CAPOEIRA

Capoeira Master Cicero Gabiel Pinto is 46 years old and teaches in Campinas in the state of Sao Paulo in Brazil. He has been practicing Capoeira for more 28 years and was declared Master in 1989.

"Capoeira is my hobby and my profession; I love to play Capoeira, teach and spread it. As most martial arts it has a philosophy and it gives man good ciso. Capoeira is more then a fight, it is music, history, dance, acrobatics and , why not, a self defense instrument.", he told me.

"I said fight, but in Capoeira we don't say we fight we say we play. Here you will be able to see some movies Carlos made from me and my pupils playing, you will see what I mean.", he added.

During the Capoeira play we form a live circle, all participants have already warm up when they join to the circle to play. While the circle claps hands to the beat of the drams and the berimbals, two by two the students play with each other. You will do well to observe that during the entire play they hardly ever touch each other.

According to him "The circle is the moment when we show how well prepared our skills are and what could be the strike we could infringe into each other, but the actual blow those not take place." (Check the video showing part of one class here at AC.)

Master Cicero has traveled many times outside Brazil to USA and once to Sweden, always to teach courses and to make presentations. Capoeira is a Brazilian fight born in the sensalas (The Senzala was a small hut placed outside the master's house, a shack in which the slaves would stay from after sunset to before sunrise, chained to the walls and behind locked doors.) blended with Indian fights and today is practiced by Brazilians of all ethnic origins.

"Some of my pupils are teaching in USA, Canada, and Europe. Capoeira is strong in Israel and in Greece. Pupils come from all this places to recycle and learn more with us here.", master Cicero said. (Check the interviews about it here at AC: Capoeira in USA;Capoeira in USA 2.)

Capoeira is a very complete sport, pupils take turns during the play: one time you are at the drams or the berimbal another time you are actually playing (fighting) or you are in the circle singing while other play. The way it is played it allows beginners to interact with any other player no matter what his rank is.

Master Cicero teaches Capoeira in two projects: one for elderly people and in another for disabled children. So, as you can see Capoeira is for everybody. "Capoeira is integrative, we end up forming a big world community. My ex-students always come here, many from other countries - it is a big family.", he told me.

Capoeira is not a violent form of martial art, that is true for sure, but when you see what practitioners can do in terms of strength and agility you will see it can be very effective for self defense sure. Still, they are more proud of its cultural richness and character strengthening aspects then any other thing.

"Try Capoeira, then let me know how you feel about it. If you ever come to Brazil go to see it, I assure you, it will be, if nothing, quite entertaining." , mater Cicero invites.