Book Description
Capoeira 100 is an illustrated guide to 100 essential techniques used in the art of capoeira. Each movement is accompanied by a series of color photographs that show how it is done, as well as helpful pointers and tips on how to apply the technique in the game of capoeira. The book is divided into sections for beginner, intermediate and advanced movements. Ground-work, kicks, escapes, "floreios," flying kicks, and acrobatic movements are all covered.

Capoeira 100 is unique among English-language capoeira books in that it is illustrated by full-color photographs, and it focuses 100% on technique. Sequences of movements, drills, games, and conditioning exercises give the reader a chance to practice capoeira workouts at least a hundred times without ever repeating the same routine twice.

These exercises can be done alone, and many can be done with a partner to create the real conditions of the game. Rather than being theoretical, all the information and instruction in this book are geared toward functional use, so that students can train at their optimal pace. Specificity of movements and exercises are structured to help readers achieve steady improvement of capoeira skills. Additionally, the author provides encouragement and no-nonsense advice, based on his 10+ years experience as a capoeira instructor and nearly 20 years as a player.

Readers not affiliated with a capoeira club will find information about the capoeira game, and advice on etiquette and strategies of play. The glossary of 100 terms helps new players understand Portuguese descriptions used in Brazil. A question-and-answer section at the end of the book addresses some of the most frequently asked enquiries about this fascinating sport.

This is an indispensable manual for those who have been searching for a concise "how-to" guide to capoeira techniques, and who are already connected with a capoeira group or teacher. It will be of interest as well to freestyle martial artists, dancers, actors, and others who increasingly look to capoeira for its inspiring and exciting techniques. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

99 and a half won't do.
This is a great beginners book for those who are just starting out in Capoeira. this progresses with you as you go from beginer to advanced. I reccomend going to an actual class to fully understand and execute these movements and techniques. Also pick up the Capoeira conditioning book. It will definteley help you with the intermmediate and advance sections of the book.

helpful
This book is very helpful and one of a kind. I gave it five stars but i guess there is room for improvement. I think the pictures could look prettier or have arrows but then again maybe there is a functional value to it.
I would tell anyone to buy it if they are a beginner. It demonstrates moves and transitional moves. And when i get confused I use it as a reference. It is also provides some philosophy behind capoeira. I use it a lot when i am playing at home. It even gives combinations to try after breaking moves down. It is very reader friendly. also has a sturdy binding so you can throw it around and it stays intact. Overall, I was pleased with the purchase.

Great asset for any level capoeirista
This book is great for helping the beginner to advanced capoeira student.There is great help for learning individual moves plus challenging training exercises for interactive learning and fitness conditioning.

perfect for beginners!
I discovered capoeira by accident 35 years ago while watching the film "Back Orpheus" on television. In one scene, the protagonist is attacked by the Devil, who entres the scene with a cartwheel and two front kicks. I was studying kung fu at the time, but this clearly was not Asian!The film was shot in Brazil in 1959 so I figured that Brazil figured into my search for what i later found out was an ancient Afro- Brazilian martial art. I am now 56 years old and a Capoeirista still. This is an excellent book for the beginner but even an old dog like me can use it. The photos and text are fantastic and explain everything quite well. I am losing weight, becoming more flexible and fast...even for my age! This book really is responsible for this. Attention all capoeirestas and wanna- be's: buy this book!

The Sweet Detective

Great Capoeira Reference Book
This book is a great point of reference for beginner capoeiristas.The photos are very well done.The descriptions are a little lacking, but the photos are fantastic. ... Read more

Book Description
The book starts off by giving an in-depth history of the Brazilian art of Capoeira. The last half of the book deals with the movements and techniques of Capoeira, including: offensive and defensive movements, basic kicks, takedowns, advanced kicks and movements, head butts, hand strikes, and knee and elbow strikes. Each of the techniques and maneuvers are vividly depicted by drawings that are very easy to understand and learn from. There is also an explanation of both Angolan and Regional versions of most of the techniques. This book gives a very good description of the history, game, and philosophy of Capoeira. The book contains diagrams showing various positions and movements and discusses attacking and defending strategies and the critical aspects of feinting. Over 100 photographs and illustrations are included. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (29)

Very nice book.
I'll be perfectly honest. With my short attention span I have at times, I havn't done much in the way of practicing through the use of this book. But what I have practiced using it, I was able to figure out easily thanks to the diagrams and explanations in it. This book was also able to make me hold the interest I first had in Capoeria before finding it with the additional sections that talk about the styles history and the philosiphies behind the art.

If you want a book on Capoeria that will hold your attention for a good long time, than you'll deffiantley want this one! Just don't assume that you'll be able to catch on to the style immediatley though, this book also proves that Capoeria isn't something you can pick up right away. ;D

great for new capoeiristas
great read for people new to capoeira that want to have a more comprehensive review of the history, music, and game. also has an interesting review of a conference that discusses capoeira in US and Europe, which is very useful to read to learn about the different trends and mestres around. definitely recommend it!

Discusses and teaches the Game on many levels
I found this book to be an entertaining and informative read which discusses the game of capoeira on many levels from the philosophy through to movements and drills. It's a well rounded book and I reccomend that you give it a read if you are interested in capoeira (and even in philosophy).

Love it
I grant I'm starting out but this book has amazing insight on the philosophy and moves. Reminding that creativity is as important as learning the moves that have come from those before us. He also gives exersies that can be done when a person can't get to the roda of his instructor/mestre. After this book I'm gonna have to read more books about capoeira as well as from Nestor cause he was able to explain more than I thought could be put in a book.

Newbie and I got it!!
This book has been out for quite a while now and even now, in 2006 the book is still helpful.I'm new to the Capoeira lifestyle and reading this book has been extremely helpful in gaining more knowledge about the history as well as the many different movements involved with this awesome martial art.

