Capoeira at Duke is a vibrant community. Students find their way into the Duke capoeira community through an interest in dance, afro-Brazilian culture, cultural anthropology, or martial arts. Given capoeira’s multifaceted nature, the students at Duke represent diverse backgrounds and have varied reasons for joining the community. From native Brazilians never having played capoeira before to dance students looking for a different style of movement, capoeira has a reason for everyone to join.
Capoeira at Duke centers around a capoeira class. As expected, the class is cross-listed in African & African American Studies, Cultural Anthropology, Romance Studies, and Dance Departments. Beyond the class’s multidisciplinary nature, The course caries CCI, W, ALP, and SS codes. Such a diverse set of departments and course codes makes capoeira a great option for students wishing to accomplish different degrees and requirements.
Duke offers the class as a half credit or a full credit, depending on the semester. Both classes focus on a biweekly studio session. In the studio, students learn to play Capoeira Angola, including movement, singing, and playing instruments. At the beginning of the semester, students focus on fundamentals, working up to playing full games by the end of the semester. Students also get basic exposure to the language, culture, and history surrounding capoeira.
Though students learn some of the culture and history in studio, they learn most of it in a once-weekly seminar (the only difference between full and half-credit courses). In seminar, students dive deep into the historical, cultural, and socio-political aspects of Capoeira Angola. The seminar is just as engaging as studio, and the two distinct aspects of the course complement each other, driving multi lensed view of capoeira. Students in seminar read ethnographic and historical accounts of capoeira and the African experience in Brazil; in class, there are lectures and discussions.
Overall, capoeira at Duke centers around the course but builds a diverse and multidisciplinary area of study that goes beyond the class time.
For more information on capoeira at Duke check the course listings HERE
Written by Royal Caswell
