In this video (embedded below), two distinct moments of creative spontaneity converge: one musical, the other physical. The energy you see and hear is a testament to the power of improvisation as a life force, connecting sound and movement across time and space.

The Music: An 8-Day Storm of Acoustic Creation

The soundtrack is not a pre-written composition but a raw slice of improvisational magic. During an intensive 8-day recording session, my friend, guitarist Donald Dias, and I set up microphones and committed to a process of pure discovery. Without any pre-composed songs or structures, we engaged in a musical dialogue, drawing from the wells of Brazilian rhythms, African diaspora traditions, and our own artistic instincts.

The result was over 200 unique, improvised tracks. This piece is one of those moments—a conversation where my berimbau patterns and vocal calls (ladainhas) intertwine with Donald’s responsive and melodic guitar work. Recorded outdoors, under the sky, the track carries the authentic, unfiltered quality of impromptu acoustic music, where the environment becomes part of the performance.

The Movement: A Solo Capoeira Dialogue in the Gym

The visual component of this video is a separate event—a solo Capoeira demonstration I performed at my gym. While filmed at a different time, the sequence is a direct physical response to the energy captured in the music. In Capoeira, the berimbau is not merely an instrument; it is the master of the roda (the circle). Its rhythms dictate the style and intensity of the game. Every swing, kick, and escape (ginga, au, rasteira) you see is an expression of the conversation already happening in the audio.

The gym floor transforms into a solitary roda, a space where I can dialogue with the invisible presence of the music. This showcases a fundamental principle of Capoeira: the movement is the music made visible.

About the Elements:

• Capoeira: An Afro-Brazilian art form that synthesizes dance, acrobatics, music, and ritual. It is a game of cunning, strategy, and fluidity, often described as a “conversation” between two players.
• The Berimbau: A single-string percussion bow, originally from Africa, is the soul of Capoeira. Its distinctive twang establishes the rhythm (toque) and pace of the game. The player uses a stone or coin (pedra or dobrão) to change the pitch, while the caxixi (wicker rattle) provides a steady accompanying rhythm.
• Improvisation (Jogo de Cintura): In both the music and the martial art, “jogo de cintura” (literally “game of the waist”) is a core concept. It represents the ability to adapt fluidly to unexpected challenges, to improvise solutions, and to flow with the moment. This project is a celebration of that very principle.

This video is a fusion of two artistic impulses—one auditory, one kinetic—both born from a place of spontaneity and deep cultural roots.

Credits:

• Guitar & Musical Collaboration: Donald Dias
• Berimbau, Vocals, & Capoeira Demonstration: Dr. Hakeem Ali-Bocas Alexander
• Video Filmed at: Onelife Fitness Redmill
• Music Recorded: Outside of a TJ Max in Tarzana, California (Los Angeles).