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How America will Transform Capoeira

Another Illunminating Rant by Contra-Mestre Perere

Jan 30, 2001

Another Rant in the "Gringos in the Ring" Series

I have been doing a lot of thinking since I wrote my last article here in Planet Capoeira. And I find
the need to explore some of the issues that I brought up last time.

Over the years that I have been in the Capoeira community I have had many discussions with both
Brazilians and Americans regarding how Capoeira is being offered to, and received by North
Americans. One of the primary things to take into account here is that the very reason there is so
much Capoeira outside of Brazil in the first place is that it affords the instructor a means of greater
financial income than would otherwise be available within Brazil. The simple fact of the matter is,
as one long time American Capoeira practitioner told me once: " For Brazilians Capoeira equals
dollar signs north of the boarder". One may delude ones self and think that Capoeira is being taught
here for more altruistic, or esthetic reasons, and these aspects do play a supportive role, yet you
would be wrong to think these are the primary reasons that Capoeira has been developed in North
America by Brazilian adepts. I had the (mis) fortune of being the assistant to a Brazilian instructor
who struggled for years to make it happen for himself with Capoeira here in the U.S. (who has since
returned to live in Brazil). As his assistant I witnessed turf conflicts that came about when other
mestres or instructors started moving in to ‘his’ territory, about schemes to get hundreds of students,
and build an enormous academy. It went on and on. I was often told of similar issues and situations
directly from the mouths of other mestres in the region where I live, and also received lots of
supporting information from various students in other groups that I have stayed in contact with over
the years. The only time I have ever heard these guys (Brazilian Master Instructors) talk about art,
tradition, respect, and responsibility was when they where lecturing their students on how to
behave. Most often what went on for conversation was discussion of petty politics or schemes to
hustle $$$$$. I am sure that the many master instructors from Brazil here in North America have
had a wonderful and positive influence on many peoples lives here, however, I want to restate that
to believe that this is the primary reason that these teachers are here in North America sharing their
art and culture in the first place would be very naive.

Now, here in the United States I truly believe that Capoeira of both contemporary and traditional
styles (or derivations of both) are here to stay. Why? Because Americans love Capoeira. They love
to play it, and they love to see it. You see it in our movies, in fitness magazines, in music videos, in
video games, in dance clubs, in dance performances, in martial arts tournaments. You can now find
kids in the plazas of downtown Seattle playing Capoeira as well as breakdancing, and I know that
they have never taken a lesson with a capoeira instructor. They have picked it up from the very air,
from TV, from watching a friend of their older brother who is visiting from San Francisco who used
to study Capoeira five years ago and still knows some moves. Most of this type of Capoeira play is
fairly unsophisticated by a Capoeiristas perspective. A trading of martial-artsy kicks and dodgeball-
like escapes in a back and forth exchange that, although rudimentary, just was not done before.
Often it is accompanied by some hip-hop music on a boombox. What is missing in context and
content is made up by the enthusiasm of the participants. They do not feel or miss the lack of
connection to Afro-Brazilian culture and history that the masters of Capoeira espouse and cherish.
One of my longtime students on a recent visit to rural Mexico viewed some Capoeira. He said it
was the funkiest thing he ever saw. But that it was plainly considered Capoeira by the Mexicans
who where doing it, even though none of them had or new much about berimbaus or many of the
other things we consider important and traditional to Capoeira. And I believe these are very telling
signs: That if Brazilian master instructors fail to pass on everything of their art to their North
American students and thus do not graduate them to high levels within the existing Capoeira
establishment (in an attempt to control how the art does or does not get passed on to non-Brazilians)
it will not hinder these North Americans (or Mexicans!) at all. These non-Brazilians will just make
up for themselves what they do not know or understand. Taking Capoeira for themselves. It is far to
late for control. The only thing that Brazilians can do now is to put themselves into a place of
stewardship for their art, a place of support, and hopefully influence, within the North American
Capoeira scene. If the Brazilians who are in the forefront of the North American Capoeira
community fail to do this, continuing instead to bring up young Brazilian instructors from the
homeland and adhering to a to a system of Brazilian-run North American Capoeira associations
rather than creating a new breed of instructor from their North American students, they will
effectively loose control of their beloved art here in the states and elsewhere. Though I’m sure they
will continue to prosper, business as usual.

