Capoeira was born out of the slave trade around 500 years ago in Brazil. It was developed by the slaves as a martial art, however, it was designed to look like tribal dances and rituals so that the slave masters would not suspect the violent aspect of the art. A crucial component of learning Capoeira has been the ability to mask your movements and intentions in an apparently non-threatening dance, combining combat and music. At Southampton, we have an enthusiastic Capoeira teacher, Mestre Joaozinho, who teaches the Angola style of Capoeira and we also have open training sessions to practice together. You're welcome to come to any of our sessions! Your first session is free. Please see our Instagram page for more info @capoeira.marazul or if you have any more questions feel free to email us.