Capoeira Regional And Capoeira Angola
In playing Capoeira, the point is not to hurt the other person. The other person is your friend. The game is for out-maneuvering as much as it is for attacking. Being creative and enjoying yourself is the motivation. The best thing about Capoeira is that the point is to have fun. Games can get fast and aggressive, but always remain rhythmic, energetic and flowing. You always have the chance to dance, taunt, express yourself through your movements and most importantly have fun. The atmosphere of the game comes from the music, an essential part of Capoeira. People gather in a circle, the Rode (pronounced hoda), which is presided by the Berimbau player (which is the of the highest rank or the Mestre). Accompanying him are a drummer who contributes the base rhythm and usually additional instruments. A singer begins a song (in Portuguese), the chorus joins in for the refrain and the game commences. During the game anybody can take the song lead. There are various rituals that can be done while playing Capoeira (explained further on).
Capoeira Angola And Regional: These are the primary styles, with regional evolving during the 1930’s from Angola. Regional is played quickly and aggressively with flashy high kicks, acrobatic flips and an electrifying beat. Angola is played slow and precisely, with every movement blending together. The players manoeuvre gracefully in the Roda very low to the ground, unlike Regional. There’s not really a set of instruments designated for each style, but in both instances there must always be one Berimbau. There can be no less than one and no more than three at a time. There can be up to three Pandeiros (Tambourines), one Atabaque (large drum), one AgogÛ (a two tone bell), and one Reco-reco (pronounced heco-heco, a ribbed bamboo scraper).
Capoeira Regional: Players and watchers come together in a circle (Roda, pronounced “Hoda”) which is presided by the berimbau player. This person is the highest ranking person or the Mestre, and he is in charge of regulating the game. The berimbau is an arched bow with a calabash fixed to the end for resonance. It is played with a 12 inch long stick, a stone and a small basket of stones, dried beans or shells. The Berimbau begins the rhythm and the other instruments join in as the audience claps. Once everyone is adjusted to the rhythm, the Berimbau player starts singing. The end of every stanza is echoed by the crowd.
Two people from the crowd enter the Roda and meet in front of the Berimbau. Once everyone is ready the leader lowers the top of his Berimbau signalling to the players that they may start the Jogo (game). The players shake hands and begin entering the Roda.
In Regional the kicks are executed mainly at chest/head level. Low kicks are usually counters or feints. If players go down to the ground, they try to get up again quickly. Being stationery is a bad idea in Regional, unless you can defend yourself from your position. The many creative acrobatic kicks make Regional look very impressive to spectators but should be done with special caution so as not to damage yourself or anyone else.
Rituals:
If a Capoeirista wants to buy into the game and replace a player, he/she would walk along the inner circle to the Berimbau and ask the Berimbau player via eye-contact if he/she can buy in or if he/she ahs to wait. Once the Mestre gives a sign of approval, the new player carefully approaches the two Capoeiristas and makes sure that he/she is seen by both of them (or else one could easily get hit by flying limbs). The new player puts his arm between the two and looks into the eyes of one of them, indicating that he wants to continue the game with him. The remaining Capoeirista quickly leaves the Roda avoiding any unwary flailing limbs. Alternatively a couple of new players can walk up to the Berimbau during a fight and crouch down there, waiting for the current game to end. During the game a way to catch your breath is to walk around the inside of the circle, then begin again at the foot of the Berimbau.
Capoeira Angola: The procedure is the same as in Capoeira Regional. Two people from the crowd meet at the Berimbau and wait until the leader lowers the Berimbau to signal that they may enter the Roda and start the Jogo. The players shake hands and begin entering the Roda. The players must enter the game in a very cautious way, always aware of any possible counters from the partner.
In Angola kicks aren’t as high as in Regional but rather at waist level or below. Angola puts much emphasis on the dancing elements, so express your Ginga . Don’t lose the rhythm , but feel the music and let your body respond any way you want. Swing your arms, stumble around, play with your balance, stagger and sway. It may look silly to the newcomer but when playing Angola it feels perfect. Angola games are always much slower than Regional so it is possible to stop in the middle of a movement and do it in the opposite direction. This adds uncertainty and opportunity and forces players to react in new and unusual ways, which is why Angola looks less like a fight and more like a dance.
More Rituals:
A player during Angola can do a Chamada (a call). The Chamada is a playful and important ritual of Angola. The player who makes the call stops and takes a certain posture i.e. arms spread with head down or arms in front with one foot forward. The other player carefully closes in on the waiting player. He/she has to make sure that no sudden attacks will come when he/she works up into the dancing position (dependent on the kind of Chamada). When both players are ready they start to dance together taking some steps forward and back. The player who initiated the Chamada leads the way, and it is up to this Capoeirista to break up the ritual. He/she does so by taking the other’s hands and leading them down, from where they continue their regular play. This final phase of the Chamada is very cautious because it is likely that both players have planned a trap for the other when they were dancing.
Unlike Regional, Capoeiristas cannot simply buy into a game of Angola. Players must wait their turn by the Berimbau. Also it is strictly wrong to buy into the game while a player is making a Chamada. But like Regional, players can walk around the inside of the circle to recover.