I definitely recommend this book to newbies and more seasoned capoeristas.I may be a little "slow" but while the illustrations are great, I got a little confused when trying to "flow" through the movements but by reading, you'll figure it out and they'll begin to feel right.

Hope this helps...enjoy! ... Read more

Book Description
The popularity of capoeira continues to rise as more people discover how useful—and fun—it can be for increasing agility and flexibility, as well as strength and endurance. Capoeira Conditioning is an illustrated guide to whole-body training based on this increasingly popular Brazilian martial art. Designed for all ages and all levels of experience, the book is a step-by-step training manual with photographs that guide users through every movement and sequence. Accompanying text gives special pointers and describes the fitness benefits of each individual technique. Capoeira Conditioning offers no-frills advice about nutrition, regularity of training, capoeira in relation to other sports, and capoeira conditioning for children, along with a simple Q&A section. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

fantastic workouts
i just started capoeira. this book certainly has some real info and the workouts will show their effect in no time. very encouraging and easy to follow.

libro de acondicionamiento
esto es un libro para acondicionarse para la práctica del capoeira, encontraras movimientos básicos, algo de historia, es un libro para principiantes y para personas que esten interesadas en este excelente deporte.

100% Correct!
The title says it all. A very good book for anyone who is into physical conditioning using only body weight exercises!

Capoeira Conditioning
A very good book to learn the basics of capoira movements. It is great for general fitness for anyone of any age and fitness levels.
Something different to the usual jogging, weights, cycling, etc.

OK beginners book
Capoeira conditioning in a basic stretching and capoeira exercise book.
If you don't have experience in martial arts or any time of organized exercise classes, this book may be appropriate for you. As more of a beginners' book I would recommend this book. However, if you are more advanced you want to look further into your search. ... Read more

Book Description

Capoeira, a Brazilian battle dance and national sport, has become popular all over the world. First brought to Brazil by African slaves and first documented in the late eighteenth century, capoeira has undergone many transformations as it has diffused throughout Brazilian society and beyond, taking on a multiplicity of meanings for those who participate in it and for the societies in which it is practiced. In this book, Maya Talmon-Chvaicer combines cultural history with anthropological research to offer an in-depth study of the development and meaning of capoeira, starting with the African cultures in which it originated and continuing up to the present day.

Using a wealth of primary sources, Talmon-Chvaicer analyzes the outlooks on life, symbols, and rituals of the three major cultures that inspired capoeira—the Congolese (the historic area known today as Congo-Angola), the Yoruban, and the Catholic Portuguese cultures. As she traces the evolution of capoeira through successive historical eras, Talmon-Chvaicer maintains a dual perspective, depicting capoeira as it was experienced, observed, and understood by both Europeans and Africans, as well as by their descendants. This dual perspective uncovers many covert aspects of capoeira that have been repressed by the dominant Brazilian culture.

This rich study reclaims the African origins and meanings of capoeira, while also acknowledging the many ways in which Catholic-Christian culture has contributed to it. The book will be fascinating reading not only for scholars but also for capoeira participants who may not know the deeper spiritual meanings of the customs, amulets, and rituals of this jogo da vida, "game of life."

Book Description
Fun, different, and above all effective, capoeira is a unique dance-fight-fitness program enhancing strength, stamina, and flexibility training for the entire body. While there are many books on the subject, this one differs in being a succinct yet thorough discussion of the basics to engage even the nervous novice. In clear, accessible language, author Mestre Ponchianinho explains the aims and benefits of the discipline, along with its history, origins, and philosophy. He continues by introducing the two main styles along with the techniques of the most famous mestres. Easy-to-follow warm-ups, basic moves, defense and escape moves, kicks, training combinations, strengthening exercises, ground movements; and more advanced acrobatic movements are all described and illustrated in step-by-step photographs. The author discusses the self-defense aspects, the importance of music in capoeira, the significance of the bateria, the hierarchy within the tradition, the grading system, and much more. Unlike other martial arts disciplines, capoeira lets practitioners give play to their artistry as well as their physicality, in the process sharpening the mind and spirit while energizing and strengthening the body. ... Read more

Book Description
Capoeira weaves fighting, music, dance, prayer, and ritual into an urgent strategy by which people live, struggle, celebrate, and survive together. In this book Bira Almeida--or Mestre Acordeon as he is respectfully called in capoeira circles--documents his own tradition with both the panoramic eye of the historian and the passionate heart of the capoeirista. He transports the reader from the damn of New World history in Brazil to the streets of twentieth-century Bahia (the spiritual home of capoeira) to the giant urban centers of North America (wher capoeira is now spreading in new lineages from the old masters). This book is valuable for anyone interested in ethnocultural traditions, martial arts, and music, as well as for those who want to listen to the words of an actual mestre dedicated to preserving his Afro-Brazilian legacy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Amazing Capoeira Book
Amazing book, absolutely amazing.It is not for the person wanting to learn how to do capoeira, but for anyone, beginner or master, who wants to read a great history and personal journey.
It even travels into the spiritual, deeper significance of capoeira.
GREAT BOOK.

It's okay but you could do better
This book is just an "okay" introductory text on capoeira. A major draw back is the centeral focus on capoeira regional, a better text would be "Ring of Liberation" because it more comprehensivly covers capoeira.

Remains an Excellent Introduction to Capoeira
Mestre Acordeon's book has long been praised for its clear writing, for his thoughtful coverage of the history, philosophy, and artistic traditions surrounding this art-form.Other reviewers (see below) have noted that the book was among the first in English to introduce readers to these aspects of Capoeira, while also offering a glimpse into this one mestre's personal and life-long journey.Having assigned his book to students (both graduate and undergraduate alike), I have had ample opportunity to hear students' glowing reviews: most of these students had never heard of Capoeira, nor even seen it played, before having read his work.In retrospect, they (and I, too) consider this book an excellent way to delve into the topic.While there's recently been a flurry of new scholarship on Capoeira (at least 3 books in English have come out in 2005) that matches Capoeira's growing influence around the globe, Acordeon's book remains one of the best places to start one's exploration.Axe ASCAB!

