New Capoeira Classes with Instuctora Edwina Lawford (Raposa), every Wednesday at West Herts College from 11th March, 7- 8pm! Capoeira is an Afro- Brazilian art form that combines elements of martial arts, music, and dance. It was created in Brazil by slaves brought from Africa, especially from present day Angola some time after the 16th century. It was developed in the region of Quilombo dos Palmares, located in the Brazilian state of Alagoas and has great influence on the Afro-Brazilian generations, with strong presence in the states of Bahia, Pernambuco and Rio de Janeiro.
The main theories behind Capoeira’s origins is that it is a fighting style designed by the slaves for rebellion, but disguised from the slave masters by a façade of dance.
For some time, Capoeira was criminalised and prohibited in Brazil with data from police records dating back to the 1800s. In spite of the ban Mestre Bimba, (Manuel dos Reis Machado) created a new style, the “Capoeira Regional”. Mestre Bimba was finally successful in convincing the authorities of the cultural value of capoeira, thus ending the official ban in the 1930s founding the first capoeira school in 1932, the Academia “Escola de Capoeira Regional” at the Engenho de Brotas in Salvador-Bahia. For this reason he is considered “The Father of Modern Capoeira”.
During the 1930’s the traditional Bahian capoeira became increasingly identified as “Capoeira de Angola”, in opposition to the “Capoeira Regional” developed by Bimba. There were several prominent Angola mestres at this time in Salvador and they held regular Rodas there.

There were twenty-two mestres in all including Mestre Amorzinho, who commanded the rodas and together they founded a centre for Capoeira Angola. When Amorzinho died in 1941-1942 Vicente Ferreira Pastinha, best known as “Mestre Pastinha”, took over the centre, called the Centro Esportivo de Capoeira Angola. Mestre Pastinha worked almost up to his death in 1981 to codify the more traditional Angola style of capoeira and he wrote endlessly on the sport. As Mestre Pastinha preserved much of the traditional style of capoeira, in his practice, teachings, and writings, he too is important to modern capoeira.
Capoeira is played in a Roda (pronounced “Hoh-Dah”), or circle, in a game that is marked by fluid martial arts attacks including kicks and sweeps as well as dance and acrobatic movements. When participants, known as Capoeiristas, aren’t playing in the Roda they take turns playing musical instruments (such as the Berimbau), singing and clapping in encouragement of the ones playing.
Capoeira is uniquely social when compared to other martial arts. Networking with other groups and students from other teachers is usually encouraged and can teach a capoeirista more about the art and improve their skills.