Batuque and Maculele are Brazilian forms of dance and game that incorporate martial arts in the routine. Both performances are traditional and unique to Brazilian culture but have influenced Capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian martial art. While they are two similar fight-dances, they have their differences
Batuque is a Brazilian game that was originally played in Bahia during the twentieth century. The players in this game would stand in a circle while one player stands in the center. The center player would be in a defensive position while one other player moves around him and suddenly attacks the defending player. The attack would aim to throw the defending player on to the ground and kick blows with his legs. The master of Capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian martial arts, was Mestre Bimba who incorporated Batuque techniques in Capoeira.
Maculele is another Afro-Brazilian dance as well as martial art that, similar to Batuque, incorporates a circle called a "roda." It has been suggested that this game was invented by slaves in Brazil who wanted to express their anger and frustration while working on the sugarcane plantations.
There is a leader in this game who gives a signal for other players to enter the circle and begin striking their own and each other's wooden sticks together in specific ways to the rhythm of the music and while dancing. The dance looks like a combat and traditional Maculele players wear grass skirts. Maculele is usually played with Capoeira but big knives called Faceµes are used instead of wooden sticks by more experienced players.