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Glossary of Terms

 

abada capoeira pants; a capoeira group
academia gym or capoeira school
aluno student; student of a capoeira master
angola slower traditional style of capoeira performed closer to the ground; rhythm of angola
angoleiro a practitioner of the angola style
apanhar to be beaten
apelido nick-name
arame wire; wire of a berimbau
armada navy; basic spinning kicks used in capoeira
arrastao capoeira takedown, pulling both legs from under an opponent
atabaque large drum used in capoeira rodas
ataque attacking move or movement initiative
aú cartwheel
aula class
aviso a berimbau beat, indicated what kind of game will be played
axê capoeira energy or mana
Bahia Brazlian state on the eastern coast (see Salvador)
bamba a master of physical sparring and wordplay; also a capoeira expert
banda band; movement to trip or flank an opponent
baqueta stick used to strike the wire of the berimbau
barravent a berimbau rhythm; alludes to a trance before spiritual possesion
base the ginga, the fundamental movement
bater to beat
batizado the capoeira initiation ceremony; baptism
batuque street capoeira
beija flor humming bird (flower kisser); flourish
bensão blessing; straight kick
beriba wood for making berimbau
berimbau one-stringed precussion instrument resembling a bow
besouro beetle; legendary capoeirista from the turn of the century
Bimba (Mestre) creator of the Regional style
brincar to play like a child
cabeçada an attack with the head
capoeirista practioners of capoeira
cavalaria cavalry; a berimbau rhythm formerly used to warn of a police raid
caxixi rattle played with the berimbau
chamada call; berimbau rhythm to call attention
chula chant
chutar to kick
cintura desprezada acrobatic exercises to help capoeiristas land on their feet
cocorinha squatting movement
compasso jogado thrown compass; flourish
comprar to buy; entering the circle by cutting in on another player
contragolpe counter-attack
contramestre one level below a master
cordão big cord
corda colored belt awarded to mark advancement in some academies
corridos call and response songs accompanying action in the circle
costas back (anatomy); co
defesa defense; defensive move
desequilibrante movement that unbalances the opponent
discípulo disciple, student of a capoeira master
dobrão old brazlian coin used to play a berimbau often substitued with a rock
é is
ele he
entrar to enter; to enter in the roda
esquiva escape movement [basic movement]
eu I
faca knife
fazer to do; to make
fechado to be closed; bulletproof
fechar to close
ficar to stay
floreios acrobatic movements
folha seca dry leaves
fome hunger
força strength
formatura graduation ceremony for a new capoeira master
forte strong
frente front
frio cold
fundamentos basics; used to describe the philisophical roots of capoeira
galo rooster
ginga basic movement of capoeira which through continous motion allows an easy entrance to either offensive or defensive action
golpe strike or blow; attacking movement
gunga large bass berimbau
iaia, ioio terms used by slaves for daughters and sons of the master
iuna rhythm for slow elegant play by graduate students
ladainha introductory solo of roda or game, usually sung by a master
lutar to fight
macaco monkey; flourish
macaquinho little monkey
maculelê rhythmic perfomance stick fighting, often associated with capoeira culture
malandragem double-dealing or cunning
malandro crook or streetwise person
malícia deception, trickery, double-dealing
mandigueiro sorceror; healer; synonym for capoeira player
martelo hammer; straight kick
meia lua de compasso "compass half moon"; spinning kick
meia lua de frente "front half moon"; spinning kick
mestre master, senior capoeira teacher
moeda coin
morena dark skinned woman
morrer to die
mortal deadly; backflip (somersault)
navalha straight razor
negativa "negative"; ground equivilant of ginga position
onça jaguar
pandeiro large tamborine played in capoeira or samba
parafuso "screw"; an airial spin [flourish]
passada footwork, especially in the ginga
Pastinha (Mestre) "little folder"; famous deceased teacher of angola from Bahia
pé foot
pé do berimbau position in front of the berimbau
peixe fish
pesado heavy; strong, hard
pião "top"; headspin [flourish]
pião de mão "hand top"; handspin [flourish]
pisão "big step"; side kick [straight kick]
pisar to step
ponteira straight kick to the vitals [straight kick]
puxar to pull
quadras four verse songs in a call and response format, typical of regional music
quando when
que what
queda stumble, mistep
queda de rins "kidney mistep"; movement balancing hip on elbow [flourish]
quexada "chin kick"; a basic cross-step kick [spinning kick]
quilombo fugitive slave community
rabo tail
rabo de raia stingray tail; kick
rasteira a sweeping trip and trademark capoeira move [sweep]
rasteira em p sweep without using hands [sweep]
reco-reco ribbed bamboo scraper, sometimes shaped like a fish
regional fast athletic style of capoeira developed by Master Bimba
relógio watch; spin on one hand [flourish]
roda circle; circle made of people where capoeira is played
roler "to walk around"; turning movement using hands with feet on the ground [basic movem
S dobrado "folded S"; movement that takes a capoeirsta from the negativa to the ginga [flourish]
sabedoria knowledge
saída exit
Salvador capital city of Bahia; birthplace of Capoeira
samba brazilian rhythm and dance
santo saint
são saint; they are(verb)
senzala slave house; a capoeira group
sinal sign
ter to have
terra land
tesoura "scissors"; sweep with both legs [sweep]
tocar to touch; to play music
toques the various rhythms (angola, regional, banguela, etc.) played by the berim
vadiar to be up to no good; synonym for capoeira
verga main shaft of the berimbau
viola (violinha) the highest pitched berimbau
volta ao mundo "around the world"; circling the ring when one or both of the players is tired
zumbi legendary king of the quilombos