Capoeira Festival: students perform a sports presentation

By Maria Rita Quemello

Aiming to promote the practice of capoeira and to strengthen Brazilian cultural expression, Beacon invited students from the Optional Activities to the second edition of the Capoeira Festival.

Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian sport that mixes martial art, dance, and music. Introducing it into children’s education promotes motor coordination, visual field, creativity, self-esteem, and movement automation. 

The Festival counted with the participation of students from G3 (3 years old) to year 3 (Y3) with the guidance of the sports leader teacher, Thiago Melo, and the Capoeira teacher, João Cunha.

“Last year we held the first Capoeira Festival, only with our students, without inviting other schools. In that year, professor Marcola, the precursor of capoeira at Beacon, finished his career at the school. Therefore, in 2021, in addition to the festival and the awarding of the belts, we also paid homage to him”, explains the teacher. 

Thiago commented on the importance of capoeira in the development of children. “Through this sport, the students understand the rhythm of music and movement and work on coordination issues. Cultural issues are also involved. The songs carry a meaning, they always carry a message”. The teacher concluded with the project’s areas of action. “Capoeira is included in the sports area because of the movement, but it also embraces the artistic area through its music, and sustainable aspects through its instruments, which are made of recyclable materials”, says the teacher. 

From the beginning of the classes until the day of the presentation, it was possible to observe the development of the students, the care with the instrument, and the respect they seek among their classmates inside the circle.