The latest fitness trend in Egypt seems to be ditching the usual fitness routine for a different and more fun alternative. It seems that now people are more interested in practicing something new and exotic. In our search for that we found Capoeira; a Brazilian martial arts that combines dance, aerobics and music. We were very intrigued especially that it has been attracting many people all around Egypt and so -with an excited step- we attended one of their classes to get a feel for what it really is!Ā 

Once we got there, we were welcomed by Professor Passoka who is the instructor of ā€œOlorum Bahia Capoeiraā€ which is the name of the group. You could instantly feel a positive vibe and great energy from every ā€œCapoeristaā€. They took us on a trip through time to tell us more about the fascinating history of Capoeira! The ā€œdanceā€ started in Brazil when African slaves wanted to learn to defend themselves but couldnā€™t practice in public for fear of getting punished and imprisoned. They disguised their martial arts training in the form of dance and created songs and music to turn it into a form of entertainment. The moves are strong, swift and fast all of which can be used in real self-defense situations. It started becoming popular and travelled through delegates to other cultures and quickly became a worldwide fad and sport. Ā 


The first Capoeira group started in Egypt around 2011 by a French guy who invited Professor Passoka to give the group their codes. Passoka really liked Egypt and felt connected to its culture and when he was invited to come to Egypt and take over the group, he accepted the offer and started teaching in Egypt. For those of you wondering if this is too aggressive or advanced for the young or even elderly, it is not. Anyone can start learning Capoeira and taking it step by step and the results of it is apparently life changing! According to Iman (27) or ā€œCapoeirista Cantaloupaā€ who has been practicing it for over a year, ā€œIt completely changes your life and your personality. We release all the stress from daily life and the bond between us is strong. We help each other grow and eventually they become like your family.ā€

If you are looking for a fitness class where you can learn martial arts, defend yourself, renew your energy and even learn different aspects of life then Capoeira is definitely the thing for you! Follow their Facebook page OlorumBahiaCapoeiraEgypt to learn about where you can take the class and any upcoming events.Ā