100% Capoeira
Mestre Acordeon takes you on a journey through capoeira, sharing his experiences and inviting the reader to use his imagination.
A truely inspirational piece from a truely inspirational master.

Excellent book. Very Informative.
The book Capoeira: A Brazilian Art Form was not only well-written but was interesting as well. This book educates you about the history of capoeira, capoeira practitioners, and even a short summary of how Mestre Acordeon wasintroduced to the art of capoeira. I would highly reccomend this book tocapoeiristas, as it was very helpful to me. Axé. ... Read more

Book Description
Capoeira is simultaneously a dance, a fight, and a game. Created by the Africans brought to Brazil as slaves beginning in 1500, capoeira was forbidden by law but survived underground. When open practice was allowed in the 1930s it soon became very popular. Capoeira came to America around 1975, and has become widely recognized by dancers and martial artists. The author discusses capoeira's evolution from Brazilian street play into a way of life. The philosophy of capoeira, and the practical and spiritual benefits of that philosophy, are also discussed. Instructions and exercises in intermediate and advanced skills take up where the author's previous book left off. The book includes 100 black-and-white photos and illustrations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Around the World and Across Time: Understanding the Global Perspective
Nestor Capoeira's book offers readers a powerful testimony to the history of capoeira.Written in a clear and informative style, Nestor's work is accessible to all.What I most appreciate about Capoeira: Roots of the Dance, Fight, Game, is that is both an excellent foundational piece for those new to the art-form's long-standing socio-cultural traditions AND one of the best references covering the inner-workings and politically-motivated debates that have taken place in the recent past. I particularly enjoyed the anthology of recent essays and updates he includes in the last 1/3 of the book: his own reflections on new elements in the history of capoeira and Muniz Sodre's perspectives that are informed by his experiences in Candomble.Nestor's experiences--both inside roda and inside the academic realm of research--will continue to be a touchstone for the next generations grappling with the ever-shifting and expanding global contexts of capoeira.I highly recommend this book!Axe ASCAB!

Delve deeper...
A very in-depth look into the history of capoeira that you WILL NOT learn from most mestres, especially those who only teach technique.Nestor gives a historical look at slavery's influence on capoeira, takes a contemporary look at capoeira's development, and offers illustrated basic to intermediate techniques.The most interesting thing is the examination of capoeira at a physical and metaphysical level, and how it affects the individual player as s/he progresses.A game, a fight, a dance, a way of life..?You decide.

A good fundemantel
This is another good *basic* book from Nestor Capoeira. It includes basic theories, history and some basic capoeira movements. Seems like this book is second part of "The little Capoeira book"

If you have just started to learn Capoeira, or if you are wondering what it is, this book would be very helpful for you.

On the other hand, if you are already a baptized capoeirista you can not find anything that you dont know, in this book.

Fantastic book, written with an open-minded view on Capoeira
Again a very good book by the hands of the famous Nestor Capoeira. This book shows many aspects of our beautiful art and shows various views on certain subjects by people who really know this art (Jair Moura, Mestre Itapoan and more). The book is written with an open mind like I know Mestre Nestor. His open-minded view shows in all the conversations and lectures I had with him. This book is really a must for the dedicated Capoeirista.

should be required reading for the serious capoeirista!
Wow - amazing book!This book explores capoeira in a very detailed historical, sociological and philosophical context.It presents sensible historical evidence for the evolution of capoeira and not just mythical hearsay.This book might be a little boring to someone with just a passing interest in capoeira, but it will be hard for a capoeira lover to put it down.Thanks, Nestor - Axé! ... Read more

Book Description
Capoeira is a unique music-dance-sport-play activity created by African slaves in Brazil, and Candombl, is a hybrid religion combining Catholic and African beliefs and practices. The two are closely interconnected. Capoeira and Candombl, have for centuries made up a coherent form of Brazilian life, despite having been suppressed by the dominant cultures. Now they are not only widely recognized in Brazil, but have become popular in North America and Europe as a new blend of sports, dance, and holistic approach to many facets of life. For Western audiences, Capoeira performance and Candombl, services are fun to watch and participate in, but difficult to understand. Both have apparently familiar elements, but this seeming conformity with the dominant cultures was for 400 years a strategy of resistance by Brazilian slaves. The author offers his own reflections about Capoeira and Candombl,, combining personal experiences with anecdotes, historical facts, and research as well as religious and philosophical interpretations, both Western and non-Western. The result is informative and entertaining, a description and analysis that allows readers to get a feeling, understanding, and even experience of the spirit of Capoeira and Candombl,. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

"It's in their bones": Merrell's essentialist and superficial account of capoeira, candomblé, and Brazilian "nature".
Merrell's generalizations about Brazilian culture are essentialist and simplistic. The examples he uses to support his analysis of "what makes Brazil Brazil" (255) often come from Brazilian novels and even from TV Globo's telenovelas-- highly dubious sources of Brazilian reality.Merrell concludes that Brazilians are illogical, and that we (for him, they) "use this illogical logic at the drop of a hat, because it's second nature to them; it's in their bones, so to speak" (236).These kinds of statements, where Brazilians are othered as irrational, overly physical beings, can be found in every chapter of this book.As a Brazilian, I found Merrell's book deeply offensive.
Merrell sexualizes and exoticizes Brazilian culture through his choice of adjectives to describe samba, capoeira, and candomblé: samba is "sensuous," "feverish" and "erotic" (126); one of the stages of learning capoeira is described by the gerunds "twirling," "gyrating," "scintillating," "vibrating" and "undulating" (88).In Merrell's capoeira, the instruments "throb" and the vocal chords "chant" (83), and "you throw your body around with reckless abandon, and with neither inhibition nor fear" (81).Capoeira is "vague and imprecise" (68), it is "uninhibited freedom" (67) and it is "indescribable" (54).In capoeira, "you're not supposed to think" (83), the player is "completely spontaneous" (65) and there are no rules:according to Merrel's definition, play is "disrespectful of all boundaries" (46), and "capoeira is play, play in the most profound sense" (47).It is hard to believe that this rhetoric, where the mover "gyrates" with "reckless abandon" while the instruments "throb" and where the dance is "feverish" and "erotic" is coming from a book published in the 21st century.It often reads like the travelogue of a European colonizer describing the illogical but titillating ways of the "primitive natives" of the New World.

