University of Birmingham Capoeira Society

Related Dance Styles

Maculelê

Maculelê is an Afro Brazilian dance where a number of people gather in a circle called a roda with one or more atabaques positioned at the entrance of the circle. Each person brandishes a pair of long sticks, traditionally made from biriba wood from Brazil. The sticks, called grimas, traditionally measure 24 inches long by 1 and 1/8 inch thick. As the Maculelê rhythm plays on the atabaque, the people in the circle begin rhythmically striking the sticks together. The leader sings, and the people in the circle respond by singing the chorus of the songs. When the leader gives the signal to begin playing Maculelê, two people enter the circle, and to the rhythm of the atabaque, they begin striking their own and each other's sticks together. On the first three beats, they strike their own sticks together, making expressive and athletic dance movements, and on each fourth beat, they strike each other's respective right-hand stick together. This makes for a dance that looks like "mock stick combat". (Also, traditionally in Maculelê, the players wear dried grass skirts).

In some capoeira schools, Maculelê can be played with the use of a pair of Facões (literally big knife) which are large knives of about 40 cm, used primarily to cut way through tall grass areas. However this style of play is only practiced by graduated students and masters. It is characterized by the loud noises and flying sparks when the players strike the knives.

The origins of Maculelê are shrouded in mystery, and there are many stories, theories and beliefs that claim "this is how Maculelê came to be". Here are two:

1) During the slavery era in Brazil, the slaves in the sugarcane plantations would gather and play Maculelê as a game to vent their anger and frustration from being slaves. At this time, machetes were used instead of sticks. Sticks were later incorporated for safety reasons. However, some experts still use machetes.

2) There were two tribes in Brazil: a peaceful tribe, and a warlike one. The warlike tribe would repeatedly attack the peaceful tribe, who had no way of defending themselves. One day, during an attack, a young boy named "Maculelê" picked up a pair of sticks and fought off the other tribe. The other tribe never attacked again. The boy didn't manage to fight them off completely, but did die trying. His home tribe then made a mock combat dance using sticks and named the dance "Maculelê" in his honor and memory.

Maculelê Video clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIdHdnvl70A

Maculele Songs

Boa noite pra quem é de boa noite

Bom dia pra quem é de bom dia

A benção meu papai a benção

Maculelê é o rei da valentia

Boa noite pra quem é de boa noite

Bom dia pra quem é de bom dia

A benção meu papai a benção

Good night for whoever is from

the good night

Good night for whoever is from the

good night

Good day for whoever is from the

good day

A blessing, my father, a blessing

Maculelê is the king of the brave

Good night for whoever is from the

good night

Good day for whoever is from the

good day

A blessing, my father, a blessing

Maculelê is the king of the brave

Sou Eu Maculele

Sou eu, sou eu

sou eu, maculele, sou eu

sou eu, sou eu

sou eu, maculele, sou eu

It’s me, Maculele

Sou eu, sou eu

Its me, maculele, Its me

Sou eu, sou eu

Its me, maculele, Its me

Puxada de rede

Puxada de Rede is a Brazilian folkloric theatrical play, seen in many Capoeira performances. It is based on a traditional Brazilian legend. A fisherman goes out to fish at night on a jangada (handmade sea-worthy sailingraft used by fishermen of north-western Brazil). His wife has a presentiment of something wrong and tries to stop him from going fishing that night. He goes anyway, leaving his wife crying and his kids scared. His wife waits the whole night for him on the beach, and around 5:00am, the usual arrival time, she sees the jangada. The fishermen have a very sad expression and some are even crying, but she does not see her husband. The fishermen tell her that her husband has fallen off the jangada by accident. As they start to withdraw the net, they find his body amongst the fish. His friends carry his body on their arms, in a traditional funeral ritual on the beach.

