Brazil introduced the world to Flexcar and sugar cane, but Pitt sophomore Dave Herlich’s… Brazil introduced the world to Flexcar and sugar cane, but Pitt sophomore Dave Herlich’s interaction with Brazilian culture has been painful at times.

‘I’ve broken three of my toes, I split my elbow, I tore my hamstring and I don’t know what I did with my shoulder,’ said Herlich. He performed a Brazilian form of martial arts and dance at a dance festival Friday night.

Capoeira became a martial art form in Brazil more than 500 years ago, when many believe that African slaves needed a dance form to cloak their rebellious martial arts training. It took a long time for capoeira to enjoy international popularity.’

The Brazilian government even outlawed capoeira until the 1930s because it was associated with gang violence and riots.

Herlich said he decided to join Grupo Axe Capoeira Pittsburgh for the chance to learn the art.

‘It’s a fight, a dance and a game,’ he said. ‘I’m not Brazilian, but capoeira is in my blood until my body runs out.’

‘ Herlich and his capoeira companions flipped, twisted and kicked to two Brazilian dance numbers. Then they gave a capoeira fighting demonstration at the Brazil Nuts Portuguese festival. Two performers fought at a time, using an array of acrobatic kicks and flips while the rest of the group stood in a semi-circle to watch in the William Pitt Union.

Because it was only a demonstration, the fighters did not make contact, but Herlich said many have been killed in the practice of’ real capoeira.’

‘It’s a little bit more tame than it used to be, but it’s still a martial art,’ he said.

Even though some audience members stood to applaud the capoeira, it was not the only part of the Brazilian festival to send the audience out of their seats.

The Western Pennsylvania music group Timbeleza performed with a large ensemble of drums and other percussive instruments, creating the atmosphere of an authentic Brazilian carnival.

Students in attendance left their seats to dance in front of the stage, kicking their legs out and bobbing their heads to the infectious rhythms.

More than 40 students circled the assembly room, returning below the stage where they continued to dance until the music stopped.

Brazilian musician Kenia Ashby kicked off the festival with her performance of the Brazilian national anthem.

Ashby was born in Rio de Janeiro, but moved to the United States in 1980, where she became a successful singer with a unique Brazilian sound.

Before the national anthem, members of the Brazil Nuts Portuguese Club served free Brazilian food, including Feijouda, a bean dish mixed with bacon and sausage, along with cheesy bread and salad.

Nicole Novack, vice president of the Brazil Nuts club, said that the members really were ‘nuts’ about Brazil. She said the group organized the festival this year to let students learn about Brazilian culture through interaction.

Novack wasn’t that interested in Portuguese until she went to Brazil and fell in love with the culture. She now takes Portuguese classes at Pitt.

Every Wednesday afternoon at the Union, Brazil Nuts hosts Bate Papo, a Portuguese conversation table. The club coordinates Brazilian dance lessons in Posvar on Wednesday nights, organizes Brazilian movie nights and hosts Grupo de MPB, a Brazilian singing group that helps students learn Portuguese.

The Grupo de MPB performed four vocal arrangements as part of the festival, including the famous song ‘Garota de Ipanema’, or ‘Girl from Ipanema’.’

Brazil is one of the biggest melting pots in the world, said Olivia Conner, communications officer and future president of the club. She said African culture influences the northern part of the country, while Japanese culture is prevalent in the south.

Ana Paula Carvalho, Brazil native and director of Pitt’s Portuguese program, said she was pleased with the variety displayed in the festival. ‘[The festival] is very representative of Brazilian culture,’ she said.

Carvalho is also an adviser for the Brazil Nuts Club. She helps the club members connect to the large Pittsburgh Brazilian community by sponsoring Brazil-related events and producing a Brazilian radio show every Friday.

The festival ended with a performance by the American vocal-guitar duet Ebony BrownBridge. They played two Brazilian songs to show the influence that the Portuguese and Brazilian culture have had on American music.