Neither insightful nor complete
This book offers neither historical information nor insightful commentary. The only thing unique I can see is the combining of Capoeira and Candomble references into one book and even that is questionable as the two are isolated in separate sections.

Floyd Merrell's writing lacks any tidbits of historical significance. His perspective on Capoeira is so biased pro Angola that he misrepresents Capoeira as a whole. This includes his beloved Angola, which he does not appear to understand so much as he believes. He falls for a trap that many authors of Capoeira literature fall for, obsessing over the idea that Capoeira is difficult to understand. He then proceeds to explain Capoeira and Candomble using the most artificially built up confusing language that he can muster making the topic even less clear. Over and over he slips back and forth saying Capoeira is like this but not like this but it is like this or not really like this but it looks like this.
etc.
etc.

This is also one of the most blatant cases of reverse racism I have ever seen. Mr. Merrell idolizes African's and Afro-Brazilians. He paints the origins of not only Capoeira and Candomble but of Afro-Brazilian society as a whole, as systematic and deliberate.

This would probably have been a great paper, if it had been something less that 40 pages. Don't expect to learn anything about either Capoeira or Candomble. If you want some deep and often redundant insight on Floyd Merrell's opinions regarding the two topics in the title then by all means pick up this little gem. I'm sure it would be a great gift for his mother or brother. Everyone else will find it boring, self gratifying and pedantic.

Playing in the "bodymindspirit"
Merrell's book offers a fresh perspective on the tradition of capoeira, particularly with his emphasis on the influences of candomble.Merrell builds upon and references Mestre Acordeon's often-cited insights (of "playing in the dark," "playing in water," "playing in the light," "playing with the crystal ball," and "playing in the mind"), attempting to explain to readers the feel and power of "playing in the bodymindspirit." For those who like pondering ways of being (i.e, notions of "becoming," of ambiguity, and of the processual)--and I do--this work is truly enjoyable.While this book may be a bit weighty or academically abstract and philosophical for some capoeiristas' tastes, Merrrell's work fills an important niche in 8-10 top books in English written on the subject.As but one example of his scholarly flights of imagination, see his handling of Exu, trickster by default, and the complexities of moving beyond "either/or" and "both/and" thinking to a third way of thinking, or "thirdness."Expect coverage of complex topics, a bit of "jargon" (appropriate for a scholarly work well-informed by years of research in Latin American history)--and you'll be rewarded with a book that makes you go "hmmmmmm." Axe ASCAB

Capoeira and Candomble
Capoeira is a unique music-dance-sport-play activity created by African slaves, and Candomblé is a hybrid religion combining Catholic and African beliefs and practices. And while there are numerous books on Candomblé and kindred Afro-American religions, none of them effectively combines Candomblé and Capoeira. Actually, Capoeira and Candomblé are closely tied to one another. Together, they make up a coherent form of life in Brazil within the current process of globalization about which there has been much ballyhoo, eulogies, and condemnation.
This study involves the author's practice of and reflections on the arts of Capoeira and Candomblé; it culminates in the idea of an "other logic," an alternative culture "logic," about which much lip service is being paid in academic circles, with little to no concrete details.
This book, consequently, is one of a kind insofar as it bears on the interdependency of two Afro-Brazilian practices while grounding them in a theoretical framework and at the same time interrelating them with topics of great concern in the initial years of a new millennium: post-colonial and diaspora studies. ... Read more

Book Description
Learning Capoeira: Lessons in Cunning from an Afro-Brazilian Art is a provocative look at capoeira, a demanding acrobatic art that combines dance, ritual, music, and fighting style. First created by slaves, freedmen, and gang members, capoeira is a study in contrasts that integrates African-descended rhythms and flowing dance steps with hard lessons from the street. According to veteran teachers, capoeira will transform novices, instilling in them a sense of malicia, or "cunning," and changing how they walk, hear, and interact.Learning Capoeira is an ethnographic study based on author Greg Downey's extensive research about capoeira and more than ten years of apprenticeship. It looks at lessons from traditional capoeira teachers in Salvador, Brazil, capturing the spoken and unspoken ways in which they pass on the art to future generations. Downey explores how bodily training can affect players' perceptions and social interactions, both within the circular roda, the "ring" where the game takes place, as well as outside it, in their daily lives. He brings together an experience-centered, phenomenological analysis of the art with recent discoveries in psychology and the neurosciences about the effects of physical education on perception. The text is enhanced by more than twenty photos of capoeira sessions, many taken by veteran teacher, Mestre Cobra Mansa.Learning Capoeira breaks from many contemporary trends in cultural studies of all sorts, looking at practice, education, music, nonverbal communication, perception, and interaction. It will be of interest to students of African Diaspora culture, performance, sport, and anthropology. For anyone who has wondered how physical training affects our perceptions, this close study of capoeira will open new avenues for understanding how culture shapes the ways we carry ourselves and see the world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Learning cunning through written text.
Greg Downey is his book "Learnig Capoeira: Lessons in Cunning from an Afro-Brazilian Art" strikes at the some of the very important fundamentals of Capoeira that every practitioner from Angola to Regional should hold close.

