Translation into English by Shayna McHugh
Source: Jornal do Capoeira, May 2005

It's common for interviews in capoeira magazines to ask if the interviewee frequents Street Rodas. The funniest thing is that the response, without thinking twice, is unanimous: "Of course… all the time… in every city that I visit I always participate in street rodas…"

Some even say that they travel the whole world – Europe, Japan, United States, Norway, etc. – always participating in "Street Capoeira." To which I ask: are they talking about "street rodas" or "rodas in the street"? There exists a (not so) subtle difference between these two things.

As history demonstrates, a "street roda" is one that traditionally takes place in public places, without a direct link to groups, academies, or associations. It's an environment that harbors nomad capoeiristas; no one knows where anyone else is from, why they came, or what will happen during the roda. Uniforms are not used, nor are pre-established rules; the only idea to be followed is – or could be – the philosophy of malandragem, the fundamental of mandinga, and the cleverness of a good capoeirista.

A "roda in the street," on the other hand, generally takes place among mestres and students of established groups, with everyone wearing their uniforms. Sometimes they even simulate the conditions of a typical sporting match, with referees to whistle for the beginnings and ends of the games. Like on a certain Saturday afternoon, a group invites its students (all well-fed and well-dressed), picks a public square, calls two or three friends; they arm the berimbau and there you go: this is the example of a roda in the street.

I almost forgot: the instruments and capoeiristas usually travel by car. They don't have to catch a train, and never a bus, because the square isn't so far away, but the group wants to arrive in style. Once in a while, the members of the group (or the visiting friends) get excited when they see a pretty girl pass by and, without thinking or imagining, decide to show off. They throw an extra-dangerous movement or a flip, and then someone gets hurt (it's worth noting that the capoeirista who suffers the worst is usually the weaker and less experienced one).

When an accident happens, someone always yells, "Didn't I tell you that street rodas are dangerous?!" (…or would that be 'rodas in the street'?)