Ariranha was born in Cachoeiro de Itapemirim,
Espirito Santo, Brazil, where he began training at
a very young age. Eventually he found Mestre Capixaba
with whom he formally begun training under.
Ariranha trained and taught capoeira in Brazil until the mid-1990's when he moved to the United States to open classes. After successfully establishing a group in California he moved to Westchester County, NY in 2004.
In his three decades of capoeira, Ariranha had the gift of training with several capoeira legends like Mestre Louro (Ezequiel/Bimba), Mestre Camisa (Camisa Roxa/Bimba), Grao Mestre Joao Grande (Pastinha), as well as Mestre Capixaba.
Teaching in martial arts studios,academic institutions,and community centers (for homeless children and inner city kids) in Brazil and US, Ariranha always has been focused in the tradition and fundamentals of capoeira as one, not dividing the art form by names (the Angola/Regional dichotomy) instead, enforcing the styles by the berimbau rhythms and the game strategy used in each rhythm.
Ariranha is author to many famous capoeira songs and is also a master musician.
Capoeira is a martial art that comes from Brazil.
It is roughly 500 years old. It was developed in
Brazil by African slaves. It is the only surviving
Martial Art native to the New World. It's
aesthetics are unique to itself, although draw on
it's rich African heritage.
Capoeira is more than just another martial art, as it is an art of expression, play and personal interaction developed in the oppressive atmosphere and environment of slavery, that has survived into the 21st century. In Portuguese, the language of Brazil, Capoeira is referred to as a jogo, or a game. Capoeira is characterized by deceptive kicks, sweeps, trip-em-ups, head butts, elbows and knees.
Two players enter a circle of onlookers and participants, known as a roda. At the head of the roda are musicians, fellow Capoeira players, who play instruments specific to the art. There is the berimbau, an primitive bowed instrument, played by a Mestre, or master of the art, whose tempo dictates to the players what game they will play in the roda. The berimbau is accompanied by the atabaque, a floor drum, and a pandeiro, a Brazilian tambourine. The Mestre also leads the onlookers and fellow players in songs that reflect the type of games being played within the roda. Fast tempos dictate games where the players throw fast, powerful kicks and blows at each other, along with movements reminiscent of the most acrobatic gymnastics. Slower tempos dictate more dance like interaction, and more deception between the two players.
Lyrics to songs reflect the action. For example, if one player is obviously losing his cool, the Mestre might sing a traditional song about a bawling child who is crying. The lyrics serve to remind the upset player that he is losing his cool, and hence emotional balance, a key to good Capoeira play.
On it's deepest level, Capoeira transcends martial arts, music and ritual and is a philosophical framework for approaching and interacting with the others and the world at large. It is a deep and holistic art form that pushes the practitioner to the proverbial limits - physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