He speaks from a backround in sociolgy and phenomenolgy. His arguments are strong whilst his stories entertaining. Neither form of Capoeira is looked over nor does he argue for one particular style, he gives a wonderful overview of the mythologies, teachings and importance of Angola and Regional.

A great book and a wonderful learning tool.

A must buy
A must buy for anyone serious about capoeira, especially those who are practicing capoeira angola.

the best english language capoeira book to date
the title of this review may be a surprise to some, considering that greg downey is neither brazilian, nor has he really spent a huge amount of time studying capoeira (no more than five years, if i recall, and only with a medium intensity). and yet, this book was a better read than almost any other capoeira book i have ever read in english (i own them all up until the date of this writing, nov 2005). this is, of course, not to take away from nestor capoeira or mestre acordeon's books. both of these authors have produced valuable additions to a capoeirista's library and should be picked up as well.

this book does not teach you moves but, then again, capoeira has never really been about moves; it is about moving. greg downey guides you through what it is like to learn capoeira, and what it is like to see through the eyes of someone who has gained experience in the game and learned to see with the eyes of a malandro, shows you how you will be changed if you go deep into the game. there are quotes from joao pequeno, joao grande, mestre moraes, as well as many other renowned mestres of capoeira, and lots of great stories.

downey's book is based upon experience with capoeira angola with GCAP in bahia, and you may find yourself more attracted to it if you practice angola, rather than regional or contemporary capoeira. but whatever you play, you will probably learn a lot from this book. i for one am very happy i picked it up, and have passed it on to my contra-mestra. i am confident she will enjoy it as well.

On Feeling One's Way to--and through--Play...
Greg Downey's book is a delight to read! The writing style is clear, the approach is innovative, and the topics covered are both timely and relevant to today's burgeoning interest in the arts of Capoeira.This book combines the best coverage on Capoeira's cultural history (similar to Acordeon's or Nestor's foundational books), but adds a new twist: the lastest scholarship on "embodiment" (that is, how to talk about experiencing the Body as a way of knowing).Downey's book is remarkable for giving us the benefits of his well-informed research across several fields of study without getting overly bogged down in jargon (of phenomenology, for example).Of the many intriguing chapters, several of the most compelling insights come from sections such as: Listening with a Musician's Hands,Hearing with a Player's body, Moving Like a Mestre, and the Rogue's Swagger.Downey's coverage of "the malandro," the "chamada," and "malicia" stands as among the most perceptive I've read in the 8-10 books in English that have been published on Capoeira.This book seems well-poised as a "bridge": appealing to capoeiristas as well as to those approaching capoeira from more of an outsiders' stance.For both sets of readers Downey's book puts us into the place--and space--of Capoeiristas' bodies.We experience, through his words, how to walk, how to fall, how to see, how to hear the berimbau, how to swagger, how to dissemble--in short, many lessons in the craft and cunning of this disarmingly simple yet complex tradition.Axe ASCAB! ... Read more

Book Description
The first in a two-volume series on capoeira, Volume One traces the origins of the popular martial art and dance form from the beginning of the slave trade in the Americas in the 1500s to the early years of the Brazilian Republic in the 20th century. Focusing on the people and events that shaped the art form in Brazil prior to the "academy" period of the last century, Capoeira: The Jogo de Angola from Luanda to Cyberspace explores the subject from many vantage points. Author Gerard Taylor explains how the fighting techniques of African forces laid the groundwork for capoeira movements. He shows how work songs, religion, and various percussive traditions and instruments shaped capoeira music over the years. Drawing on archival sources and historical accounts, the book paints a vivid picture of capoeira’s dramatic evolution from the sugar plantations of Pernambuco through the brutal backstreets of Rio and the Minas Gerais goldmines on its way to becoming a world-class practice. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Lots of assumptions and inconsistencies
As far as history of capoeira goes, the author makes so many assumptions, jumps to so many conclusions and shows so many inconsistencies that this book cannot be taken seriously.

For example, he assumes that capoeira was already played to the rhythm of the berimbau in 19th century Bahia, based on nothing but a guess. He goes even further (without citing one source whatsoever), stating that capoeira in the 19th century was played to the "bateria" as we know it today: berimbau, atabaque, pandeiro, reco-reco e agogo.

That assumption is completely crazy, besides making no sense, of course. Capoeira was played in the streets and capoeiras were often chased by the police. Right now, I can close my eyes and see one of them running from the cops with an atabaque on its back...

Then he makes other assumptions based on one of M. Pastinha's interviews and on his ghost-written book.

Many people are aware that it is naive to take Mestre Pastinha's interviews literally as he was known for speaking in highly metaphorical words. And many capoeira researchers also find it very likely that a few people other than the Mestre and the ghostwriter were actually involved in the writing of his book.

Finally, if anyone is interested in serious, detailed, backed-up, complete research about the history of capoeira, to this day I've only come across one book who lives up to its promise: Capoeira- the history of an Afro-Brazilian martial art, by Matthias Rohrig Assuncao.

An Historical Perspective
This first part of two by Gerard Taylor is less about capoeira per se than it is about helping the reader understand the environment in which capoeira evolved.The author's stated intent for the second half is to invest much more narrative to the subject of capoeira itself in the modern world.Given this, I'm not terribly disappointed that Volume One is mostly about the histories of Brazil and Portuguese Africa as they relate to the trans-Atlantic slave trade and the evolution of capoeira in Brazil.However, prospective readers should bear in mind that Volume One really is a book on history, albeit one worthy of inclusion in the syllabus of a collegiate Portuguese history class.

