A Brief History of Capoeira -- The Challenges of Teaching and Learning Capoeira Abroad -- Travel as a Way to Overcome Doubts -- Preparing for the Pilgrimage -- A World in which the Black Brazilian Man Is King -- How the Rest of Us Get Our Foot in the Door -- Does Form Really Matter? -- Will I Ever Be Good Enough? -- Conclusion and Future Directions
Summary
Every year, countless young adults from affluent, Western nations travel to Brazil to train in capoeira, the dance/martial art form that is one of the most visible strands of the Afro-Brazilian cultural tradition. In Search of Legitimacy explores why 'first world' men and women leave behind their jobs, families, and friends to pursue a strenuous training regimen in a historically disparaged and marginalized practice. Using the concept of apprenticeship pilgrimage'studying with a local master at a historical point of origin'the author examines how non-Brazilian capoeiristas learn their art and claim legitimacy while navigating the complexities of wealth disparity, racial discrimination, and cultural appropriation
