By Maiya Nishime
UC Santa Barbara’s Exercise and Sports Studies (ESS) program goes beyond physical fitness, offering students an immersive journey through cultural history, personal growth, and community engagement. A prime example is UCSB instructor and capoeira master Mariano Silva’s introduction to capoeira, a Brazilian martial arts dance form, that emerged among African slaves in the 16th century.
“There is no specific origin for capoeira because it was a combination of the Africans that were brought to Brazil who gave birth to this art form,” said Silva. “It is the greatest tool against social degradation as well as the second most popular sport in Brazil.”
Capoeira’s roots can be traced back to the colonial period in Brazil, where enslaved Africans used it as a means of self-defense against their oppressors, according to Silva. The term ‘capoeira’ derives its meaning from the phrase ‘round forest’ which alludes to the low plantation fields where slaves sought refuge and honed their skills in this art form. To evade brutal punishment imposed by Europeans who outlawed the martial practice, enslaved Africans disguised capoeira as a dance. Today, capoeira encompasses elements of Afro-Brazilian dance, music, history, cooking, and geography, Silva said.
Mariano Silva is an instructor for UCSB’s Exercise and Sports Studies (ESS) program who teaches a class on capoeira, a Brazilian martial arts dance form that emerged among African slaves in the 16th century.
Silva starts his class by guiding students through stretching exercises and fundamental capoeira skills. He stresses the aspect of capoeira that distinguishes it from other martial arts — its ability to unite individuals, across barriers of race, ethnicity, religion, finances, and physical abilities.
“I don’t see any other martial arts with kids two years old and elders of 90 years old playing [as in capoeira] in the same class,” Silva said. “I don’t know many art forms that welcome people with autism, people in wheelchairs, people with visual, audio, or speech deficiency.”
Student participants say capoeira’s inclusive and welcoming community is a place for all students to feel comfortable expressing themselves. Throughout the quarter, students practice fighting one another, gradually progressing towards participating in the capoeira roda, an interactive circle where two individuals play against each other, aiming to exhibit their creativity and personal development in the art form.
Students enrolled in Mariano Silva’s capoeira class gradually progress towards participating in a roda, a circle where two individuals play against each other and show off their creative development in the art.
“When I first started, I was scared of people looking at me and judging,” said Noelle Marquis, a current UCSB undergraduate student and teaching assistant for Silva’s capoeira class. “The more you do capoeira the more comfortable you become just existing, taking up space and standing up tall.”
Another of Silva’s students, Denisse Lopez appreciates the authenticity and ability to be accepted for oneself.
“You don’t need to change to play capoeira. Everyone is welcome and everyone can feel like a part of the community,” Lopez said.
Maiya Nishime is a third-year student at UC Santa Barbara, majoring in Economics and pursuing the Professional Writing Minor. She produced this article and video for her Digital Journalism class.