Taylor covers a great deal of time and space in 450 pages of text, from the Portuguese exploration of West Africa in the 1400's to the mid-Twentieth Century in Brazil.His focus is on the people who would give birth to capoeira: slaves from West and Central Africa.The Portuguese of Brazil play a key role in that they created the conditions under which Africans were brought to Brazil as slaves.According to Taylor, many of the slaves who were transported to Brazil from Central Africa between 1500 and the late 1800's were prisoners of war who were sold to the Portuguese.As a result, large numbers of fighting men schooled and experienced in the way of Central African war were included in the body of slaves.Some of the slaves who escaped and fled to the edges of Brazilian society were military men.These warriors brought experience with the Central African fighting techniques to villages called quilombos where escaped slaves formed new communities.Quilombos often were protected by extensive earthworks and obstacles, which presented real challenges for Portuguese attempting to recapture slaves and wipe out the quilombos.

Central African warfare was almost exclusively fought by infantry.The infantry used swords and spears, but they almost never carried shields.Instead of blocking attacks, the Central African infantry used a fluid, mobile technique of avoiding blows altogether.This style of moving, twisting, and dodging defense finds an expression in capoeira.

Taylor also covers areas such as the growth of the Brazilian economy from its earliest stages, the patterns of the slave trade, and life in the quilombos.Overall, this first book of two is an enjoyable, accessible work of history as it relates to the evolution of capoeira.I'm looking forward to reading Volume Two.

A Thorough Examination of Sources.....
This volume is NOT a physical instructional manual.It is a dedicated examination of how Capoeira came to be, from the Continent of Africa from which the root of this combative art hied, to its development in Brazil.

The author examines a variety of sources (which he lists).Rather than stopping at the usual cursory description of the original slaves imported to Brazil from Africa, Taylor provides documentary evidence concerning the existence, treatment, and conditions encountered by slaves imported to Brazil from Angola and other regions of Africa.Taylor's descriptions and historical references make the experiences of these peoples very real, and does more than any work I have read thus far to explain the spiritual, cultural and physical reasons behind the development and propegation of Capoeira, at once both a method of personal defense and strength training, and a physical mode of expression.

For those with a dedicated interest in the history of Capoeira specifically, or anyone with an interest in the anthroplogical side of combative arts generally, this first volume in a planned two-volume set is a must.I look forward to reading a continuation of this history. ... Read more

Book Description
CAPOEIRA—it's a game, a dance, a martial art! It's a way of expressing oneself through movement and music. With action-packed photographs and accessible text, readers are introduced to this exciting, popular game.

At Madinga Academy in Oakland, California, a group of girls and boys practice the acrobatic moves of capoeira. Then they begin to play games to the infectious, rhythmic beat of traditional music and singing.

On to Brazil to experience capoeira in its historic birthplace, where it dates back four hundred years. Capoeira developed as a way of fighting among enslaved Africans, was outlawed the the government, and was permitted once again in 1930 as a martial art and game.

Back in Oakland, at an end-of-year ceremony, students receive their colored ropes indicating their levels of accomplishment. They also look forward to next year, and the fun of expressing themselves through the game, dance and martial art of capoeira.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great gift for a martial arts lover
In Capoeira: Game! Dance! Martial Art!, George Ancona tells the story of Capoeira by following a classroom of students at the Mandiga Academy in Oakland, California. Kids reading the book are sure to get a kick out of the Portuguese nicknames of the students in the classroom from Reizinho (little king), to Perereca (tree frog), to Princesa (princess) to the name of the instructor, Malandro (scoundrel). In fact, Ancona uses a number of Portuguese words throughout the book when talking about Capoeira. He even includes a glossary with a pronunciation key in the back of the book for kids who want to practice speaking the words. Through pictures and Ancona's detailed descriptions these students teach different moves and techniques as well as names of traditional musical instruments used to play music during Capoeira games.

Ancona also takes us to Brazil and shows the impact of Capoeira on the Brazilian culture today. From the slums and beaches to actual Capoeira academies, we see vibrant photographs of kids of all ages and walks of life practicing this amazing art. A few years ago, I spent four months teaching English in Brazil and was fortunate enough to see Capoeira being played on the streets. While nothing can compare to seeing it in person, Ancona's book gives us a vivid picture and interesting history of the art. ... Read more

Book Description
Capoeira evolved as a Brazilian martial art developed initially by that country’s African slaves. Marked by deft, deceptive movements played on the ground or completely inverted, the form started gaining worldwide popularity in the early 20th century, when this second volume of Gerard Taylor’s wide-ranging history begins.

The book opens with a study of the capoeira “Bamba,” Mestre Bimba, who became renowned as a fighting champion in Bahia and opened the first legal academy during the dictatorship of Getulio Vargas. Taylor investigates the dramatic development of the schism that resulted in the competing styles of Regional and Angola. Moving into contemporary capoeira, the author provides an overview of new trends, such as international encounters, long distance “mail-order mestres,” mass membership capoeira associations, cyber-capoeira, and grading systems.

The book features the wisdom of a number of important mestres recounting their experiences teaching capoeira professionally around the world. In frank, inspiring interviews they talk about the highs and lows of the capoeira life, and how its lessons can enrich people’s lives.

Photographs, illustrations, and an extensive glossary of terms illuminate the complex history of this fighting art. ... Read more

Book Description
Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian martial art now spreading over the rest of the world, and is the only sport from Brazil that seeks Olympic recognition. Originally the preserve of the underclasses in Brazilian society, capoeira is now practised amongst the middle-classes, and even taught as a sport in schools. The author explores the history of capoeira and explores the conflict between traditionalists, who view capoeira as their heritage descended from the maroons, a weapon to be used against injustice and repression; reformers, who wish to see the spread of the sport internationally; and academics, who are attempting to discover the true history of capoeira as opposed to the myth. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Elitist
The problem with this book is that He is only using written accounts of Capoeira to validate his views.Many other reviewers mistakenly regard this as "scholarly".It down plays any other perspective about the history, origin, or practice of Capoeira as "questionable" because it was not written about at a certain time.

