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Capoeira is a sport native to Brazil. Its creation is attributed to the African slaves who had been imported by the Portuguese since the early 1500's. More slaves were taken to Brazil than any other country in the world. Capoeira was the only form of release available to many Africans, and it involved physical, musical, mental and emotional expressions and applications. Even today, Capoeira is an expression of the African people in Brazil and is rich with African culture. Another important part of the history of this art form is the fact that far more African men were imported to Brazil than women. The history of Brazilian slavery shows that these men, both African and some Brazilian, often formed tight groups on plantations or in communities of escaped slaves. Capoeira served as a unifying instrument in these groups where many of the men did not come from the same regions and spoke many different languages.

Starting around 1814, many forms of African cultural expression were prohibited by the slave masters. Some of the motives for suppressing Capoeira in particular were that it gave the slaves a sense of unity and nationality, it developed self-confidence in the Capoeiristas (practitioners) and it created skilled fighters. So how was Capoeira practiced? In Rio de Janeiro it was practiced in a violent form, whereas in Salvador it was practiced as a ritual-dance-fight-game. Some practiced in private, while others did so openly, in defiance of the laws prohibiting it. According to one theory, Capoeira was a martial art that was disguised as a dance so that it could be practiced unbeknownst to the white slave masters.

In Bahia, the African instrument called the berimbau began to be used in the circles that Capoeira was played. These circles were known as rodas, and the berimbau was used to keep the rhythm and tempo. It also served the purpose of warning the roda of an intruder or the police. When the intruder rhythm was played the people would start dancing the samba so as to disguise the true purpose of the gathering. For this reason, Capoeira and the berimbau became symbols of survival; anyone caught practicing could be imprisoned or executed.

In 1932 Mestre Bimba (Manuel dos Reis Machado 1900-1974) opened the first Capoeira academy. This was in an effort to promote Capoeira as a Brazilian Sport. He sacrificed much of the ritual aspect for the more aggressive and fighting spirit. He called this style Capoeira Regional. Then, in 1941, Mestre Pastinha (Vincente Ferreira Pastinha 1889-1981) opened his school that taught the more "traditional" Capoeira. This style is known as Capoeira Angola. Capoeira has spread all over the world and can be classified under Regional, Angola or a combination of both because much of what is taught today is attributed to these two men.

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