Capoeira, a Brazilian martial art, is now being offered in Westfield.
Carmel resident Harly Materan, 32, teaches the courses at Aurelia Dance Studio. He also began teaching capoeira classes April 29 at Body Mind & Core in Carmel.
“Capoeira is a cultural Brazilian martial art,” Materan said. “We involve music and (Portugese) language. You involve everything from culture, mind, body and even for some people, spirituality. It involves a lot of coordination.”
Materan said the martial art also gives participants a sense of community.
“For capoeira, you always need a partner. It gives you partnership and teamwork so you can learn with each other,” he said.
Materan offers a teen class once a week for $30 a month. It meets from 10 to 11 a.m. on Saturdays at Aurelia Dance Studio, 3198 Ind. 32, Westfield. He offers an adult class for $60 a month. It meets from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. each Saturday at Aurelia Dance Studio. He also offers a teen class at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and 1:30 p.m. on Saturdays at Body Mind & Core, 1344 S. Range Line Rd., Carmel.
“It helps you with confidence and balancing social interaction. It makes you take time off your (phone) screen,” Materan said. “I’ve noticed today’s kids have anxiety problems, and this definitely helps with anxiety because we perform in front of people and we are always exposing (capoeira) to people, so that definitely helps with anxiety and self-control and to control feelings.”
Materan said he was a shy, introverted child until he became involved with capoeira. Eventually, he wants to open his own capoeira studio. He began practicing capoeira in Venezuela in 2001. He moved to the United States in 2013.
For more, visit capoeiraindy.com.
