A

Acad­e­mia — capoeira school
Aluno — stu­dent of a capoeira mas­ter; same as dis­cip­ulo
Angola — a tra­di­tional style of capoeira
Angoleiro — a prac­ti­tioner of the Angola style
arame — metal string on the berim­bau
aviso — a berim­bau rythmn, for­merly used to warn play­ers of a police raid

B

bamba — some­one adept at ver­bal or phys­i­cal spar­ring; capoeira expert
bar­ravent — a berim­bau rythmn; refers to a pre­pos­s­e­sion trance state
berim­bau — lead instru­ment in capoeira, a musi­cal bow
brin­car — to play like a child

C

cabaça — gourd used as the res­onator on the berim­bau
camará — com­rade; capoeira col­lege
capoeirista — a capoeira player
cav­alaria — ‘cav­alry,’ a berim­bau rhythm for­merly used to warn of a police raid
cax­ixí — woven rat­tle played with the berim­bau
chula — spe­cial intro­duc­tory song, always fol­lows ladainha
com­prar de jôgo — to buy a game, enter­ing the cir­cle by cut­ting in on another player
con­tramestre — an instruc­tor work­ing under a master’s guid­ance in an acad­emy
cordão — col­ored belt awarded to mark grades of advance­ment in some acad­e­mies
cor­ri­dos — call and response songs accom­pa­ny­ing action in the circle

D

defesa — defen­sive move or move­ment response
dis­cípulo — dis­ci­ple, stu­dent of a capoeira mas­ter
dobrão — coin used to play the berimbau

F

fechar o corpo — to close the body
flo­r­eios — acro­batic move­ments
for­matura — grad­u­a­tion cer­e­mony for a new capoeira master

I

iaiá, ioiô — terms used by slaves for daugh­ters and sons of the master

J

jogador — player
jogar — to play games
jôgo — game

L

ladainha — litany, and intro­duc­tory solo, usu­ally sung by a mas­ter
ligeiro — swift, quick; nim­ble, agile; slip­pery, dishonest