The first time the Olympics were held in South America was in 2016, Rio de Janeiro. It was an opportunity to showcase Brazilian culture internationally through performances and spectacles. The opening ceremony was an incredible presentation, focusing on landscapes and forests, Brazilian history, music, and samba, among others. This display is remembered for its multicultural and diverse roots, embedded in a beautiful exhibition that paid an homage to the native Brazilian people.  
 
Despite a budget of only 10% of the previous Olympics, held in London, it had a focus on originality and ingenuity – telling a story of the past to the people of the world. Apart from this, there was a focus on climate change to help preserve our world as we know it today. The entire Maracanã football stadium served as a stage during the opening ceremony, with presentations by Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, and others. They went on to say that the concept given for the show was to “emphasize ‘originality’ over ‘luxury’ and compensate with creativity, rhythm, and emotion.”  
 
The Opening Ceremony was the greatest spectacle, arguably, ever presented in Brazil. This is considering the size of the stage and stadium, over 6,000 performers, and the responsibility that comes with hosting such a prestigious and inspiring Greek event of over 2000 years, which was transmitted to billions of people across the globe. For the few weeks it took place, Brazil was the center of attention and so they took this chance to display the several cultures that exist within the country, whether it be Amazonians, the Cariocas, the Paulistanos, or the Mineiros, spreading a message and showing the importance of history in a beautiful and captivating manner. 
 
The 2016 Olympics was a culturally significant event, not only due to its performances and games, but the people who were there to support their countries and perhaps learned a little bit more about their own heritage. It was a unique experience both for the foreigners who likely saw Brazil for the first time as well as Brazilians who had never understood just how much this event meant to so many people worldwide. This was a monumental presentation of Brazil’s capacity to organize an Olympic event and also make something beautiful of it, triumphantly expressing the true essence of Brazil. ​

​Even though it contains just two notes played with a single string, the berimbau is used in capoeira to convey a variety of meanings that are fundamental in understanding how to play it. In capoeira, it is the rhythm of the music which controls the movements of the players and denotes the type of the game. The secret to being good at capoeira is to pay more attention to what the music is telling you to do, rather than what your opponent is making you do!

There are mainly 7 different types of capoeira rhythms that lead the game: Angola, São Bento, Santa Maria, Amazonas, Idalina, Benguela, and Iúna. They all symbolise different things that add to the many layers of Capoeira.
 
Angola is used for slow, low games, in which the dancers hold their hand on the ground. The players are grounded and loose, using balanced movements to play. This is the most common rhythm and the origin of capoeira.
 
São Bento is a more energetic and loud beat, played with a medium-sized berimbau and two tambourines to accompany the rhythm (this formation is called ‘charanga’). The players require attention and skill to keep up with the high, fast energy of the game.
 
Santa Maria is one of the most beautiful rhythms to be played in capoeira, with a long arpeggio of notes which sets the beat for profound matches.
 
Amazonas is one of the most difficult beats in capoeira, due to its rich rhythm and subtle, sudden melodic variations throughout the game. It is used for festive celebrations to greet visitors from other regions and places.
 
Idalina does not have a specific requirement for the players to dance to – they just have to steadily go along with the music. The beat is intermittent, so this one is also frequently used for the improvement of the dancers’ movements. It’s close to a ‘freestyle’ rhythm.
 
Benguela is used for a more rhythmic, quick and short, steady game. It is exclusively not a fighting game, and one of the most peaceful rhythms in capoeira.
 
Finally, Iúna is  based on the birdsong of the Iúna bird, with flourishing movements. Only experts in capoeira are allowed to participate in this game. During the performance, only instruments are to be played, with no singing. It is used to determine the hierarchy between masters and trainees.
 
Capoeira has been alive for hundreds of years, and following these rules have made it even more valued throughout these years!