Capoeira, wherever it is taught, whatever the style or the grupo, always maintains a core: the game. The lively, spontaneous exchange between two people in a circle. The meeting of rhythm, thought, body and presence. This is the heart of the art – and that is exactly where Roda dos Amigos (RDA) is located.

What is RDA?

Roda dos Amigos is an annual three-day meeting of capoeiristas from all over Greece. It is not a festival, nor a seminar with a formal character; it is a gathering dedicated to jogo, to coexistence, to dialogue that takes shape through movement and music. It is a space where the beginner, the advanced and the teacher can stand equally, not because they have the same knowledge, but because they all hold the same intention: to share the game.

The story of a need

The idea began sometime in the early 2000s, by Greek capoeiristas who lived scattered throughout Greece. Border towns, islands, remote areas – and behind it all a common feeling: the need to meet. A need to join something that goes beyond the structures of the grupos and the differences of styles. To find a place without labels, where each capoeirista can let himself play, talk, create. This need brought about the birth of RDA. And today, 13 years later, the institution continues under the care and organization of Contramestre Caveira of Grupo Jacobina Arte (Chalkida – Aliveri), who keeps the original intention alive: a meeting dedicated to play and friendship.

The meaning of the encounter

In an era where Capoeira often evolves through levels, names, groups and techniques, the RDA reminds us of something more timeless:

• Capoeira is essentially an act of relationship.

• Jogo is not a competition, but a dialogue.

• It is not a demonstration, but a connection.

• It is not a technique, but a way to meet the other – and yourself through them.

• In the roda, the experience is not the same for everyone:

• The beginner will feel for the first time the intensity of the circle around him and the simple beauty of entering without knowing where the game will take you.

• The advanced will find space to test himself, to challenge himself and to discover new expressions of jogo.

• The teacher will remember why he started: because he, too, once entered a roda where someone else welcomed him with openness.

What does the RDA include?

Three days full of:

• Rodas – many, real, live rodas.

• Lessons from different teachers every year, all with a voluntary offer and respect for the dissemination of the art.

• Music and baterias that create the environment where Capoeira can breathe in its full range.

• Hospitality from Casa Capoeira Chalkida, which offers a place to sleep (with sleeping bag), a t-shirt, meals and an effort to cover the teachers’ expenses.

RDA has no luxuries – it has authenticity. It has no formal rituals – it has people who meet. And that is the real luxury.

Why should anyone come?

Because Capoeira, at its core, is an experience that is not taught only with words. It is learned in the roda. In the gaze of the other. In the song that rises in the heart of the group. In the game that makes you remember that, no matter how many years pass, there is something deeper that connects you to this art. RDA gives you the opportunity to:

• meet capoeiristas from all over the country,

• connect beyond the groups,

• see Capoeira through the eyes of others,

• enter into jogos that you will remember years later,

• leave for a while the “must” and return to “I want to play”.

And above all…

RDA is a space where Capoeira returns to what it has always been: community. A community based on respect, exchange and the desire to share the game. If you have something to offer – an idea, a willingness to help, a suggestion – there is room for you. If you just want to play, there is even more room. Because the roda accommodates everyone who has the intention to enter.