I remember when I started training capoeira, the popular 'folk wisdom' was that there are two styles of capoeira: Regional and Angola.
Angola was created by Mestre Pastinha and was the 'slow crawling on the ground', while Regional was created by Mestre Bimba and was the 'cool fast thing with high kicks and flips'.
It was later when people started to wise up to the fact that Bimba's Regional was something different; and started to call the flippy capoeira 'Contemporanea', to distinguish it from 'real Regional'.
That leaves Regional that Mestre Bimba created - fast high kicks and upright ginga?
Well, not quite. As I learned more about Bimba's capoeira, I found out that 'Regional' is an overloaded name. There are several different styles that all are confusingly grouped under the 'Regional' name.
Let me list them for you:
1) Mestre Bimba's Nemer system
This was the system Bimba created in 1928; mixture of old Bahian capoeira (Physical-game) and 'Batuque' (which was not Batuque at all, but let us leave that for another article).
"In 1928, I created Regional, which is batuque mixed with Angola, with more strikes, a real fight, good for the body and the mind." - Mestre Bimba
This is also the system that Bimba describes in his 'interview article'; and the one that is, more or less, shown in his 'Curso de capoeira regional'.
"Os golpes do jogo de Angola são estes: meia lua de frente, meia lua de compasso (rabo de arraia), meia lua armada, aú pela direita e pela esquerda, cabeçada, chibata, rasteira, raspa, tesoura fechada, balão, leque, encruzilhada, calcanheira, encruzilhada e deslocamento. Destes golpes proseguiu Mestre Bimba retirei dois: encruzilhada e deslocamento. E accrescentei os seguintes: vingativa, banda traçada, balão em pé, balão arqueado, balão “colar” de força, cintura desprezada, cintura de rins, gravata cinturada, tesoura aberta, a benção, salta pescoço, sopapo galopante, godeme, cotovello e dentinho." - 1936-03-16 A Tarde "Mestre Bimba , Campeao na capoeira, desafia todos os lutadores bahianos"
(Note, if you want, that there is no Queixada; neither there is one in ''Curso de capoeira regional'.)
So was this 'Regional' as people today understand it?
Nope. It is important to note that this system is very different from whatever is taught today.
Its basis was Nemer ginga (Monkey+Seduction1+Nemer).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfM0FBCqpQM
The Nemer archetype was used to hide the furious hands strikes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPMGgOEhtQo
Its kicks were done with LightLegs, and most probably with plyometric effect too. (You cannot do Queixada with LightLegs. Coincidence?)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yax-m0sy-Ps
Cocorinha and Negativa were used as evasions; together with Rear Negativa and Nemer Voadora.
The takedowns were launched directly from Nemer ginga.
<TO BE ADDED>
There were many baloes, some unknown today.
<TO BE ADDED>
Nobody I know uses this style today. Yet it was probably this 'Regional' that Bimba used to destroy his opponents in the challenge fights we are told of.
(However, it was not just a system for beating people up, as people sometimes think! Nemer system was intended to be a true heir to the Bahian capoeira; built around challenges and baloes. You do not put 10 new baloes into a style created just for beating people up.)
We can say that this 'Regional' was 'Bimba's personal system' he for some reason did not pass onto anyone. So what Regional did Bimba's students play?
2) Bimba's students' Regional
For some reason, Bimba taught a different 'Regional' to his students.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2wEnhj0RV0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrDD9qutULM
As you can see from the videos and photos, he taught them normal/original Bahian ginga (Monkey+Seduction1).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1C17Dkqcls
He also did not taught them LightLegs kicks (even though they can be done from Bahian ginga). And of course, there was no plyometrics (you need Nemer ginga for this).
Moreover, because of different ginga, many techniques had to be modified from Bimba's Nemer system; so his students could use them from their normal ginga.
This explains, for example, why when Mestre Decanio describes 'Banda traçada' (in Capoeira illuminada), he describes Banda traçada 2-sided.
However, in Bimba's Curso de capoeira Regional, what is described is clearly Banda traçada 1-sided.
The reason is simple - from Nemer ginga, you can only do 1-sided Traçada; but from normal Bahian ginga, you can only do 2-sided Traçada.
This clearly shows Bimba used a different ginga - and a different system - from his direct students.
This 'Bimba's students' Regional' system still had baloes; even though they had to be adjusted a bit from the ones used in Bimba's Nemer system.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4oqbC1Jxrs
And you could still use Cocorinha and Negativa evasions; even though it seems Bimba's students preferred various standing 'esquivas' (although Bimba did not like that, we are told in Mestre Decanio's book Herança de Mestre Bimba).
[Update 1.9.2025]
The above also clearly explains why in 'Curso de capoeira Regional', Bimba shows the real Banda de costa:
https://youtu.be/bfXmM9kYFMo?t=14
But his students, including Mestre Decanio, use Rear raspa instead:
https://youtu.be/rfAt2_T_DXI?t=26
and wrongly call it 'Banda de costa':
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n36frQX1YjE
Because true Banda de costa can only be done from Nemer ginga, but not from Monkey+Seduction1 ginga; so Bimba's students had to modify the technique to fit their ginga, and used Rear Raspa instead(while keeping Bimba's name). This is probably where the modern wrong naming of this technique originated.
