The Associação Brasileira de Apoio e Desenvolvimento da Arte-Capoeira (ABADÁ-Capoeira), in English translated as "The Brazilian Association for the Support and Development of the Art of Capoeira", is a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to spread and support Brazilian culture through the practice of capoeira. Founded in 1988 by Mestre Camisa, José Tadeu Carneiro Cardoso, ABADÁ is based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is one of the largest capoeira organizations in the world with over 41,000 members representing schools throughout every state of Brazil as well as 30 different countries. ABADÁ is distinguished from other capoeira organizations by its worldwide growth as well as its style, standards, and philosophy.
Style, standards, and philosophy
Style
"ABADÁ-Capoeira prides itself on the originality and constant refinement of its style of capoeira, renown [sic] for its efficiency, aesthetics, and its cultural and historical relevance", explains ABADÁ-Capoeira San Francisco. Part of the contemporary renaissance of capoeira, ABADÁ-Capoeira seeks to incorporate the practices of the two main branches of the art, Capoeira Regional and Capoeira Angola. Its instruction embraces the fundamental customs of the time-honored art while at the same time engaging the modernizing advances of recent Mestres, in particular Mestre Bimba. An aluno formado of Mestre Bimba, Camisa "developed his own philosophy and methodology for teaching capoeira by following the innovative concepts of his teacher, the great master of Capoeira Regional, Bimba. Mestre Camisa's vision for ABADÁ-Capoeira has been to create an organization that strives to move forward by keeping one foot in the past and one foot in the future, maintaining tradition while adapting to society's changes".
Standards
As explained by ABADÁ-Capoeira San Francisco: ABADÁ-Capoeira believes that the study of capoeira involves dedication to all the various aspects of the art, emphasizing in particular the relentless pursuit of technical mastery of the physical elements of capoeira and the constant evolution of the technique to improve efficiency and prevent injury. Equally important is the understanding of and reverence for capoeira's rich history, including the preservation and recovery of the instruments, rhythms, and games of capoeira, individual competency in and knowledge of the game’s music and instruments, and participation in the larger capoeira community in Brazil and throughout the world.
As this last suggests, ABADÁ-Capoeira expresses itself not only as an athletic endeavor but also as a holistic practice that helps individuals develop as members of society at large.
Philosophy
As described by ABADÁ-Capoeira New York City, ABADÁ-Capoeira incorporates a multi-leveled philosophy aimed at sustaining the development of capoeira through its members as well as utilizing capoeira as tool for individual and communal growth. At its base, the school stresses the "relentless pursuit of the technical mastery of capoeira, at both the student and instructor levels". Training provides a solid foundation in the art’s movements and principles, promoting discipline as well as physical and mental awareness. Ongoing training recognizes the transformation of the student into a teacher as she or he progresses through various stages of development and returns his or her learned experience to the group. This process helps maintain the original value systems of the early capoeira masters, their culture and their life experiences, as the cycle of learning continues. At the same time, a dialogue opens by which the "teacher" is also informed and instructed by the "student" as the student marks her or his own personal achievements as a capoeirista.
Just as important, ABADÁ-Capoeira promotes capoeira as an artistic and cultural resource, as well as a valuable pedagogic tool. A holistic approach to all aspects of the art and its traditions, in particular the songs and instruments, helps maintain a firm connection to its Brazilian heritage. At the same time, ABADÁ-Capoeira promotes creative exploration within the idea of "play". Capoeiristas do not exactly compete in the rodas, but rather strive with their partner to produce the best game possible, and this understanding of play extends into other aspects of the capoeirista’s training.