I had my first taste of the Brazilian martial art of capoeira [1] a few years back, in a freeform, multidisciplinary class called "Beginning Movement." I signed up for such a quirky class after realizing through my yoga [1] practice that, yes, I actually do inhabit my body, and I would like to be as creative with it as possible.

Capoeira is a creative, musical, and ritualized martial art form in which two challengers enter a roda, or circular gathering, and "perform" as partners. The fundamental building block from which all capoeira movements flow is the ginga, a simple forward-and-back movement that I discovered was much more challenging than it looks. (It wasn't the glorified box step that it appeared to be to my uninitiated eyes.) The key to a good ginga is to be relaxed, but never vulnerable to a counter strike, which leads to fluid movement with rhythmic tension and spontaneity.

As things turned out, "Beginning Movement" was short-lived (the class couldn't compete with regular ol' Hatha Yoga at the same studio), but my fascination with the centuries-old martial art stuck. I found it instantly compelling and yet inscrutable-the playful camaraderie of spinning kicks, fluid handstands, rasteiras (leg sweeps), cartwheels, and other feats of self-defense looked more like dance moves improvised to live syncopated music. What mixture of joy and mischief [2] was this thing? What power does it have to draw throngs of admiring gawkers in a city park [3] on a warm Sunday afternoon?

Capoeira's origins date to the 16th century and Portugal's African slave trade in colonized Brazil. According to the tradition's oral history, Brazilian slaves added capoeira's characteristic musical accompaniment [4] and dance-like movements to their traditional fighting techniques, which were officially banned, in order to practice them out in the open. Later on, with slavery outlawed, capoeira became associated with political resistance and Brazil's underclass, and its practitioners were still prosecuted until the early 20th century. The tradition of capoeiristas receiving apelidos, or nicknames, comes from a desire to avoid the police. In 1937, rodas had begun taking place publicly, and Brazil opened its first school under the guidance of the capoeira teacher known as Mestre Bimba [5], whose own style became known as Capoeira Regional.

Outside of Brazil, the popularity of capoeira has grown in recent years, thanks to movie cameos, video games, and ESPN's Global X-Games. (Breakdancing may even owe something to capoeira, if you believe Wikipedia's [6] citizen editors.)

The First Annual U.S. Open Capoeira Tournament [7], takes place this Saturday, May 6, amidst this growing popularity. The event, the brainchild of Mestre Itabora of Axé Capoeira, a school in Santa Cruz, California aims to bring together the capoeira community, further the art form's popularity with the American public, and improve individual capoeiristas' skills and creativity. In this particular tournament, contact, striking, and grappling are all forbidden; although these things are often allowed in capoeira practice, the tournament focuses on creativity. Furthermore, implied strikes in capoeira are often hailed more than actual ones. Competition won't be stifled, though, with the winners in child, teen, and adult categories receiving cash prizes.

I may have never progressed that day (or ever) past my awkward first attempts at a good ginga, and I'm still discovering what it means to really occupy my body. But I do know that anytime I hear Brazilian Portuguese voices soaring over the percussive beats of the berimbau, pandeiro, and atabaque [8], whether in Central Park, the streets of Rio, or a school in Santa Cruz-I'll definitely occupy a spectator's seat.

Photo: Capoeira.com [9]