Digging Deeper into Capoeira

Last year I published an article on an athletic shoe called Paraná, which was inspired by Capoeira—an Afro-Brazilian art form that combines martial arts, dance, and rhythmic motion to the beat of drums: Paraná, Capoeira & Italian Football.

This Saturday while attending a street festival in the small historic town of Princeton, New Jersey, located just 50 minutes outside New York city, I met a group of performers who belong to Senzala Princeton University.

Although Capoeria dates back hundreds of years, Grupo Senzala was founded in the Sixties by two brothers, Rafael and Paulo Flores Viana, in Rio de Janeiro.

The movement soon expanded throughout the Americas and Europe, spreading to the New York area. The Princeton group was founded by Mestre Zumbi, who began training at the age of nine.

For additional information or to watch movies of Capoeira Senzala, click here.



Photo & slideshow Copyright Men's Fashion by Francesco.

Paraná, Capoeira & Italian Football

What better model than Italian footballer, Lorenzo De Silvestri—who just turned 21 on Saturday—is there to kickoff the summer campaign for the new Italo-Brazilian sneaker Paraná?!
Discovered by the Italian entrepreneur Marco Gaudenzi while vacationing in Brazil, Paraná sneakers come in vibrant colors and are so lightweight that they fit like a glove.

The shoe was originally created for capoeira, the Afro-Brazilian art form that was brought by the slaves from Africa, most likely Angola, which is characterized by martial arts, acrobatics, and African dance.

One of the most popular songs sung while performing capoeira is Paraná ê, which refers to war of 1865 between Brazil and Paraguay, which lasted for five long years.

At that time, it was decreed in Brazil that any black slave who volunteered for war and survived would be granted freedom

So as the triumphant ex-slaves approached the Paraná River on their way home from battle, they sang a song of freedom, Paraná ê:

I will tell my wife, Paraná
That capoeira won [the war], Paraná
Paraná ê, Paraná ê, Paraná.

Paraná speaks of triumph, liberation, and—with a few modifications—Italian design made in Brazil!

Happy birthday, Lorenzo! Tanti auguri!!!

Photos taken from Fashion Times with permission.