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Show Thursday. August 9, 2007 NORTH COUNTY NEWSPAPERS Page 3 Brazilian transplant brings; capoeira to Utah County For Brazilian master Edson "Xochinho" Lima and his wife, Karla, capoeira is not just a martial art or a form of entertainment, entertain-ment, but a way of life. "First of all, because it was created by my ancestors, the African slaves brought to Brazil in a period when they were not allowed to practice their own culture," Xochinho says; "but also because I learned most of my principles by practicing capoeira." He recalls how, when growing grow-ing up in a tough area in Brazil, his mother was smart enough to put him in capoeira lessons to keep him busy and out of trouble. "I learned there that I shouldn't be out on the streets; that I shouldn't use drugs or go with the wrong kind of people. Somehow, capoeira took me out of the wrong way and put me in the right one." But what exactly is capoeira? ca-poeira? For some, it's a martial art, for others it's a form of acrobatic acro-batic dance. "To put it in simple terms, I would say it's a martial mar-tial art with dance-like movements," move-ments," Xochinho says. In fact, it all goes back to its origins, when African slaves living in Brazil in the 17th century cen-tury had to disguise their way of fighting as a dance. On the numerous plantations of the Brazilian countryside, enslaved Africans practiced and used these methods to defend themselves, them-selves, but after this form of fighting was banned by slave owners and other authorities, the community found ways to keep it alive. It was then that capoeira was incorporated into dance movements in public, pub-lic, and secret locations were arranged for its practice in private. Whether it's an African or a Brazilian art has often been disputed. Xochinho says that the most recent studies seem to confirm that, although created by African Af-rican people, it was actually , born on Brazilian soil, also influenced in-fluenced by Brazilian Indians. Whatever its origin is, in its present form, capoeira has already crossed the Brazilian Brazil-ian borders, spread all over the world and reached Africa where the number of capoei-ristas capoei-ristas is increasing steadily, especially in Angola and Mozambique, Mo-zambique, former Portuguese colonies. The same as samba, soccer or Carnival, capoeira travels with Brazilians. Edson and Karla Lima arrived in Utah in December 2006 to study public health education and psychology psycholo-gy respectively. They had met 10 years ago in their native Brazil also thanks to capoeira. "I was in a park and saw this 'roda' (a circle made of capoei-ristas capoei-ristas playing music and dancing) danc-ing) and asked Xochinho what I"-' . , "-I K : xv . J, . i f $ ' ' -' j& PA Capoeira instructor Edson "Xochinho" Lima helps Spencer Cuevas to do a back flip during a lesson at UVSC. JERONIMO NISADaily Herald that was," Karla recalls. "Then, he told me he could teach me capoeira, and we started dating." dat-ing." The couple has been married mar-ried for six years now. As all capoeiristas, Edson and Karla have nicknames: "Mestrando Xochinho", as Edson Ed-son is known in the capoeira world, means the "Slim Master." Mas-ter." Karla is called "instrutora quase morta" or "the half -dead instructor," referring to her quiet and soft demeanor. Since Edson had taught capoeira ca-poeira in a big school in Brazil, they decided to do the same in Orem, where they live now, and started their own school. For them it's not a matter of making a living or just trying to make enr's meet, but rather a need. "It s a way to relieve myself from the daily pressure. If I don't practice capoeira, I don't fu'-.ctlTi well during the day," Xociunho say s. It seems to be the same reason why Christina Ballin decided to attend the lessons. The mother of two, who served an IDS mission in Brazil, Bra-zil, says capoeira helps her to stay in shape and also learn how to defend herself and her family. "Sometimes I come here so tired because I've been looking after my kids, but after the class I have a lot of energy." Want to learn capoeira? OREM CAPOEIRA CLUB Where: 530 South 1200 West Courtside Apartments (Club House) Orem, Utah 84058 When: Tuesdays & Thursdays 7:00-8:30 p.m. Contact: Edson Lima "Mestrando Xochinho" 4279047 xochinholdshotmail.com J , S : , .-' H - ' . - i' -,,' X I ; ;,, -,- ' LLL : : Karla Lima left and her husband, Edson Lima, perform capoeira in downtown Provo on the 4th of July. JERONIMO NISADaily Herald. Support the future of your community, give the gift of literacy. For more information call 344-2923 me 2rti1iiJ2Wrt1.S HIV www. hera Idextra . com yel lowpages Looking South For Real Estate? 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