Capoeira toques
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In the game of capoeira, toques are the rhythms played on the berimbau. Many toques are associated with a specific game (i.e. style and speed of play) though organizations may differ on the game for each toque:
Angola
Considered the oldest and most traditional toque. Used for the Angola game, a slow performance where players demonstrate balance and corporal expression.
São Bento pequeno de Angola
Also known as São Bento pequeno or Inverted Angola (because it replaces the high note of the Angola toque with the low and vice versa). A close, fast game.
São Bento grande de Angola
This is a very fast game played with ample movements. Leg sweeps and take downs are common in this game.
São Bento grande de Bimba
Often called São Bento grande de Regional or just Regional. Mestre Bimba’s fast, explosive game seen often in exhibitions.
Benguela
In many schools played extremely close and with much deception. Some schools play this as a slower, safer Regional game.
Iúna
A toque created by Mestre Bimba to mimic the Amazonian Iúna bird, it signals a medium paced game with emphasis almost entirely on acrobatics and usually played with ample distance between partners. Traditionally this game is only played by graduados (experienced students) and in many schools may only be played when a Mestre is present. There is no singing or hand clapping.
Idalina
A slow, but powerful game.
Santa Maria
A quite beautiful toque used for the not much seen 'razor' game (which uses knives or razors attached to the feet) or the 'money' game where the players try to pick up a coin purse placed in the center of the roda with their mouth.
Amazonas
A welcoming toque used to greet visiting Mestres and guests. It has no traditionally associated game though Mestre Camisa is currently developing a game that mimics the movements of Amazonian animals.
Cavalaria
Originally used to alert players that the police were coming, the toque imitates the galloping of horses (and some say it sounds like a police siren). Today it is used to warn players that a potentially hostile person has arrived at the roda.
Miudinho
Created by Mestre Suassuna. Like Angola, but faster. There is no clapping or singing.
Mestre Suassuna: "The game of miudinho is generating controversy because it is being misinterpreted. People are thinking it's a new capoeira, and it's nothing like that. I simply rescued an older capoeira, modernized the manner of playing it, changed the sequences... the name miudinho arose because I was observing that capoeiristas were playing very distant from each other and in our time we played very close; thus, I said to people, 'I want the game more minute, closer, play very tiny.' Then, I created a toque on the berimbau. Miudinho is not a new capoeira, it's a different manner to display capoeira. Just like the games of Iuna and São Bento Grande exist, the game of miudinho exists."
For video of Miudinho: http://www.capoeirapraha.cz/video.htm
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