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Styles of Capoeira
 There are two main
"styles" of
Capoeira, Capoeira
Angola, the more
traditional form, and Capoeira Regional, a style created in the 1930s.
Some people say there is a third style, Capoeira Contemporanea
(Contemporary Capoeira), a more modern form.
Capoeira
Angola
 Capoeira
Angola or
simply Angola, is named
that
because of a belief that the art originated from the nation of Angola
in Africa. It is the form which is closest to the roots of the
Capoeira. Full of ritual, Capoeira Angola is played close to the
ground, and usually with players very close to each other. Players
weave attacks and counter-attacks, lay traps, escape, and use trickery
in a constant dialogue of movement. It is a game of strategy that is
usually played slowly to a trancelike rhythm. In the game of Capoeira
Angola movements are free, expressive, theatrical, sometimes playful,
sometimes treacherous. Angoleiros (Angola players) use unusual methods
of attack and defence, equally at home standing, on the floor or upside
down.
Generally played to the berimbau tunes of Angola, São Bento Pequeno
and São Bento Grande.
For information on the different berimbau rhythms click here.
Capoeira
Regional
 Capoeira
Regional
was created by Mestre Bimba in the 1930s, combining elements of
traditional Capoeira and other martial arts. This included Batuque, another Brazilian dance
martial art in which Mestre Bimba's father was an expert. To my
knowledge Batuque exists today only in the rhythm of Batucada (Samba percussion). It's original
name was A Luta Regional Baiana
or The
Regional Fight of Bahia (region in northeastern Brazil). Players move
more mechanically, striving for perfect technique and strategy. The
game is generally faster than Angola, and with more standing and less
ground moves. In Regional it is more common to see throws, takedowns
and kicks carried to completion, with the kicks mostly aimed at head
height. Capoeira Regional in its original method is practised by very
few schools today. The Capoeira Regional seen in modern academies is
actually a development on the original style, pioneered by Grupo Senzala, one of the
biggest Capoeira groups in the world.
Played most commonly to the berimbau tunes of São Bento Grande, São
Bento
Grande de Regional. For information on the different berimbau
rhythms click here.
Capoeira
Contemporanea
 Capoeira Contemporanea means
"Contemporary Capoeira." It is a term used to differentiate the
Capoeira Regional created by Mestre Bimba from modern interpretations
of the style. Some differences between the two include the use of some
acrobatics and movements taken from other martial arts, especially
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and the mixing of Angola and Regional traditions (chamadas from Angola, comprando o jogo from Regional)
which have been added in Contemporanea. For most people however,
Contemporanea is not a style, and is just the modern development of
Regional.
At the Association of Schools of Capoeira, we follow both Regional and
Angola, matching the style of play to the sound of the berimbau.
Angola
for the mind, Regional for the body, Capoeira for the soul
Links:
www.joaogrande.org/capoeira_angola.htm:
The tradition of Capoeira Angola from the Capoeira Angola Center of
Mestre João Grande
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