(The video above shows it all, including the original descriptions of Banda de costa and Banda traçada from 'Curso de capoeira Regional'; and Bimba's students altered versions of the two bandas).
It is all because Bimba used a different ginga from his students!
(PS: If you look very carefully, Mestre Decanio teaches you a trick to apply Rear Raspa against a firm stance: Step behind the opponent with your right leg and slap his tailbone with your right hand(Rooster+Seduction1). This makes him sink down in the stance, so you can sweep his right leg with right Rear Raspa and take him down easily, without him being able to lift his leg to escape your Raspa.
This trick does not work in Batuque; but can be used by those who still use Monkey+Seduction1 ginga for their capoeira.
This rhymes with another thing I say in my research - you do not push opponent's chest in Rear Raspa!
Compare it with Bimba, who clearly pushes opponent's chest in the picture; does not slap his tailbone.)
[Update 3.9.2025 - Pecking Rear raspa]
(PS2 : I found out I underspecified the technique: The slap of his tailbone must be done just with the tips of your fingers; like a bird (rooster?) pecking. So it is more of 'peck his tailbone with your right hand'. Mestre Decanio shows the hand form on the video, but it is harder to see. I decided to call the technique 'Pecking Rear raspa')
3) Filhos de Bimba Regional
However, Bimba's students' Regional is not played today either. Regional that is usually sold today as 'Bimba's Regional' (Filhos de Bimba and similar schools) is yet different from that of Bimba's students (and of course, different from Bimba's original Nemer system).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sK_09r6dzU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_E4eb2lrJ0U
The most important difference is their ginga; which is neither Nemer ginga(Monkey+Seduction1+Nemer), nor Bahian ginga(Monkey+Seduction1); but ginga done using Leopard mechanics.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HL0QRfrMXlU
Frankly, it is sad that they made this change - why not simply teach old Bahian ginga, as Bimba did?
This 'small change' unfortunatelly severed the link of 'Filhos de Bimba Regional' to the real, old Bahian capoeira. It is not only a physical change; it also modified its mental state, making it less combat-like.
Physically, Leopard ginga means, for example, that unlike Bimba's students, who could do Dourada and Banda traçada 2-sided from their Bahian ginga (Mestre Decanio: Herança de Mestre Bimba); Filhos de Bimba cannot do these bandas anymore.
It also means they cannot do LightLegs kicks, which, to me, is a deal breaker; as LightLegs kicks make capoeira, capoeira.
Other than that, Filhos de Bimba 'Regional' is a nice style. It is soft and flowing, with most of the modern esquivas taken out, returning to Cocorinha and Negativa. Most of Bimba's harsh stuff got taken out too, or kept in 'sanitized' form (Vingativa etc).
And also, it has a nice Iuna with baloes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KehGVVXtSqM
And they even have Samba duro:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xScEM8N_ArM
4) modern Regional
I guess you call this style Regional today too:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnIzInTyS-M
Built around Tiger mechanics ginga, it is stiff and lumbering; full of helicopter kicks. It is the 'Abada style'.
There is usually some acrobatics; but even if there is not: This is neither of the previously described 'Regionals'; this is a completely different capoeira, beginning with the ginga.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bQTRr57Vt4
Of course you cannot do stuff like LightLegs kicks and baloes here, courtesy of Tiger ginga. The evasions are also completely off, consisting of big unwieldy 'esquivas'.
And their Iuna is usually just hodge-podge of flips, which is abysmal.
5) Bahian Regional of the 80s
There was a peculiar type of 'Regional' in Bahia of the 80s; its defining feature is that its ginga uses Crane mechanics.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJBemMuJLRc
Which, somehow, makes the whole style 'lanky' and crane-like.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NvG6VGLaGY
BTW: Crane ginga has a peculiar jumping version (Crane+Rooster legs mechanics) that I learned in my youth after seeing Mestre Amen Santo do it; but never seen anybody do since then.
This 'Regional' is probably not very relevant today, so I only put it here for completeness sake.
6) Mestre Deputado's Regional
What is interesting is that Mestre Deputado, one of Bimba's top students, today teaches a peculiar style of capoeira which, as far as I know, is marketed as 'Bimba's personal capoeira'.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XMtNwy_zm0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGvszXVcACY
However, interestingly, it does not resemble at all Mestre Bimba's Nemer system as I understand it.
It more resembles Bajiquan (Chinese kungfu style) with a lot of slaps, elbow strikes and short cabecadas; using mostly Bear archetype. (There also are swinging Sloth mechanics movements, resembling Piguaquan, another kungfu style that is often taught together with Bajiquan).
It is hard to know what is the real origin of this style. I however know one thing: Mestre Deputado's Regional is not real/old capoeira; because it is based on blocking kicks, and you cannot block LightLegs kicks. It also itself does not use LightLegs kicks; and there is more, such as cabecadas without nerve-binding etc.
