Da inversão à re-inversão do olhar: ritual e performance na capoeira angola

Abstract

The aim of this thesis is to analyze the capoeira angola from the anthropology of performance perspective. Through an ethnographic record, it was aimed to trace the background of the main masters who are responsible for its development and dissemination, mainly in the State of São Paulo; to understand the various aspects through which capoeira angola is represented by its practitioners; and apprehend the multiplicity of meanings that its analysis, being a ritual performance, can offer. In this aspect, the multivocal and multisensorial experiences gathered by capoeira angola, which would be the characteristics of the notion of ritual performance, prompted this analysis. Considering the capoeiristas background in a specific lineage (Mestre Pastinha s), it was possible to notice that angoleiros (capoeira angola followers) of the Centro Esportivo de Capoeira Angola Academia de João Pequeno de Pastinha followed some precepts regarding the body movement techniques, and thus, promoting the conveyance of a set of values that guided its practice. These techniques were related to capoeira angola not only in its definition as a game, fight, dance, sport, art, culture or life philosophy, but also in its several dimensions of practice that establishes an innate relation amongst body movements, music, and moral and esthetics nature principles. The understanding of such techniques brought to the light the capoeira angola strict esthetics basis and, making a symbolic analysis from the anthropology of performance view, the mestre angoleiro stands out as an artist and an educator .