Frequently
Asked
Questions
Who
can play Capoeira?
People from 6 years to 99 years, all shapes, sizes and levels of
fitness, male and female enjoy the many different aspects of Capoeira. [Top]
Can
girls/women do Capoeira?
Of course. There are many female Capoeiristas, and most schools in
Australia have between one third and a half of all students being girls
or women. [Top]
Will
I get hurt?
Capoeira is played at whatever level you are capable of,
and you won't
be instructed to do something you cannot safely do. Your level of
fitness will determine what you can do, but along with your ability it
will improve with training. Capoeira is a play-fight so the purpose of
the game is not to hurt one another, but to force each other to “play”
out of harm’s way. [Top]
Do I
have to speak Portuguese?
The lyrics of the songs and the names for movements are
all in
Brazilian Portuguese, since Capoeira is Brazilian. While you don't
necessarily have to learn to speak fluent Portuguese straight away, it
will help your
appreciation and understanding of the art, as well as enabling you to
train anywhere you go. At higher levels, Capoeira players must speak
Portuguese. [Top]
Do I
have to sing?
Yes. Everyone sings. Although you may feel
self-conscious at first,
there is no expectation for you to sing like a popstar. While good
singing does sound beautiful, the energy you give by singing is more
important than singing in the right key. [Top]
But
I don't know
the words, do I still have to sing?
Of course. You will learn the words to songs in class,
but singing what
you think it sounds like works as well until you can learn the proper
words. [Top]
Is
that like Breakdancing?
People confuse the two forms a lot, because they have
adapted movements
from eachother. There are some similarities, but many more differences.
For example: Breakin' started in 1960s and 70s USA, Capoeira began over
450 years ago in Brazil. Breakin' is purely a dance, Capoeira is also a
martial art. A good breaker will not necessarily be good at Capoeira,
because all movements have to be coordinated with the other person,
with
an attack or throw always possible. [Top]
Can
you use that stuff in a fight?
Many Capoeira movements can be adapted for self-defence,
but more than
that, Capoeira
teaches how to be aware, move out of danger and if necessary, how to
fall safely. [Top]
I'm "x" belt in
Tae kwon do, so what
level will I start at in
Capoeira?
Capoeira is very different from other martial arts, and
although some
kicks or defences may seem similar, the technique is usually quite
different. Even if you are a grandmaster in another martial art, you
start like everyone else: at the beginning. [Top]
What's
the
difference between Capoeira
and the other Martial Arts?
What sets Capoeira apart from other martial arts is the
intention of
the game. When two people play with each other their aim is not to hurt
one another. There is no intentional aggressive contact. Each player
"shows" the other player's "gaps" by moving inside and pretending to
get the other. This is the "game" that is a series of tricks played on
one another to trap your opponent. The finesse of the game is the
ability to move out of the way with originality and dramatic effect and
defend with a counter attack all in one sequence of moves. [Top]
Last update 14/11/05
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