If these Brazilian masters and instructors are angry about this coming turn of events that is plainly
on the horizon, they have none but themselves to blame. They should have questioned their own
motives for coming here as Professional Capoeira Instructors in the first place. If you offer
something to others yet expect to retain control over how they use it, well, that’s just foolish and
possibly mean-spirited. The response that I have often heard (and received myself) from several
Brazilian masters (though by no means all) when confronted with the idea of non-Brazilian
individuals running their own groups and schools is to explode in a shower of expletives about that
individual’s failings, and/or brag about kicking their ass (very professional). There seem to be very
few Brazilian master instructors with the foresight and willingness to set aside, or at least modify,
their own agendas and address this issue, as it plainly requires.

This occurrence of monopoly busting has happened to other arts here in North America. A good
example is in what happened to the art of Aikido. The Japanese masters in the states aggressively
controlled the Aikido establishment in North America for years until that power structure got
‘turned on its head’. (This seems to be a common metaphor for that art, a thing it shares with
Capoeira.) A group of American Aikidoka (Aikido practitioners) in Northern California who had
been studying that art for years felt they where being denied access to the top ranks, being offered
rather a glass ceiling. So, as is often the case with rebels and revolutionaries, they collectively broke
off and started their own Aikido organization. Within a few years this organization got so big and
successful that it effectively toppled the Japanese Aikido monopoly in the U.S. and through their
efforts established a direct link to the principle Aikido establishment in Japan. The various Japanese
and North American organizations now co-exist, and things have mellowed somewhat. Similar
stories abound in nearly every martial art that has entered the states. Once you share an artform with
another culture on a large scale it is difficult and possibly wrong to expect to maintain complete
control over how that art gets absorbed by that new culture. New forms and ideas will arise whether
you like them or not. I realize that this is considered blasphemy, and that many earnest students of
Capoeira who are completely dedicated to their masters will bristle at my words, finding my ideas
reprehensible. However, this matter is not in their hands either, and they have even less say about it
than their masters. It is all of those students who have felt denied, exploited, abandoned, and
squeezed out, or who are too far removed from having direct contact with qualified instructors that
will cause an eventual revolution in all styles of Capoeira in the near future. Already these folks
now easily outnumber those students who are currently training with an instructor in the U.S. They
may be very dedicated, or be dabblers, yet collectively they hold a lot of power and influence. There
is also a growing interest coming from practitioners of various martial arts systems to include
anything from a ‘Capoeira kick’ into their own systems, or to including Capoeira as an entire sub-
system in their art. Martial Arts in the United States is big business. One of my lines of work is as
an instructor for the International Stunt School, an organization based here in the U.S. I am often in
contact with a variety of ‘successful’ martial arts instructors across the country. Many of these
instructors have hundreds, if not thousands of students in these enormous organizations, and
maintain connections throughout the entertainment and fitness industries. Because I am one of the
few Capoeira contacts they have, I am often told of how popular Capoeira is becoming in their eyes.
I have been invited by martial arts and stage combat organizations around the continent to
demonstrate at their events and give workshops as a Capoeira instructor. As a stuntman I am often
asked to send in my resume because of my Capoeira skills. The entertainment industry is waking up
to the fact that Capoeira is very marketable, and this recognition is likely to have a broad and
unpredictable impact on the art. Capoeira is very attractive and even in its most modest forms it can
still inspire awe in the viewer. It sells. Look out!

Discuss Article
marreco

View Profile Posted: Jul 19, 11:39

i'ld like to start a discussion about this article. i have to say i completely agree with c-m. perere
about the fact that offering a glass ceiling to american capoeiristas is going to force many to break
off and start their own groups. there are many american capoeiristas i've met who are fully qualified
to teach (some of them even speak fluent portuguese). i do agree with the school of thought that
says one must study in brazil and learn to speak portuguese in order to be a mestre, but to be an
instructor/a or even a professor one need only to be able to teach all aspects of the art correctly
(fight, dance, music, singing, acrobatics, contortions, etc...).

where i disagree is to say that all brazillian mestres are in the states primarily for money. all of them
are here to make money (it's their career i personally don't blame them one bit if they want to be
financially successful in it), but i wouldn't say that is their primary goal. it may be equal to their
goal to teach capoeira, and there are definitely mestres whose primary goal is to make money. but,
not all of them are out for $$$$$ first and foremost. all i have to do is see a mestre living in his
studio because he can't afford a seperate apartment to reaffirm myself of that. yes, this same mestre
charges his students and expects payment at the beginning of the month, but he also takes the time
to give extra lessons for free to his dedicated students during his spare time to help them with
various aspects of their games.

once again, i have to say it's sad that so many mestres refuse to allow their american students to
advance. i've been fortunate enough to be affiliated with organizations and mestres that do not
practice this.

axe,
marreco

ps
i'll add that i'm only a 2nd year student partly contradicting a contra-mestre, but if i didn't have my
own opinion i wouldn't be an american. ;-)
Zion

Posted: Aug 06, 05:53

The author is quite right about Capoeira's eventual transformation and marketability. It has
everything people are looking for in the martial arts, and then some. Add in the fact that it looks
damn pretty in practice, and you got a bonafide sensation on your hands. There's already a huge
demand for mestres all over the country, and the supply won't catch up with the demand for a long
time. Capoeira is seriously on the verge of reaching the level of Brazilian Jujutsu in terms of
popularity. All without one single major media outlet besides that old movie "Only the strong" and a
video game character.

