Capoeira, Salvador da Bahia

Around the city you can witness locals showing off their capoeira skills. Capoeira is a Brazilian martial art using dance and music. It requires a lot of upper body strength and looks really impressive. The clothing is also very bright and colourful as is most of Salvador itself.

In the square of Jorge Amado museum, near a beautifull church there is a foundation to learn a job to young ‘not rich’ boys and girls: you can se a folcloric ballet about ancient music and brasilian dancing, from the history of Orishas to samba de roda, capoeira and the slavery history......but they speech only portughese!
Another chance is Balè Folclorico da Bhaia: rua Gregorio de Matos 49 - 55(71)3221962 www.balefolclorocodabahia.com.br

In the square of Jorge Amado museum, near a beautifull church there is a foundation to learn a job to young ‘not rich’ boys and girls: they can learn brasilian cooking, became weiters or learn about music and traditional dancing, so every night you can taste in a good ‘all you can eat’ restaurant a lot of brasilian dishes made by themselves and see a beautifull show about ‘orishas’ of candomblè, capoeira and the slavery history......but they speech only portughese!
Another chance is Balè Folclorico da Bhaia: rua Gregorio de Matos 49 - 55(71)3221962 www.balefolclorocodabahia.com.br

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Whenever I vacation in Brazil, I always attend a "Show Folclorico", Folklore dance show. The participants are so energetic, athletic and present their performance with vigor and a gracious attitude. The costumes are very colorful and are worn with extreme pride. The dances tell the history of Brazil. The buffet at the O Coliseu Bar and Restaurant, was very good and the service was excellent. There was a wide selection of meats, vegetables, salad and local cusine. I highly recommend this performance.

Most days in Praca de Se (Pelourinho) you will see young men playing Capoeira, as well as drummers... drumming. Just have some spare dosh to give them because they don't take too kindly to having their pictures taken without pay.

Capoeira is an art form that emerged in Brazil during the era of the Atlantic Slave Trade. It is mostly practised in Salvador blending music, ritual, acrobatic movement, and combat, capoeira is at once a dance, a game, and a dangerous martial art. You will often here people saying that they are going to "play Capoeira."

CAPOEIRA SHOW: Nowadays, it is thought that slaves from Angola,
who were first brought to Brazil in the 16th century,
developed Capoeira as a self-defense technique.
Basing themselves on traditional African dances and rituals,
these slaves practiced Capoeira in the work free hours
left to them, thus training both mind and body
for combat situations. As the slave-masters forbade
any kind of martial art, it was cloaked in the guise
of an innocent-looking recreational dance

OK, so, usually I would see such as a bit too touristy but all the music and dance that is Salvador drew me to experience the show at Solar do Unhao.

Solar do Unhao exists in this great 18th century colonial building of stone and exposed wood beams, down a steep hill- Warm lighting invites you in, the scent of a Bahian buffet fills your nostrils. And BAM! your photo is snapped with a woman in traditional Bahian dress which someone will later show you, glued to a plastic plate that you can purchase.... :-)

Tim and I opted to skip the dinner buffet and have wine instead as we watched the show... (We had dinner at Sorriso da Dada on Rue Frei Vincente later that night). I think we paid $40 REAL per person for the show alone.

The performance began with the sacred dances of the Candomblé, then Puxada de Rede in honor of Yemanjá, the goddess of the sea, followed by Maculelê, an acrobatic stick and sword dance from the cane fields.

The most amazing part of the show in my opinion, was an exhilarating display of Capoeira- it was incredible. The show ended with the Samba de Roda, a spinning, swirling version of this exuberant national dance in which those in the show dragged members of the audience up onto the stage to samba away with them...

There are two nightly shows, call for exact times.

We ducked into this school as we could hear the intoxicating drums from the street- up one flight of stairs and we saw people learning capoeira and up one more flight and lessons were being taught on the drums. Both were intriguing to watch.

The name of the school we stumbled upon was Associacåo Brasileira de Capoeira Angola ABCA

Inside the Igreja da Ordem Terceira do Carmo, there is a small cloister that for some reason struck me as attractive so I snapped this photo. As I walked out of the church I noticed some people practicing Capoeira, the traditional art of Bahia that blends martial arts and dance and can be seen all over town. Unfortunately, when I asked the instructor if I could take a picture, he told me to get lost (didn't he know I already was lost?!).

Capoeira is a tipical dance-fight at Salvador. This is from natives african slaves who arrive at Salvador long time ago. It's very exciting to see how the natives move their legs and arms in perfect armony.