Definitions of Words used in Capoeira:

Abada

capoeira uniform; also a capoeira group

Academia

academy; capoeira school

Agogo

Two tone bell instrument

Aluno (m); Aluna (f)

Student

Angoleiro

Person who practices the Angola style of capoeira.

Angola

Traditional style of capoeira lower to the ground and usually played slower

Apellido

nickname

Arame

wire used as the single string on the berimbau

Arrastão

Literally means dragging. In capoeira, the term refers to a technique in which a capoeirista grabs both legs of his opponent and pulls them out.

Atabaque

Brazilian Drum

Ataque

Attack

Au

Cartwheel

Aviso

A berimbau beat

Axé

good energy; capoeira energy; life force

Bamba

a tough guy; capoeira expert; expert in physical sparring as well as wordplay

Baqueta

Stick used for playing the berimbau, by striking the arame

Bater

to beat

Bate-coxa

Bateria

band; capoeira orchestra made up of 3 berimbaus (a small, medium, and large sized one), 2 tambourines, 1 durm, a double bell and a bamboo scrapper.

Batizado

Literally meaning baptism, batizado is an initiation ceremony of capoeira in which a student received his/her first belt.

Batuque

a music and dance event

Berimbau

lead instrument in capoeira. Instrument made of bowed wood, a wire as the single string and a gourd as a rasonator.

Beriba

Wood used to make a Berimbau.

Cabaça

The gourd on a berimbau used as the instrument’s resonator

Camará

friend

Capoeira Angola

Traditional style of capoeira lower to the ground and usually played slower

Capoeira Regional

A style of capoeira associated with Mestre Bimba

Capoeira Contemporaneo

contemporary capoeira

Capoeirista

a person that does capoeira

Chamada

Literally a “call.” Chamadas are only used in Capoeira Angola

Cintura desprezada

Literally meaning hammer

Contramestre

an apprentice Mestre

Corpo fechado

closed body for physical defense

Corridos

songs with a call and response

Fundamentos

fundamentals

Gunga

berimbau with large cabaca

Iniciante

beginner

Jogo

game

Ladainha

(litany) a solo often sung by the most senior member present, usually the one playing lead berimbau

Martelo

Literally meaning hammer

Pandeiro

Brazilian tambourine

Saida

Exit

Samba

A popular Brazilian dance and rhythm

Santo

Saint

São

they are; saint

Sem

without

Roda

Circle; Circle of people in which capoeira is played

Reco Reco

Bamboo scrapper (instrument)

Tocar

to touch, to play an instrument.

Toque

rhythm

Verga

The bowed beriba wood of the Berimbau

Viola

A berimbau with a small cabaca or one with a high pitch.

Volta Ao Mundo

Literally ” Around the world” refers to the circling of the roda by both of the players inside the roda. Usually done when a player or players are tired or to “start over” or “change the conversation.”

Zumbi

Capoeira legend

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