by Will Bolt
Daily Lobo
There is a lot more to Capoeira than flying through the air and walking on your hands.
The Brazilian dance-like martial arts form offers more to its practitioners than just another way to fight.
Eric Bierke, UNM senior and Capoeirista of seven years, said it's a lifestyle in a package.
Capoeiristas, people who practice Capoeira, gain access to not only the martial arts aspect of the sport but also the culture, history and religion. These things help the Capoeiristas not only in the ring, but also in their daily lives, Bierke said.
UNM sophomore Teresa Evans said Capoeira isn't just about beating your opponent, but rather it's about working together to learn about your opponent. It's about helping everyone improve.
"It just teaches you things about the people you play with, about yourself," Evans said. "It gives you a lot of confidence."
Evans said kicks become words when practicing Capoeira. On the outside it may look like a fight, but really it's a conversation. Evans said the exchange of kicks and maneuvering away from them is all communication between two Capoeiristas.
After everybody warms up at practice, the Capoeiristas form a roda (pronounced hoe-duh). A roda is a circle comprised of the musicians and all of the Capoeiristas. Inside the roda, two Capoeiristas square off and begin to fight - they call it playing.
In order to provide the rhythm the Capoeristas play at, music is performed.
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Singing accompanied by drums and a single-stringed instrument called a berimbau sets the pace of practice, and helps disguise the martial art as a simple dance.
Not all of Capoeira's aspects are visible, however. Much of the art lies beneath the surface, rooted deep in its history.
A martial arts form invented by African slaves brought to Brazil, Capoeiristas had to mimic dance in order to hide from their owners the fact that they were learning to fight, Bierke said.
"Capoeira was the martial art of revolting slaves, or potentially revolting slaves," Bierke said.
Bierke said people today still think Capoeira is a dance. He said when most people see Capoeira's rhythmic style and the acrobatics, it's easy to dismiss it as dancing.
"Whenever any of them say that, every Capoeirista who practices should be proud of what they're doing, because they've continued that deception of making them believe that Capoeira is not a fighting style," Bierke said.
Bierke said anyone interested in joining the Capoiera club should come to its informal meetings on Tuesdays and Thursday at 8 p.m. in Johnson Center during the fall semester.
