Eugene Capoeira offers weekly classes with highly skilled and experienced teachers. Capoeira is a Brazilian Martial Art that combines martial arts and elements of traditional Brazilian dance and expression. The professor says that it is about “creating art with the person you are fighting.” Capoeira helps to bring awareness to and teach about different cultures and traditions.
Davey Jackson (Professor Brocutu), professor at Eugene Capoeira, drums a rhythm while his Tuesday class warms up and does pushups. Capoeira is a Brazilian oral tradition and martial art that incorporates elements of dance and music and in 2014 was granted a protected status as “intangible cultural heritage” by UNESCO.Davey continues to keep the rhythm and give instruction for his class. Along with his Tuesday class, Davey teaches a class at the local YMCA on Sundays. He is an LLC and works with the City of Eugene, the YMCA, and other local cultural groups. He calls his LLC a “starve up” and that it can be challenging. Working with other organizations helps him to fundraise and bring cultural awareness to the community.Davey goes in front of the class to help them practice their dodging techniques and ginga (a common move that means “swing”). Davey has been practicing martial arts his whole life and began Capoeira in 2000. Growing up as one of few African Americans in his community, he felt he had no tangible African culture, so when he found Capoeira, he felt a spiritual connection to it. He became a formal professor in 2015.Davey brings each student up individually to help them practice drumming and keeping the rhythm for the rest of the class. He shows them the beat and how to hit the drum to make the best sound. Once they have it, they continue to play while he uses the tambourine.The kids all play a game as Davey instructs them from the center of the circle. He plans to take them up to Portland in November for matura, a formal graduation for teachers that is similar to a black belt ceremony in karate. Earlier in October, Davey and other instructors had another event where they put on a public performance at the Eugene Public Library.