In the meantime, there's tons of money to be made, and you better believe there's going to be some
Brazilian Capoeira masters all to eager to enjoy a slice of the pie. Not that it's anything that Asian
masters didn't do before them, and continue to do today.
FUGA

View Profile Posted: Aug 28, 12:00

Being a master at something and teaching it to 2 or 3 students you will get 2 or 3 different variations
of it naturally as long as they each have a brain. Some people like doing it this way and some like it
that way and we all got favorite moves. I really don't buy it when you say Mestres are here for the
money. Well North American Contra mestre do you have your students pay for classes or are you
just teaching Capoeira for the LOVE? C.R.E.A.M.-CASH RULES EVERYTHING AND ME if you
didn't know already including Masters and Mestres and wanna be mestres too. You get in your car
drive down the road and buy some gas to make the car go, right? I'm sure your getting paid too,
right? It seems you have alot of built up anger toward a few Mestres from Brazil. Glass ceilings
were made for stuntmen to break right? In much the same way the Akidoka did it right? It's called
progression and it's apart of nature it can't be stoppped and like Capoeira in Korea a beautiful
example! Who's gonna go there and stop Mr. Choi. Once you've been bitten by Capoeira it will
always be in your blood undeniably so. A brilliant Master would be Mr. Choi's Master and Mr. Choi
himself read their story too. Being open-minded is a real BIG secret to being a Master or Mestre.
You maybe a Mestre but did you go and make -up with that SLOW AND RITUAL CAPOEIRA
GROUP IN YOUR TOWN YET? Let me ask you this question. What makes you a CONTRA
MESTRE? Is it the Years you've been in it? Is it all the students you have? Maybe your next article
should be,WHAT MAKES ME A CONTRA MESTRE AND WHY I AM MAD AT THAT
BRAZILIAN MESTRE TOO! In all of your articles you have that anger and they all lead back to
BRAZIL and how unfair or controlled they are about your groups dynamics. I think if you didn't
give that issue in your life that much mental power you'd sleep easier. I know all that you've said is
true but didn't you learn to just roll with it and grow from it and share the more positive knowledge
you have of it. You really need to bury that past within you..............Just my
opinion,BENCAO,FUGA
FUGA

View Profile Posted: Aug 30, 03:46

...............CASH RULES EVERYTHING AROUND ME......DOLLAH DOLLAH BILL YA'LL!

corvoLK

View Profile Posted: Aug 30, 15:06

Over all the artical was true for the most part about five and ten years ago, at lease in regional. But
some things have changed, their are north-americans that have become Proffesores and contra
Mestres, we even have a woman mestra. The money thing is always going to be there. As for the
break away Capoeiristas, I think this is a good thing. We in north america like to do things our own
way. Maintaining traditions to a certain point is good, but there will be changes as to how we treat
and talk to our students, that, I have changed already. Our atitudes are not the same as in Brazil(in
general), We tend to explain things in a more systematic way. Some people feel that Capoeira is one
big familia, this is a nice thing to beleave in. But it is not what I have seen, even in the US of A. The
issues covered in this artical are important, and worth discussing.
Nubianem

View Profile Posted: Oct 03, 00:44

RIPPING OFF THE ART, CULTURE, MUSIC, DANCE AND MARTIAL ARTS OF AFRICANS
IS ITSELF AN ART FORM IN NORTH AMERICA AND LATIN AMERICA AS WELL, WHAT
IS EVEN MORE INSULTING IS THE UNCONCIONABLE THEFT AND LACK OF CREDIT
GIVEN TO THE ORIGINAL CREATORS...SO WHAT'S NEW. ITS ABOUT TIME THE RIPPED-
OFF BEGIN RIPPING OFF THE ART AND CULTURE OF OTHER PEOPLE AND
CONTROLING IT AS WELL. THAT SHOULD EVEN OUT THINGS.

