A fighting dance gets a fighting chance in the US

FALL RIVER, Massachusetts - With multiple bodies swaying in fluid motions and legs kicking to an African beat, it was obvious this was no regular dance, and definitely not your everyday workout.

"It's timing, all timing," Tabareu, the contramestre, tells his group of students.

"You've got to understand where you are in your movement."

Capoeira, part Brazilian martial art, part dance and part self-expression, is the newest craze at AMP Academy, where getting fit is about a lot more than running in place.

"I wanted to bring it here," says AMP Academy owner Joshua Amarelo.

But make no mistake, capoeira is anything but new.

What students are learning is a martial art created by slaves in the early 16th century.

Because they had no weapons or any way to protect themselves, they practiced capoeira, disguised as a dance and a game to fool slave owners.

It became a tradition passed down through the generations.

"Basically, it was a way to express themselves," says Tabareu, using only his capoeira name.

"It has a freedom element to it."

Tabareu, a native of the Dominican Republic who came to the United States when he was 9 years old, first became aware of capoeira during his first year in high school. He took a class and studied its meaning.

"I fell in love with it right away," he says.

Tabareu says he lived for several years in Brazil, where capoeira was born.

Now, he is contramestre at Grupo Ondas in Warwick, Rhode Island, where he teaches the ancient art.

He says capoeira is for everyone. There is no age limit or fitness prerequisite.

The class starts with a warm-up that includes jumps, kicks and other exercises before the training can begin.

Amarelo says he's been doing capoeira for five years.

"Capoeira has done a lot of good for me as a person," Amarelo says.

He brought it to AMP to "enrich the community" and share his own love of capoeira.

He says not to be afraid of the workout element to capoeira.

"Everyone is going to have their own journey," Amarelo says.

"Your experience and level of fitness (don't) really come into play."

That's because the moves are so different from traditional dance-style exercise classes.

"Capoeira is very fluid," Amarelo says.

"It can change to whatever your body is used to."

He says people get into capoeira at all ages. Some start at 60.

AMP Academy also offers a capo fit class that Amarelo described as "capoeira light".

It's more fitness related than it is about the history and music of capoeira.

Tribune News Service