Tonight I met up with a virtual friend who I had been introduced to a few months ago (via facebook/email) by another friend who insisted we meet due to our similar interests in health in Brazil.  Ugo will be in Salvador for a year and a half working on maternal and child health issues for her dissertation–the hottness!  She has been training in capoeira for the last 9 years.  In Brazil, she trains at the fundacao internacional capoeira angola.

My guardian angel-Ana Luisia (who by the way was so smart that she took all of housing folks information in her cell-which came in handy since I locked myself out of the apt today (Eu sou estupido; but I digress) hand delivered me the capoeira studio where I thought I’d see a demonstration, but instead was treated (about a 1/4 mile down the road) to a formal presentation about capoeira and then treats and THEN a demonstration.  It was fun…and I finally got to meet Ugo (thanks Karie)!

Capoeira was created in Brazil mainly by descendants of African slaves with Brazilian native influences.   Music is integral to Capoeira. It sets the tempo and style of game that is to be played within the roda (see Wiki page here for more info). The music is composed of instruments and song. Rhythm, controlled by a berimbau, differ from very slow to very fast, depending on the style of the roda.

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8Y-d4qWy9M]

they start em young here!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GAe3rD73Ww]