The problem with this attitude is that it leaves Capoeira's definition in the hands of the white slave owners of Brasil who were writing about it.It neglects the fact that just because someone did not write about something it did not happen.Capoeira's origins, as the author acknowledges is from Angola.These people were followers of oral learning not written learning.It is elitist to suggest that the writing (especially when written by outsiders who were also bias slave holders) is more valuable than the oral traditions.

Capoeira is African.And most of Africa is oral in traditions of learning and recording...thus it is only fair to acknowlege these oral legacies over the outsiders written response to a martial art he did not understand or respect.

a model for other martial art books

I've been reading martial art books for the past sixteen years, and this has to be one of the best.As a practitioner and an academic I have to say this is a welcome addition to any martial arts library whether or not you practice capoeira.This is an extremely well researched, well-footnoted book by a professional historian who has the requisite language and archival skills needed to do justice to the topic.It also traces the historiography of the art, i.e. it critically and convincingly addresses what other scholars have written about capoeira in English and Portuguese.
The price is an issue, and it is well known that books published by Routledge are outrageously expensive (which is why many authors try to publish elsewhere).But if you are serious about capoeira, or need to know how martial art books should be written, then spend the 50$.Although 224 pages doesn't sound like much, this is a book packed with information that has serious implications for thinking about how capoeira history has been appropriated as a political activity.For instructors of capoeira I would advise them to buy this book before they say anything more to their students about capoeira hitsory.

Fascinating history of the art...
Matthias Röhrig Assunção draws on historical fact to propose a view of Capoeira's development as a martial art.Through research, and much like many of us, through objective interpretation he ascertains what is reality, and what is fiction.Furthermore, he relates the common myths surrounding Capoeira to the people who need them, and proposes that at times myths are exactly what inspires individuals.He is, however, an advocate of fact, truth, and reality; and this shows in his work.

The book is by far the most in depth work on Capoeira written in English to date. (To the best of my knowledge)It's perspective is born of inquisition rather then the "gospel truth" word of mouth tradition so common in Capoeira circles.
Bravo !!!I am sincerely touched now that this book has been published, for I myself have been attempting various essays regarding some of the topics explored here.I am glad that the perspective came from a source so well educated, and through such a large spectrum of information.I have received educated reason to back many opinions I have had to date.

Salve,
Instrutor LoboGuara (Associacao Cordao de Contas do Canada)
Paul Bielak and David M. Cvet ... Read more

Book Description
A Street-Smart Song delves into the boundless philosophical depths of capoeira, the fascinating synthesis of Brazilian dance and self-defense. Drawing from a wide range of sources—the streets of Salvador and Rio de Janeiro, the teachings of the old masters Pastinha, Bimba, and Leopoldina, and the brutal economic realities inflicted on the poorest of Brazil—Nestor Capoeira paints an indelible portrait of this living art, its spiritual heritage, and its vital place in a world hypnotized by media and crushed by poverty. The traditional poems and songs of capoeira are here, along with the author’s lively discussions of everything from the space age and television’s impact on third world culture to Candomble and capoeira’s life-changing lessons. Rounding out this absorbing cultural survey are historical photos, sketches of weapons and instruments, and fully illustrated fighting movements, taught step by step. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Not just for those who do Capoeira.
Having done martial arts for most of my adult life and read numerous titles on the subject, I can safely say that A Street-Smart Song is the best book on the arts that I have ever read.With an intimate understanding of his subject, Nestor Capoeira presents and explains Capoeira and its environs in a colorful, honest, and plainspoken manner.Along with his previous U.S. releases: The Little Capoeira Book and Capoeira: Root of the Fight - Dance - Game, A Street-Smart Song is a worthwhile read for any freethinking martial artist. ... Read more

Book Description
Nestor Capoeira, a long-time teacher of capoeira and noted mestre (master), begins this revised edition of his bestseller with an in-depth history of the Brazilian art, giving the most popular theories for the origins and purposes of this movement that combines the grace of dance with lethal self-defense techniques in a unique game-song structure. He discusses some of the most famous capoeristas and their influence on the art. In addition, he describes how the two major branches of capoeira (Angola and Regional) came about and the differences between them.

The Little Capoeira Book’s clear descriptions of the game, or jogo, explain the actual application of capoeira, vaguely similar to sparring but very different in purpose and style. The music of capoeira, which is played during all jogo, is also examined, along with its main instrument, the berimbau.

The author includes a how-to guide with photographs showing basic moves for beginners, with offensive and defensive applications for simple kicks, takedowns, advanced kicks and movements, head butts, hand strikes, and knee and elbow strikes. Each technique is vividly depicted with drawings that are easy to understand and learn from, and mestre capoeira includes an explanation of both Angola and Regional versions. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (6)

Capoeira at the border to Brazil.
Yes, I think this book deserves five stars, because it gave me insight; both professional and personal.Training Capoeira for seven years (including two trips to Brazil for the same reason) has taken me to thestrange border between two cultures: my own Danish average Europeansocio-historic background, and the Afro-brazilian transcultural vegetationin which Capoeira flourishes.Alouring - and as Lewis notes: deceptive,Capoeira as a performance reveals conflictuality on the Afro-braziliansocial and historical level, which differs from the writers own background;in this case quite similar to my case.The task of relating to thisdifference is met by Ring of Liberation through respect of the ontic 'way'of the capoeirista, and at the same time maintaining an epistemic approach. What this means, is that Ring of Liberation can be read by theintellectual layman as well as the non-brazilian capoeira enthusiast, as aguide to experiences already had or about to happen...great stuff!

