Immerse yourself in true, authentic Brazilian culture as you try your hand at the art of Capoeria Angola, and gain real insights into a vital aspect of Afro-Brazilian history and identity.

Your guide will pick you up at 9:00 am from your accommodation, and drive you to the Capoeira Academy Centre, a traditional school where you will meet the capoeira group leaders, learn of the history and philosophy of the art, and even try your hand at the instruments or learn the basic movements if you feel up to it.

The traditional Capoeira Angola is the slower and subtler of the two forms of the martial art forms found in Brazil. It differs in many ways from the Capoeira Regional and is considered the more authentic of the two forms. It is less spectacular at first sight perhaps, but certainly more intricate as you come to explore the practice.

Like all great martial arts, there is a very deep philosophy associated with being a capoeirista involving an ethical code, mutual respect, self-esteem, cultural identity and sense of the collective. The word “Ginga” is key here, meaning sleight of hand, foot and body to potentially deliver and avoid blows. One is considered a good capoeirista for how one gets one’s opponent into a position where he or she is off guard.

Music plays a very important role in Capoeira, the kingpin of the instruments being the berimbau, (a bowed one-stringed instrument and the backbone of the capoeira).

This is a great opportunity to really get to grips with an essential part of Brazilian culture and meet the people whose lives revolve around it.