Percussion in Brazil is heavily influenced by african rhythms and beats. Black slaves from West Africa brought with them a tradition and culture that shaped the evolution of Brazilian percussion. There are many different kinds of drums like the repinique, the cuica, and the pandeiro.

Percussion is intrumental in both samba and capoeira. Take a course and learn about the history of Brazilian percussion and how to play several different kinds of drums.

Some believe that Capoeira was first created and developed by African slaves brought to Brazil from Angola, the Congo, the Gulf of Guinea and the Gold Coast, who used it as a way to practice their martial arts moves while making it appear to be a game or dance. Since the slave-masters forbade any kind of martial art, it was cloaked in the guise of an innocent-looking recreational dance. Others believe that Capoeira was practiced and used to fend off attacks by Portuguese slavers in Palmares, Brazil's most famous colony of escaped slaves.

Learn the intricate and challenging moves of this Brazilian martial art in Salvador da Bahia as an extra-curricular activity after your Portuguese lessons.