Biased, perhaps, but not an "agenda of subjugation"
I used this book, along with a host of other books, transcripts, articles and recordings of capoeira to complete my undergraduate thesis in anthropology.Regarding an earlier post here, i don't think that Lewis wastrying to necessarily undermine the black African origins of capoeira, butrather his experiences with capoeiristas around Brazil led him to focus onthe wholly Brazilian cultural aspects (samba, too, is a cultural phenomenonwith roots in Africa).While i do belive that his treatment of the Africanorigins of capoeira were sketchy, this is to be expected as the data oncapoeira's African origins is not very clear, and to the best of myknowledge is to date a matter of conjecture.The only truth regarding thatmatter is that capoeira did come from Africa with the (primarily WestAfrican) slaves and developed into modern capoeira while in Brazil. Thislast part, "in Brazil", is something that I stress in the sensethat although many Caribbean and South American nations received slavesfrom the same parts of Africa, only Brazil's slaves and mulattos producedcapoeira.

More to the point of this type of entry: the book is a definitemust-read for anyone (capoeirista or not) interested in the modernexpressions of african diasporan culture.

DAMN IT, IT'S GOOD!
I found that this is a VERY true to actual accounts of Capoeira. I've been practising Capoeira myself for a while now, and this book reflex the views that I, and most of my Groups shares. It would seem very one-sided, but youNEED to be a Capoeirista to fully understand the concpts and ideas andhistory of this book. To me, A VERY GOOD BOOK ON WHAT I BELIEVE

PEACE

A nicely writen bookabout a misterious sport
This book brings a good deal of information on the history of capoeira and on the phylosophy behind it. After a few years practicing it, I finally had in my hands some background to understand some of the the principles, andpart of the history of this sport. The author apparently has had contactwith many mestres, both in Brazil and in the US, and has done quite anintensive survey on historical records, to get to his conclusions.Furthermore, he analyzes capoeira under an anthropological light, giving ascientific taste to the book that we don't find in most publications aboutit (although I don't agree with some of his interpretations). My onlycomplain is that I would like to see more figures in the book, which wouldmake it more interesting to people with less knowledge on the subject.

Another biased account of Capoeira!
Another biased account of Capoeira which lacks the scientific rigor toconnect Capoeira with its African roots.Ring of Liberation, attempts toassert Capoeira as a Brazilian art form and strips it of its African roots.Lewis's basic premise traces Capoeira to samba circles in 19th centuryBrazil. It remains to be seen how Capoeira could develope its fightingelements through urban samba circles in Bahia. Lewis utilizesanthropological jargon to complicate the story of Capoeira, it seems to bea mask to hide his agenda. An agenda which seeks to undermine Capoeira asan empowering agent for its descendants (Africans in the Diaspora). Ring ofLiberation should be praised as another book about Capoeira, but severlycritisized for its biased nature and cultural disempowering approach! ... Read more

Product Description
Fascinating capoeira.Whoever has an interest in Brazil will sooner or later cross the path ofcapoeira, for this martial art symbolizes the true brazilian spirit. Alongwith candomble and samba, it is one of the most joyful manifestations of afro-brazilian heritage...All photographic images produced in Salvador da Bahia, best historicalillustrations, great artwork and original watercolours... a real visualtreat ! Capoeira Bahia is a pocket size picture book that will take you on a breathtaking journey into the fascinating world of the most dangerous yet playful martial art ever !A great way to discover Bahia, the most African city in Brazil ... Read more

Book Description
Until recently, Brazilians dominated the market on capoeira books, yet the form has spread across the globe over the last four decades. This expansion from the favellas (slums) to the world stage has introduced a host of new capoeira practitioners with varied lineages, techniques, and traditions. In Capoeira Beyond Brazil, Aniefre Essien brings an international, political perspective to capoeira, speaking to both the novice and aficionado, as well as to historians, martial artists, social justice organizers, and youth development professionals.

Essien shows capoeira in its complete historical context, providing not only technical instruction but a critical history that highlights the political milestones of the form. Author Essien doesn’t shy away from the realities of the capoeira community, directly illustrating principles that should be embraced, as well as established norms in practice and instruction worth questioning.

Capoeira Beyond Brazil expands the meaning of capoeira with a sociocultural consideration of the effects internalization has had on the form. Showcasing Essien’s own experiences using capoeira training at-risk youth, the book articulates the form’s empowering aspects with strategies for using martial arts to foster individual self-reliance and confidence, as well as a commitment to community development. ... Read more

Product Description
Falling on her bum bum again, Marina Ligiera just can't do the parafuso, the coolest kick in all of Capoeira. She's ready to hang up her green belt and quit.At the suggestion of her pesky brother Mateo, she decides to practice until she falls ten times. Can she finally succeed and earn the coveted yellow belt?Capoeira is a wonderful mix of dance, music and martial arts that was born in the Afro-Brazilian communities of Brazil. Its popularity is growing throughout the world.To find out more about Capoeira, visit CapoeiraCountdown.com. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Inspiring story....
The book was fun, and our kids really liked it. We highly recommend it to parents of kids from 3 to 8. The lesson of not giving up, learning about other cultures and the colorful characters made it a joy to read. Capoeira is a beautiful and physical art form that more kids should learn about. The pictures were also a lot of fun, and we hope that there will be more books like this that we can find!

Marina's Capoiera Countdown
My 4.5 year old son loves this book and I do too.He likes it because he likes the idea of dancing and the great illustrations.I like it because it teaches perserverance and having a good attitide, and becasue I don't mind reading it again and again.It's like a modern-day Little Engine That Could.

Marina's Capoeira Countdown
An absolutely delightful book for children---my grandchildren adored it! A MUST buy for little ones.Hoping for a series of Marina books.......... ... Read more