A fantastic documentary about the origins and development of capoeira.
As we were discussing in class when practicing the Bimba sequences, the development of capoeira has been inexorably linked with the socioeconomic situation in Brazil, and it still is today. The practice of capoeira was once a criminal offence carrying jail sentence, and it was amidst this prohibition that Mestre Bimba developed what is known as capoeira regional, revolutionising the art form. The following article gives a clear account of how and why capoeira was criminalised and what capoeira was before and after criminalisation. It's an interesting and detailed read. This compilation of capoeira songs is great. It was intended as a tool for students, and the author permits its sharing. There is a large amount of traditional and commonly sang songs here. Every time you hear a new song, see if you can find the lyrics here. This is one of the best introductory books about capoeira out there. If you are new to this art form and want to find out about its history and development, it's intricacies and idiosyncrasies, this is a great start.
Mestre Nestor Capoeira is not only a world famous Master, he is also an academic, a thinker and philosopher. His research and analysis of capoeira has unravelled many mysteries and answered many questions. Hopefully you will find some answers in this book, as well as new questions for further reading. |
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February 2016
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