Virtual combat called Capoeira

On the opening day of his French restaurant at a mall in Israel, Monitor Baba, aka Reza Massah, noticed for the very first time a dance studio resonating with drum beats. “When I entered the studio, I saw a big hall, people singing and clapping in a circle and two people playfully fighting inside it. The place had typical gym odour. That was my introduction to Capoeira,” says Baba.

Today, Cordao de Ouro is the only official Capoeira group in the country teaching this Afro-Brazilian martial art to people between the ages of 4 and 40. There are close to 3,500 Capoeira groups across the globe.

Though the origin of this martial art form remains debatable, it is believed to have started as a self-defense technique by African slaves. Music and dancing was a clever inclusion to disguise the combat moves.

In this dance form, participants form a ‘roda’ (circle) and take turns to sing Portuguese songs, play musical instruments and spar in the centre of the circle. So, while a pair tries moves like cartwheel, bridge, half-moon kicks, and squatting and rising on the floor, the other Capoeiristas energise them through music and singing.

“Capoeira is a martial art in motion. While you are playing in the ‘roda’, you are constantly moving. Your mind is occupied with thoughts like when to jump, when to duck, how to escape and when to make the next attack,” says Baba.

And these spontaneous decisions made in the roda, he says, come handy in meeting fast-paced city life. “We are living in the fast lane; snap decisions like agility in catching a bus or train, and many other practical needs are served by Capoeria. It’s a harmonious blend of physical and mental fitness,” Baba says.

What sets Capoeira apart from other martial arts is that it is based on camaraderie, not competition.  Capoeiristas do not hit each other; a fellow player is a partner and not an opponent. In that sense, it’s a mind game where one learns to escape sharp moves.

This virtual fighting in real space is what makes it confusing for the uninitiated. Like Shantanu Roy, 32, says, “We were performing at the Kala Ghoda Festival. The crowd was on its toes except for one gentleman who was heard saying to his friend ‘yaar, ye log itna try kar rahe hein lekin kisi ko lag hi nahi raha’ (They are trying to hit each other really hard, but with no success).”

Roy, a black belt in Judo, was introduced to Capoeira on a backpacking trip to America and Brazil. “I have been training with Baba for three years now. Apart from physical fitness, in Capoeira you are conversing with your partner through your body without making actual contact. It’s a mind connect,” says Roy.

Neesha Noronha, a Bandra resident and Capoeira enthusiast says, “It is high energy, fun and a great de-stresser too.” Noronha, who managed her first cartwheel while practicing Capoeira, is also fond of the Portuguese lyrics that accompany the play. “The lyrics are usually about some legend, Capoeira masters, God, parents, slavery and they are sometimes laden with hidden messages,” she says.

Aparna Roy, who has been practicing Capoeira for a while, says that since the movements are supposed to be rhythmic, the combat looks like dance. Baba, however, likens Capoeira to a chicken. “Just like a chicken feeds itself grain by grain, through Capoeira you feed your body, your mind and your emotions.”