So if Mestre Deputado's Regional has anything to do with Bimba, it was probably created in Bimba's old age, when he could not move that much anymore(that would explain the Bear mechanics); to defeat the 'capoeira' of ignorants who could not use LightLegs kicks (there was a lot of them by the time Bimba was old).
It is clearly not the 'Regional' Mestre Bimba used to become king of Bahian capoeira in his youth (that would be Nemer system, see above).
However, if you look here:
https://youtu.be/6GYGn9Bn6DY?t=275
You will see Mestre Decanio indeed has some original Bimba's things. He uses the old Bahian ginga (Monkey+Seduction1); and the way he throws Asfixiante is the same we demonstrate above in the part on Nemer system - not a boxing cross, but a special Nemer front punch.
Similarly here, doing Bimba's sequence
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ve6qUvEuUHs
You can see Mestre Deputado using old Bahian ginga(Monkey+Seduction1) (unlike his partner, which uses Leopard) - which is not surprising, as he is Bimba's student; proving this is indeed how Bimba's students were taught; and he even does Aus in the sequence to the correct side (again, unlike his partner). But no LightLegs kicks, as I said.
So as you see, there are five very different capoeira systems that can be called 'Regional'. They are different, because each one is built around a different ginga:
1)Mestre Bimba's Nemer system - Nemer ginga(Monkey+Seduction1+Nemer)
2)Bimba's students' Regional - original Bahian ginga(Monkey+Seduction1)
3)Filhos de Bimba Regional - Leopard ginga(Leopard)
4)80's Bahian Regional - Crane ginga(Crane)
5)modern Regional - Tiger ginga(Tiger)
as a bonus, there is
6)Mestre Deputado's Regional - Bahian ginga, but mostly Bear and Sloth techniques, resembling Baji/Pigua quan
That said, if you would take my advice:
If you want to play a nice, traditional capoeira, train Filhos de Bimba Regional; but if possible, substitute traditional Bahian ginga(Monkey+Seduction1) for their Leopard ginga.
If you want to learn old Bahian capoeira - well, skip Regional altogether, and learn Bahian Physical-game (not described in this article), which is the pinnacle of Bahian capoeira, period.
If you want to crush people like nuts - learn Mestre Bimba's Nemer system.
Other than that - do not bother.
Excursus:
The 'Regional' of Mestre Deputado and similar techniques demonstrate one thing: Once you remove LightLegs kicks from capoeira, whole capoeira becomes moot. Because you can do almost anything.
That is because with non-LightLegs kicks, if you decide to stop playing nice and doing those beautiful esquivas, and instead start blocking and bumping opponent's kicks - as these Mestres show - nothing is stopping you. Capoeira becomes kungfu.
In fact, when your opponent uses non-LightLegs Mldf or Bencao or whatever, the most rational thing is to bump straight into the shitty kick and throw the kicker away - as Mestre Deputado shows. But this, my friend, is not capoeira. They can only do the stuff because they are playing against ignorants.
Modern capoeira is an unspoken contract "I promise not to bump into your inane kicks; if you will not bump into my inane kicks".
But try the stuff Deputado shows against a LightLegs kick sometimes. I promise it will be fun.
Your cannot block/bump real capoeira kick (LightLegs/RubberLegs kick). That is what made old capoeira, capoeira.
There was a reason why in old capoeira, you evaded Bencao with Negativa, instead of blocking it with your hand; and the reason was not style and ritual.
But as noted above, none of modern Regionals will teach you that.
And same can be said about their non-LightLegs Vingativa etc.
Modern capoeira is evolving in weird directions because it is missing the core - LightLegs.
Once LightLegs/RubberLegs are gone, people can come up with all manner of stupid stuff that would not work in real capoeira - esquivas, blocks, bumps, Vingativa counters - completely distorting the character of the art.
Excursus - Baji/Pigua:
For those who want to see some Baji/Pigua kungfu, here you are:
https://youtu.be/LB3vyMe4gj0?t=637
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvnyGxm6RUo
Excursus - Vamos gingar curto, camara!
I remember that in the 2000s, there was an article from Mestre Damiao called 'Vamos gingar curto, camara!' (or something similar).
In the article, Mestre Damiao advised capoeiristas to return to the 'short ginga' Mestre Bimba taught to his students; as visible on this photo:
Mestre Damiao wrote that Mestre Bimba taught (in 1946-48) that the length of the step of ginga should be the same as the length of the step of a normal walk.
Of course what Mestre Damiao really wanted to say was that capoeira should abandon modern gingas - Tiger and Crane - and return to the Monkey+Seduction1 ginga; but he lacked animal archetype theory to express it.
Still, as you see, nothing happened since then - stupid Tiger ginga is still the most popular; nobody except the old-timers uses Monkey+Seduction1 ginga; and the article itself seems to have dissapeared.
Well, one thing happened after all - back then, we fixed our ginga according to Mestre Damiao's suggestions; which was our first step towards the real (=old) capoeiragem!
PS:
If you do not believe me, I was able to find a Spanish version of the article:
https://mural.uv.es/arua/ginga.htm
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