History of Capoeira
Origins and Resistance
Capoeira’s roots trace back to the rich cultural tapestry woven by enslaved Africans in colonial Brazil. Born out of necessity and resilience, this art form became a powerful expression of resistance, identity, and survival. Capoeira has developed into a fascinating body language that requires intuition, improvisation and creativity, fighting and playing, aggressiveness and poetry.
During the 16th century, enslaved Africans brought to Brazil preserved their cultural traditions, blending dance, music, and fighting techniques into what we now recognize as capoeira. Developed covertly on plantations, where it was forbidden to practice martial arts, capoeira allowed enslaved people to secretly practice self-defense disguised as dance, preparing them for rebellion or escape. With capoeira, the slaves could develop various defensive and offensive techniques that turn deceptively graceful, soft and flowing movements into very dangerous ones.
Quilombos: Strongholds of Freedom
The inhuman living conditions on the plantations — marked by poor nutrition, unlimited working hours, punishment, and torture — severely limited the life expectancy of enslaved people. Increasingly, many fled their masters and sought refuge in quilombos, self-sustaining communities deep in the jungle. Although life expectancy there was not much higher, life in the quilombos offered freedom. These settlements became vital spaces for survival and for practicing combat skills, essential for defending against the private armies of the slave owners.
Beginning in 1575, quilombos were established in increasingly remote and inaccessible areas of the jungle. The most famous of these, Quilombo dos Palmares, emerged in the southern region of Pernambuco around 1602. It stood as a powerful symbol of resistance and freedom, fostering the growth and evolution of capoeira techniques and traditions. With a long and violent history of defending itself from outside attacks, Palmares was eventually led by the legendary Zumbi, whose name is still celebrated in capoeira songs today.
Persecution and Revival
Until 1807, capoeira was practiced exclusively in secret, hidden deep in the jungle. After that, however, it began to spread into the cities. When the Portuguese royal family emigrated to Brazil, a new wave of violence erupted under police chief Vidigal. Repression targeted quilombos, candomblés (Afro-Brazilian religious communities), and capoeiristas alike. Later, during the war of 1864–1870, capoeiristas were even forced to fight for the king. Despite the proclamation of the republic, brutal persecution of capoeira practitioners persisted.
From its earliest days, capoeira was considered illegal and remained criminalized long after the abolition of slavery. Beginning in 1890, it became officially classified as a criminal offense and was widely disapproved of. This stigma — fueled by violent street fights and dark tales of crime and shadowy figures — prevented capoeira from gaining recognition as a national and traditional sport for many decades.
By the early 20th century, Brazilian culture experienced increasing Africanization in dance, music, folklore, religion, and language. Yet capoeira remained only tacitly tolerated, a status it maintained until roughly 1937.
Mestre Pastinha & Mestre Bimba
Capoeira not only survived but evolved, especially in Bahia, where it took on new forms. Two influential figures, Mestre Pastinha and Mestre Bimba, founded schools that pursued very different visions of the art.
Mestre Pastinha, the most renowned Angoleiro, dedicated himself to preserving the deeply traditional Capoeira Angola, rooted in playfulness, spirituality, and music.
In contrast, in 1932, Mestre Bimba opened an academy in the historic Pelourinho district of Salvador da Bahia and introduced Capoeira Regional, a modernized and more structured style.
Capoeira Becomes Public
Mestre Bimba (Manoel dos Reis Machado) revolutionized capoeira by creating structured training sequences, establishing formal rules, and integrating new techniques — some likely influenced by modern martial arts.
In 1936, he achieved a major milestone: his school received official state recognition and was registered with the Office for Culture, Health, and Education. His efforts to legitimize and elevate street capoeira gained further validation when General Magalhães granted him permission to present it publicly for the first time, framing it as part of Brazil’s cultural heritage with elements of dance and folklore.
The journey toward full acceptance continued. In 1972, capoeira was officially recognized as a sport by the government, and formal rules were codified in the Regulamento Técnico de Capoeira.
Capoeira as a Path to Empowerment
Today, capoeira is more than just a martial art — it is a way of life. Blending dance and combat, violence and beauty, playfulness and deadly seriousness, ritual and spontaneity, it embodies both magic and reality.
In modern Brazil, capoeira continues to serve as a powerful tool for personal growth, resilience, and cultural resistance. Especially in marginalized communities, it offers vital life training and a source of empowerment. Many capoeira programs, often offered free of charge, work with children in the favelas, combining physical practice with social and political education to help them navigate and rise above oppressive circumstances.
A Culture of Diversity
Capoeira emerged as one of the four most important forms of expressive culture in the Recôncavo Baiano — the coastal region surrounding the Bay of All Saints in Bahia, historically shaped by African, Indigenous, and Portuguese influences. Alongside capoeira, other key traditions include Candomblé, Samba, and Makulelê.
Closely connected to capoeira, Makulelê is a traditional stick-fighting dance performed in pairs, where participants rhythmically strike their sticks against each other in choreographed patterns. In Brazilian capoeira performances, Makulelê often serves as a dramatic highlight. The sight of sticks — or sometimes swords — clashing in rapid succession adds intensity and spectacle, blending martial skill with dance and rhythm in a captivating display.
Modern Capoeira
Today, capoeira can be found across Brazil and around the world. In Bahia, it is especially visible — played on street corners, beaches, and public squares. Unlike in earlier times, the game is no longer a matter of life and death. This shift has allowed the spiritual, artistic, and expressive dimensions of capoeira to flourish, particularly in Europe and the Americas.
Outside Brazil, capoeira often takes on a more artistic and acrobatic form, emphasizing performance and creativity. In contrast, the style practiced in Brazil tends to remain more combative and rooted in traditional fighting techniques. Another significant change is the growing participation of women. Historically, few women practiced capoeira — Mestre Bimba, for example, is said to have taught only six women, mainly for public demonstrations. Today, however, women are increasingly visible and influential within the capoeira community.
At Arte Capoeira Berlin, we honor this legacy, embracing both the physical discipline and cultural depth of capoeira, inviting everyone to become part of this vibrant, enduring tradition.