FAQs
What should I wear to class?
We recommend a t-shirt or athletic top that you can go upside-down in and pants that allow you to move freely.
Will the instructor yell at me?
Our instructors’ job is to guide and teach, not be your drill sergeant. We’ll be more firm with more experienced students, but that’s usually about kick form they should know by now.
Do I need to be aggressive or yell?
Capoeira by nature isn’t aggressive and we don’t yell as we kick or escape. It's also called "vadiação" which means "loitering", so we're pretty laid back. We prefer tricky and deceptive play to aggressive training.
Am I going to be hit? Have to hit people?
Yes and no. The goal of Capoeira is to create a dialogue of movement: kick, escape and counter attack. So we train to get out of the way and keep the game going, not just kick each other. We occasionally do kicking drills where you get hit. During these drills, partners are always letting each other know whether they want to get hit harder or softer depending on their comfort level or how they feel that session.
Will I be gendered in class or on any forms?
We don’t do “yes sir / ma’am” like other martial arts, just yes or no. Pronouns will be used in class as we do demonstrations and questions, but we will use your pronouns or use your name.
For titles, Portuguese is a gendered language. Thankfully, we’ve been able to find a resource that’s been gathering information on gender neutral pronouns in the Portuguese speaking world. We’ve added these pronouns to our titles to make our ranks more inclusive.
What else should I know about training?
Capoeira is all about expression. We want you to move and play like you, not like anyone else. Our diversity of styles makes us all stronger, trickier Capoeira players.