Spanish junior Tyler Lindquist is a member of the Center of Latin American and Caribbean Studies. He said with the Center’s Portuguese program having recent growth, they thought it would be important to bring a Brazilian cultural event to Michigan State University.  

The organization wanted to put an emphasis on the history behind Capoeira, he said.

Center of Latin American and Caribbean Studies Outreach Coordinator Joy Whitten said the practice of Capoeira originated from enslaved people looking to learn how to defend themselves in a discreet manner in Brazil in the 1800s. 

“The history of capoeira has its roots in Afro-Brazilian tradition, from when the slaves were brought to Brazil, the colony, it was a way for them to communicate, but also pass time and also defend themselves," Whitten said "That is why it was eventually outlawed."

Capoeira wasn’t legalized in Brazil until the 1940s, according to Whitten. 

Lindquist said the event gave them an opportunity to show how the practice of Capoeira has changed over time. 

"We have it here in America, we have here in Michigan, so that's awesome, and so it's expanded, and it's become more than just the act of the resistance that the Africans used to maintain and protect their cultural identity, their spirituality," Lindquist said. "It's a beautiful event that we can host here, because we can introduce that background, and then also bring that into the present day and see what it looks like, how things have changed." 

Whitten said the Capoeira class offered students an opportunity to “blow off some steam” because of the stress that often accompanies the end of semester.  

Lobinho hopes the students that came to the class motivate others to try Capoeria as well. 

“I hope they understand that Capoeira isn’t just a dance or a martial art," Lobinho said. "Capoeira is way, way more than just a physical movement. Capoeira, it's the community, it is the empowerment of how much people can do together."