Afro-Brazilian martial art, capoeira, is gaining fans across the country

As the clock strikes seven one Tuesday evening, Shiva walks towards a corner of the studio at the Pacific Sports Complex in New Delhi. He wields a berimbao, a one-stringed percussion instrument, to signal the beginning of class and putting an end to the chatter of his students. A young man positions himself behind the atabaque, or drum, while others grab the pandeiro (tambourine), agogo (bell) and reco-reco (ribbed bamboo scraper). Suddenly, they are transformed into a band of musicians. Each student in the class of seven sings in Portuguese, reading lyrics off a whiteboard, swaying their bodies to the rhythm and beats of live music. They sing three songs and remind me of a well-organised choir that knows how to have fun while making music. At that moment, it’s impossible to believe that most of these students have no formal training in music.

This is capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian martial art that combines elements of dance, acrobatics, attack and defence with music. It is a unique form, the only such martial art in the world. 

The story of capoeira begins with the Atlantic slave trade, when millions of Africans were transported to the Americas between the 16th and 19th centuries. Tribes from West and Central Africa intermingled in Brazil’s senzalas (slave quarters) and quilombos (settlements of fugitive slaves). Community living in hard, unjust times resulted in a melting pot of Afro-Brazilian culture, and birthed the martial art form. Capoeira grew to become an intense expression, an art of liberation, rebellion and warfare, leading to punitive action and its eventual prohibition in the 1890s. By the 1940s, though, capoeira was legalised. Its present-day version liberates children and adults alike, making them more aware of their bodies, movements and senses.

Students sing in Portuguese, reading lyrics off a board, swaying their bodies to the beats of music

Capoeira came to India in 2005, when Professor Reza “Baba” Massah started a centre for capoeira in Mumbai. Since then, capoeira has found takers of all ages in Delhi, Jaipur and Gurgaon. The popularity of this martial art has soared in the last few years because of its focus on de-stressing and adopting a healthy lifestyle. Votaries believe that it improves strength, agility and flexibility apart from being a good form of cardio to increase general fitness. That’s the physical effect. It also offers a chance to encounter a different culture, with the necessity of singing and creating music while learning a new language. Shiva’s class in Delhi offers capoeira classes thrice a week for Rs3,500 monthly.

After their music session, the group breaks up to embrace their inner “animal”. Shiva taps the tambourine and the students get down on all fours to do the “lion” walk. Each step follows the beat of the music, stretching every muscle in the body. From the “lion”, the students switch to the “donkey”, kicking their legs in the air while attempting to land on their feet. Each “animal walk” exercises the core and limbs, in sync with the beats of their capoeirista or practitioner of capoeira.

Shiva’s students are in their 20s and 30s — singing, swaying, kicking and cartwheeling men and women. “I am more fit at 33 than I was at 23,” says Neha Kohli aka “Beleza”, her capoeira name. Shiva coined this name for her when he felt she was ready for capoeira — mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. “Capoeira is a lifestyle. It’s everything you do, from driving to talking and walking. It’s a different world in itself,” he says. For Beleza, every class is unique as she says that capoeira heightens her senses while building physical and mental endurance “with a smile” on her face. A yellow belt, the third of the 12 attainable levels, adorns her capoeira uniform as she pairs up with another student to practise different positions, attacks and forms of defence.

The pairs begin practising capoeira techniques that make use of both upper and lower body strength. While the lower body is used to kick, sweep and take down opponents, the upper body is used to distract and maintain mobility. The players adopt positions and postures unpredictably to gain an advantage while working together as a team to maintain the flow of their movements in tune with the music. The ginga, or swinging back and forth movement, characteristic of capoeira, is performed repeatedly for both attack and defence. As the players perform these techniques, Shiva reminds me this is the only martial art which awards points for “escape”, where the capoeirista makes a move that allows her to tactfully maneouvre the “attack” without disrupting its rhythm. 

The atmosphere in the room changes as the tension and friendship is localised in pairs. Both players first greet each other with a fist-bump of sorts. Each such session ends with the fist-bump, too, indicating that capoeira is always practised in a spirit of cordiality. Shiva likes to focus on the “non-attacking” element of capoeira in his classes. While students practise all sorts of kicks, leg sweeps and knee strikes, called rasteira and tesouras, they are not actually used to hit the opponent. This is also where the acrobatic elements of this art, such as cartwheels (aú) are honed, which add to its choreographed theatricality.
 

A variety of techniques later, I can see students panting and perspiring. But they’re not done yet. It’s time for roda, a game where they form a circle and perform within it, singing and playing instruments throughout. The game begins when two students play the game to the beat. The game ends when one of the players leaves or when someone interrupts to begin playing with one of the players. Shiva doesn’t let the rhythm of the roda break. Students volunteer to step in and challenge one of the opponents while the opponent takes her seat, maintaining the circle. Sounds like “oh” and “aah” begin emerging from the circle to appreciate the spontaneity of attack or defence displayed. Shiva tells me they’re going to listen to reggae music today as there aren’t enough students present.
 

The roda continues for about an hour, after which the students stretch and cool down. The class moves to meditative mode as they stretch their limbs in silence. Flushed cheeks and sweat beads are features displayed on every face, but the aura surrounding them trumps physical and mental exhaustion. They look happy and relaxed.
 

Anant Raina, 36 — “Barba” in capoeira class — says, “Capoeira engages us with movements that we have lost, liberating our bodies.” The statement rings true to me: capoeira seems to defy categorisation. My experience of the class included live music, choreography, acrobatics, self-defence, sportsmanship, emotionality, all in an hour and a half. Capoeira is now being taught to kids in school as well. The British School in New Delhi, for instance, has introduced it as part of their curriculum. It is also being taught in about 10 schools across Mumbai.
 

Owing to capoeira’s history of slavery and prohibition, this form of martial art was disguised as a dance form for many years before it was legalised. While some capoeiristas like to emphasise the martial art element, others like to focus on dance and acrobatics. The importance of music and singing further complicates its categorisation as a martial art, form of dance or even a sport. On top of this, one gets to learn Portuguese while doing capoeira. The beauty of this art lies in its adaptability and diversity. Ultimately, capoeira is what you make of it.