LACAP attempts to involve the diversity of Latin American artistic and cultural expressions that exist in our local communities. LACAP has established a partnership with Lang Liu and Escola de Capoeira Filhos de Bimba that allows us to include one aspect of Brazilian culture and art, Capoeira.

We are very interested in the development of a Capoeira Program that may not only bring together the broader Latin American community, but also for its use as a tool of incredible physical and philosophical impact in the lives of people, especially youth. We hope to explore Capoeira as an important form of empowerment, as a constructive experience in building cultural identity that will benefit individuals and community, and also as a tangible expression of multidisciplinary, collective art ritual involving music, movement, singing, self-exploration and malandragem of course.

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ABOUT CAPOEIRA

A ritualistic and playful art form, capoeira is simultaneously dance and martial art, confounding conventional definitions. Arising out of the dehumanizing conditions of colonial and post-colonial Brazil, capoeira is deeply linked to slavery and to Afro-Brazilian cultural manifestations, and thus to expressions of cultural resistance. Despite its sombre beginnings, capoeira is characterised by an infectious and joyful energy. Its strong African roots mingle with Indigenous, European and Middle Eastern influences to create a beautiful and rich art form. This can be seen in its music (songs and instruments), as well as in the movements themselves. Today, capoeira has gone on to develop into a multitude of forms, rapidly spreading all over the world.

Capoeira practitioners develop many dimensions of the art form simultaneously, training movements, songs, musical instruments and ritual, and thus developing grace, dexterity, harmony and an expanded sense of self. In addition to developing individual expression, however, practitioners experience a strong sense of community, through the powerful energy of the circle. Capoeira has much to teach us about human dignity, expression and joy.

Lang Maria Liu
Professora Estrelinha
Filhos de Bimba Capoeira School