AFRO-BRAZILIANS AND MOST BLACKS IN LATIN AMERICA ARE ALREADY

SUFFERING ENOUGH FROM NEGLECT, RACISM AND THE "SPANISH EXPERIMENT"
AND ITS TIME TO WAKE UP. THE ONLY THING LATIN AMERICAN BLACKS HAVE IS
THEIR CULTURE AND WHEN THEY ARE REJECTED ON EVERY SPANISH TELEVISION,
THEIR MUSIC STOLEN AND PRESENTED ON THE "ALL WHITE" LATIN GRAMMYS AS
WHITE LATIN MUSIC, OR THEIR PEOPLE OPPRESSED THROUGHOUT LATIN AMERICA
AND BRAZIL, ONE WOULD UNDERSTAND WHY THEY WOULD WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT THEIR ART IS NOT STOLEN, AS ROCK ROLL, JAZZ AND BLUES WERE STOLEN
FROM BLACKS.

TO STEAL A PEOPLE TO DO PLANTATION WORK AND STEAL THEIR CULTURE IS

NOTHING BUT GENOCIDE.

Nubianem
http://community.webtv.net/paulnubiaempire

capoeiragypsy

View Profile Posted: Oct 08, 05:39

Wow! so much fuss....

Well I was one of the Capoeiristas in Christina's New Video "Dirrty", (The darker of the two
capoeiristas) and would love to take this opportunity to share my opinions.

This is my first post due to comments I have read about the video, hell I agree with half of them,
and I know that in this Capoeira community we all have our beliefs, opinions and judgements.

I am a capoeirista living in the L.A. area and have been training for about 7 years now. I have
always been weary about capoeira pumped out to the masses, afraid of another Tai-bo or some
crayziness. It feels as though its cultural significance could be stripped away with every empty
impersonation of capoeira. But then I think about how impactful the media is for us. I would say
most of us started capoeira by seeing some dope capoeirista in some performance or the usual
"ONLY THE STRONG" flick. I'll be honest thats how I became interested. Since then I studied the
history, language, culture and movements from my Brazilian Mestre Itabora fereirra now training
with AXE capoeirain santa cruz. I even had the chance to travel through Brazil last summer and see
the real deal.
Any way about the Video'

On set we made sure to play real games, not only "solo" for the camera. I was pleased when the
director "David La Chapell"(SP) asked specifically for capoeira in his video. He actually said to us
" I am amazed at how your movements go so well to the music, like its coreographed."
We actually had a mestre on set (Sorry no names) and a partial bataria. As for the movements, I was
dissapointed with some of the shots chosen,(We danced all day) though I am proud to see Capoeira
recognized as an artform seen by millions, This is an amazing time we live in where pop media,
communication and interaction is instantanious and given a forum for debate.
I hope that through our respect for capoeira we can uplift and inspire someone to try. The use of
capoeira in the Video was just that, a director's fascination with our artform. Ok, enough said, I got
to sleep.
AXE.
capoeiragypsy

View Profile Posted: Oct 08, 05:41

Wow! so much fuss....

Well I was one of the Capoeiristas in Christina's New Video "Dirrty", (The darker of the two
capoeiristas) and would love to take this opportunity to share my opinions.

This is my first post due to comments I have read about the video, hell I agree with half of them,
and I know that in this Capoeira community we all have our beliefs, opinions and judgements.

I am a capoeirista living in the L.A. area and have been training for about 7 years now. I have
always been weary about capoeira pumped out to the masses, afraid of another Tai-bo or some
crayziness. It feels as though its cultural significance could be stripped away with every empty
impersonation of capoeira. But then I think about how impactful the media is for us. I would say
most of us started capoeira by seeing some dope capoeirista in some performance or the usual
"ONLY THE STRONG" flick. I'll be honest thats how I became interested. Since then I studied the
history, language, culture and movements from my Brazilian Mestre Itabora fereirra now training
with AXE capoeirain santa cruz. I even had the chance to travel through Brazil last summer and see
the real deal.
Any way about the Video'

On set we made sure to play real games, not only "solo" for the camera. I was pleased when the
director "David La Chapell"(SP) asked specifically for capoeira in his video. He actually said to us
" I am amazed at how your movements go so well to the music, like its coreographed."
We actually had a mestre on set (Sorry no names) and a partial bataria. As for the movements, I was
dissapointed with some of the shots chosen,(We danced all day) though I am proud to see Capoeira
recognized as an artform seen by millions, This is an amazing time we live in where pop media,
communication and interaction is instantanious and given a forum for debate.
I hope that through our respect for capoeira we can uplift and inspire someone to try. The use of
capoeira in the Video was just that, a director's fascination with our artform. Ok, enough said, I got
to sleep.
AXE