Women in Capoeira

Let’s face it: women and men are different. And in some parts of the world, they are hardly equal.

Even within the realm of capoeira– the great equalizer where people from different walks of life unite under a common practice– the relationship between the sexes is still a reflection of society at large, a microcosm of the greater patriarchy.

Historically, the number of females who practiced this Afro-Brazilian martial art has typically been much lower than that of their male counterparts. To the uninitiated, capoeira can appear violent and dangerous and consequently an environment unsuitable for the “soft” and “delicate” nature of women.

Because of the way they’ve been treated, some females enter capoeira classes with a chip on their shoulders, feeling like they have to prove themselves to those who assume they’re there to land a man. And sometimes, opposition to women’s involvement comes not only from men, but from women as well. Such was the case for Contra Mestre Jô, who started capoeira as a young girl in Brazil, to the chagrin of her mother. Decades later, she went on to be the first female to found a capoeira group, Equipe Jô Capoeira, in 2005.

While sexism might manifest in different ways– such as songs that objectify women, or an instructor’s apparent lack of interest in female students– women shouldn’t be discouraged, or question their ability to excel in the art that has been called, “the fight of the oppressed.”

As Andrea Podracky, the highest ranking female in Grupo Axé Capoeira, pointed out in a lecture in London, “Due to biology, woman are smaller and are, generally speaking, capable of less strength then the majority of men. However, this imbalance does not just exist between woman and men, but also in older capoeiristas as compared to young capoeiristas; capoeiristas from a privileged society as compared to those who are not; and those whose bodies have certain limitations to those who do not.”

Podracky says she’s never felt limited due to her gender and credits her teachers for never making her feel there was something she couldn’t do.

“This is how I look at it: if you have a weakness, work to diminish its effect on your dreams, and if you have a strength, develop it to its maximum potential. It is how you get around these weaknesses/obstacles that is part of the maladragem of capoeira. Every capoeirista– woman, man, young, old– needs to understand their limitations and find creative ways to work around them.”

These days, young girls will find more female role models than their predecessors did, in trailblazers like Monitora Andrea, Contra Mestre Jô, and Mestranda Edna Lima from Abadá Capoeira.

“Women have the freedom and the right [to play capoeira],” said Contra Mestre Jô in an interview she did while in Colombia. “It’s not easy, it’s a long process. You have to demand respect so that men respect you.”

Success in the form of development and advancement in capoeira is not dependent on brute strength. While physical strength does help, capoeira is a holistic art form, with varied aspects, all of equal importance. Capoeiristas should continually train the techniques that require the most work for them. So despite the fact that men are, generally, physically bigger and stronger than women, women still have the ability to excel. In fact, both genders and all individuals will undoubtedly find personal challenges at some point in their capoeira journey.

While women as a group may share certain struggles, every capoeirista has her/his own path, with its own share of obstacles to be overcome.

Picture by Brij Charan.

Alison Isaac is a writer/editor looking for any number of diverse freelance opportunities. I have experience writing for print and online.