this week. ;)

[skwiggy]

It is fairly popular here in NYC. A lot of health clubs offer classes in it.

I think it is fantastic. But you have to be ok with being upside down. If you do not like being on the ground, sliding around and upside down on your head, this probably is not something for you. I came from a gymnastics background, so I really enjoyed it.

What sort of info are you looking for?

Just general impressions and anecdotes. Pretty much exactly the kind of info you gave me. Thanks. :)

[skwiggy]

I thought Capoeira was supposed to be an imitation of monkeys or something.

I assume it's not the same thing as the "Brazilian Jutisu" on Emily's Reasons Why Not this week. ;)

Supposedly an offshoot of something developed by African slaves in Brazil. I don't know who they were trying to imitate. :)

Don't know anything about "Brazilian Jutisu", nor Emily's Reasons Why Not??

[chandra]

I dont know any details about it, but Ive always been interested in learning.
Maybe I will when I move to some place larger than 10,000 pop. (no interesting clases ;) )

[Medira]

I loooooooved capoeira when I took it a couple of years back and, it's on my list of things to get back into as soon as I find the time. Definitely give it a shot though, as diputs said, you have to be comfortable with the potential for mild acrobatics.

[Rosa]

.... though, as diputs said, you have to be comfortable with the potential for mild acrobatics.

Right, that's it out for me! :shock:

Rosa :)

[alemana]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capoeira

[Twilight_Elena]

DF search! DF search! :bouncy: :bouncy:

Twilight Elena

[Shooshoo]

I find the music real cool :cool: .
I just know the Ginga which is easy. Would love to learn it, but now sure about doing the headstands :???: .

[dancersdreamland]

I learned about this style of dance when I was pulling together information for my website and just accidentally stumbled across it. Otherwise, I am not familiar with it.

For those interested, here's some additional information - http://www.dancersdreamland.com/styles/styles_capoeira.htm

[Keelzorz]

I worked at a summer camp that offered a crazy range of classes, including capoeria. It was very basic stuff (I didn't teach it) but it exposed the danceform to a lot of people that would never have seen it otherwise. There were some really interesting end-of-summer shows coming out of that class. (Too bad I only had girls in my ballroom class...at 14, they're a little hesistant to tango together out of the blue, so we never got to do a show)