Puxada de rede video clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXLU_sut7gs

Puxada de rede song:

MINHA JANGADA VAI SAIR P'RO MAR

Minha jangada vai sair p'ro mar
My jandada is going out to sea
Vou trabalhar, meu bem querer
I'm going to work, my love.
Se Deus quiser quando eu voltar do mar
If God wants when I retun from the sea
Um peixe bom, eu vou trazer
A good fish, I will bring
Meus companheiros tambem vão voltar
My friends will also return
E a Deus do céu vamos agradecer
and to God we will give thanks

samba de Roda

Performed by many capoeira groups, samba de roda is a traditional Afro-Brazilian dance that has been associated with capoeira for many years. The orchestra is composed by pandeiro (tambourine), atabaque (drum), berimbau, viola (a stringed instrument of the violin family, slightly larger than a violin), chocalho (rattle - a percussion instrument), accompanied by singing and clapping. Often used to finish a roda. A man and woman dance together, and when another man wants to dance, he fakes a leg trip on the man dancing and takes his place. Women can do the same thing by pushing the woman in the middle with their hip and taking her place.

Samba de roda video clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHPBppVdgn0

Samba Song:

A Baiana me pega
Me leva pro samba
Eu sou do samba
Eu vim sambar
Le le le Baiana
Baiana me deu sinal
Le le le Baiana
Pra dançar no carnaval
Le le le Baiana
Também joga Capoeira
Le le le Baiana
Angola e Regional
Le le le Baiana

The Baiana grabs me
Takes me to the samba
I'm from the samba
I came to samba
Le le le Baiana
Baiana gave me a signal
Le le le Baiana
To dance at the carnaval
Le le le Baiana
Also plays Capoeira
Le le le Baiana
Angola and Regional
Le le le Baiana

Frevo

Frevo is dance-driven march played in a very fast, binary tempo. Frevo dancers, called passistas, usually wear bright, shiny, multi-coloured costumes and carry small umbrellas. The dancing itself features very high jumps. A derivation of martial polka, it used to be called "northeastern martial music" or "martial music from Pernambuco" in the early days, when capoeira (a type of dance-fight, early break dance, currently played as a game and accompanied by African drums and berimabau - a single string attached to a bamboo stick) dancers led their groups on parades. The bouncing dance steps, which bore a strong resemblance to Russian folk dances, imprinted the specific frevo steps. The colorful parasols carried by frevo dancers represent defense weapons. As lyrics and tune formats were added to frevo, the style took over the country. O Teu Cabelo Não Nega, from 1932, is regarded as the song that established the Carnival marchinhas (literally, "short, quick martial music") made in Rio, although the song was actually a Lamartine Babo adaptation of the frevo Mulata, by Irmãos Valença (from Pernambuco).

Frevo video clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-y8AtaNuRM

Coco de Roda

Coco de Roda is a typical dance from the beach regions of the Northeast of Brazil and has a strong African drumming influence. The choreography of the dance involves steps and movements traditional of the indigenous Tupis peoples of Brazil. The coco can be danced with or without shoes. Also, it does not have its own appropriate costume. In order to participate, the people can use any kind of clothing. There is also, apparently, no special time of the year to dance, although it is more often seen in June. Musically speaking, there is a predominance of percussion instruments. According to folklore researchers, the most commonly used instruments are - ganzás (a kind of maraca), bombos (drums), zabumbas (a deeper drum), caracaxás (a kind of scraped rattle, often made of undulated metal and scraped with a small stick to produce the sound) and cuícas (a drum -like instrument that makes a squeaking sound). However, to form a circle of coco it is not necessary to have all, or indeed any of these instruments. Very often, the dance takes place with just the clapping of the participants' hands.
Within its general characteristics it is possible to notice one distinct distinguishing feature - community spirit. There is always a very happy atmosphere where men, women, children of all social classes sing and dance together without distinction. In what is referred to as its ethnic influences, the African influence is most prevalent, mainly in its rhythm, and most certainly in its movements. But, there is also a very strong native contribution to the choreography. Both the circle and the lines are aspects that were inherited from our natives.

Coco de roda video clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0KyATVdWIg