Capoeira History

Capoeira is often described as a combination of martial arts, dance and acrobratics. Originally it was used as a disguished fight by the slaves who were shipped to Brazil and put to labour. They made it look like a dance, but in reality they were training their fighting skills to be able to stand up against their slave masters and fight for their freedom.

Since that time capoeira has developed in Brazil and nowadays there are two styles of capoeira: Capoeira Angola and Capoeira Regional.

Capoeira is played in a circle (roda). The circle consists of the 'bateria', the people playing the instruments and thereby deciding what is happening within the roda, and the rest of the capoeiristas clapping and singing along to raise the energy. There are always two people playing in the roda.

The Story of Cordão de Ouro

In 1967, Mestre Suassuna and Mestre Brasília founded the association of Groupo Capoeira Cordão de Ouro in São Paolo, Brazil. Until today, Mestre Suassuna is the president of our group, which now has spread all over Brazil and the world. Mestre Suassuna believes a good capoeirista should be able to play in any kind of roda, indepent if it is a roda of Capoeira Regional or Capoeira Angola. That is why the philosophy of Cordão de Ouro is to learn all styles of capoeira and not to choose one or the other.

'Cordão de Ouro' means belt of gold and it was taken from a song, written before the division of capoeira in Angola and Regional was made.

Belts and Grading

The experience of a capoeirista is reflected by the colors of the belt he is wearing. A player recieves his first belt in a ceremony called the Batizado.

1. Belt: Beginner	2. Belt: Intermediate	3. Belt: Advanced	4. Belt: Monitor	5. Belt: Instructor
	Professor		Contra Mestre
Mestre 1. Degree		Mestre 2. Degree		Mestre 3. Degree
	Mestre 4. Degree		Mestre Golden Degree

History of CDO Indonesia

CDO Indonesia was previously named Capoeira Vadiar Indonesia by Contra-Mestre Papa Leguas from his first-time coming to Indonesia. Its members came from many different cities in Indonesia such as Jakarta, Surabaya, Yogyakarta, Bogor, Kediri, Lamongan and Ngawi.

Based on one vision to learn the real capoeira, these young men make contact and exchange information with C.M Papa-Leguas from CDO Nottingham. And on 2008, they finally invited C.M. Papa-Leguas to come to Indonesia. From the short visit, the Contra-Mestre taught many things of about Capoeira and then Capoeira Vadiar Indonesia was formed.

On October 2009, the second-coming of C.M. Papa-Leguas, He and His Teacher, Mestre Suassuna (by message) officially announced the change of Capoeira Vadiar Indonesia into Cordao de Ouro Indonesia.