FOR PEOPLE bored with the repetitiveness of endurance sports, weight training or yoga, capoeira could be an exciting option. Enthusiasts describe this Brazilian martial art as a life-enhancing experience.

It looks like kickboxing with limbs and air-stabbing feet taking off from cantilevering bodies, set to Afro-Brazilian rhythms.

Like Asian martial arts, capoeira is a lifestyle that engages the body, mind, soul and culture.

Alessandro Coqueiro of the Escola Brasilia Capoeira Philippines started capoeira in 1993 at age 12. ?It?s the dream of every kid to learn capoeira, our national sport. I like the combination of music, martial arts and history which makes it unique. The capoeira history is very much the history of Brazil,? he says.

African slaves in Brazil developed capoeira to struggle for freedom. They used fighting as a dance, the way street gangs in New York turned to breakdance.

It is a tradition for capoeiristas to have nicknames based on their attributes. Coqueiro is better known as Professor Fantasma, which means ?cool ghost.?

Many years ago, capoeira was outlawed in Brazil. Hence, capoeiristas went underground and adopted aliases.

Coqueiro explains that capoeira was established in the Philippines seven years ago. Although there is a large following and there are two schools, he says the martial art is still unfamiliar to many.

Kicks and flips

The highlight of a capoeira class is the roda (pronounced ho-da which means wheel) which imbibes community spirit. Students stand in a circle, singing traditional capoeira songs and playing the berimbaus or long bow instruments, percussion and tambourines.

Music is vital to capoeira as it establishes the pace of the jogo or game, the competitive part of capoeira.

As in every game, there are protocols. Two players, dressed in loose whites, acknowledge each other before they start their ?duel.? They do a cartwheel and engage in teasing gymnastics. One player dodges his opponent?s leg that slices through the air. They react to each other, move at a fast pace, spin around, let loose more high kicks at each other or roll out of the way.

No one gets knocked down on the floor or gets hurt.

It looks more like a dance improvisation than mortal combat.

The players seek harmony in an enjoyable flux of movement.

They finally shake hands to thank each other for the game.

A new pair enters the round, executing variations of lunges, cartwheels, kicks, somersaults and defensive bobs.

Cardiovascular

The game is to outwit the partner. The face-off lasts three minutes, giving way to another pair.

Says capoeirista Nicole Severino, ?As an art form, it?s very compelling. We play together in a circle so there is that powerful interaction with energy between people.?

?The objective is not to fight but to show skills,? explains Coqueiro or Fantasma. ?A good game is when both perform well. When they finish, they shake hands to show that they?re happy. They bring that energy to the group and encourage others to play.?

He notes that occasionally, a kick lands on a player or one gets swept away, a reminder that capoeira can be dangerous.

Initially, students are exhilarated by the cardiovascular benefits of capoeira since it emphasizes kicks and flips, and improves coordination and reflexes.

The various handstands strengthen the arms and shoulders. We saw one girl do push-ups?her chest kissing the floor.

Benefits

Nicole Severino, nicknamed Macaca (monkey), says learning capoeira has surpassed her expectations. This singer from Gafieiera says, ?It has transformed my life and the way I perceive the world. The physical benefits are the immediate results?a sense of well-being, of confidence from knowing how to use your body, and feeling good so you can enjoy your life more.?

She waxes philosophical, ?In life, everybody goes through learning processes. In martial arts there?s a clear hierarchy of leadership and respect. Despite the individual, there?s a collective. As a social order, capoeira gives you a way to see yourself mirrored in that culture. You learn human nature; it?s like a self-help tool.?

Capoeira?s multidisciplinary approach has opened doors for Severino. She learned Portuguese and now earns from translation. After 10 years of training, she received her first teaching belt.

Severino adds that she is inspired by capoeira masters who, despite their greatness, lead a life of simplicity and humility. ?It?s a great example of divinity in human beings.?

Zach Lucero, drummer for Imago, goes by the name Bisnaga (baguette), given his height. Aside from being enamored with the Brazilian lifestyle, he?s now able to regulate his drinking because of capoeira. ?Alcohol slows me down when I?m playing. On the mental side, you?re always in a competitive level. You?re trying to instill discipline in doing the moves, getting them right and playing according to the game. It makes you sharp.?

Before the camera, Coqueiro starts by lunging, shifting his weight from side to side. Then he rolls out cartwheels, with and without the hands, and unleashes a fan kick. He then balances on his head and hands, then gracefully topples onto the floor. He arcs into a handstand, rolls around on his shoulders, and brings his limbs up and over.

There wasn?t a single person in the studio who was over 40 with a mid-life bulge or joint pains.

According to Coqueiro, the classes attract all kinds of people?from students to retirees. ?When you do capoeira, you exercise but you don?t think about the exercise. You?re having fun. If your mind is open to that, age doesn?t matter.?

For details, call 0922-466-2057 or visit the website www.ebcphilippines.com.