Keywords

capoeira, brazilian martial arts

Abstract

The popularity of capoeira, a dance based in the martial arts and originating among slaves in Sixteenth-Century Brazil, has increased greatly in recent decades as it has spread worldwide as a performance representative of Brazilian history and culture. In 1974, capoeira was declared the national sport of Brazil. Today capoeira academies and competitions may be found wherever Brazilian culture is celebrated and communicated in many major foreign cities. My thesis, through the participant/observer method and the use of long interviews, examines capoeira as it is practiced in one particular academy far from the art form's place of origin. In the tradition of the cultural studies branch of communication, my thesis analyzes the movements, manners, and fashions of capoeira. I conclude that capoeira constitutes a cultural communication that has evolved from its roots in human slavery, suffering, and rebelliousness to a modern-day expression of athleticism, art, and community-building.

Notes

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Graduation Date

2005

Semester

Summer

Advisor

Kenney, Richard

Degree

Master of Arts (M.A.)

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Nicholson School of Communication

Degree Program

Communication

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

CFE0000716

URL

http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/etd/CFE0000716

Language

English

Release Date

January 2006

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Masters Thesis (Open Access)

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