Description
Capoeira is an amazing tool to help you with your physical and mental fitness. If you are a complete beginner or at the start of your fitness journey this is the course for you. It is a Brazilian art form that combines elements of martial arts, dance, acrobatics and music. Throughout the course you will learn the basic movements of Capoeira including kicks, dodges, handstands amongst other movements and you will learn how to use these movements with another person when you play Capoeira. You will also be introduced to the music and instruments of Capoeira. The class is open to beginners and more advanced practitioners. Capoeira is practiced in bare feet or with thin-soled trainers. Each class will begin with a warm-up followed by stretching. After which you will focus on one or two kicks and dodges, working individually first, then in pairs. You will also learn different sequences of movements as you get more familiar with them. Then you will do exercises to work on handstands and cartwheels and other more acrobatic movements. The class will finish with playing capoeira in pairs or within a circle, which is when the music and instruments of capoeira will be introduced.
Francis Matthews has been practicing Capoeira since 2002, shortly after it arrived in Ireland. He has a keen interest in martial arts and had practiced Tae KwonDo for 10 years and Judo for 3 years before starting Capoeira. It was the distinctive movement of Capoeira that first caught his attention. As well as the physical workout and challenge of Capoeira, the musical aspect and the variety and spontaneity of the game of Capoeira and cultural aspects continue to inspire his interest. He taught the UCD Capoeira Club for 7 years and he has been assisting teaching Mundo Capoeira Classes in Dublin city centre since 2010.
