The Grammar of Survival: Capoeira, Somatic Sovereignty, and the Practice of Belonging
Publication information:
Abstract
Capoeira emerged from enslavement and colonial violence as an embodied practice of survival and relational belonging. This interactive workshop explores Capoeira as a living form of somatic sovereignty through rhythm, movement, and shared attention. Participants will be gently guided through simple movements within the roda and to experience how belonging is cultivated through timing, responsiveness, and presence. Integrating Capoeira with contemporary psychological and somatic insight, the presentation invites participants to feel how meaning is generated through embodied relation while honestly acknowledging the tensions, hierarchies, and potential harms that can coexist within communal traditions.
Presenter Biographies
Abraham Sharkas (MS, NCC, LAC) is a counselor and doctoral candidate whose work bridges clinical practice, embodiment, and spirituality. Drawing from contemplative movement traditions and somatic inquiry, he studies how embodied practices cultivate belonging, resilience, and ethical relation amid trauma, exclusion, and existential disconnection.
Mestre Gaivota (David Morgan) is a lifelong martial artist, capoeira mestre, educator, and founder of the Afro Brazilian Cultural Center of New Jersey. He teaches at Montclair State University, Rutgers University–New Brunswick, and William Paterson University, sharing capoeira’s history, movement, and culture through classes, performances, workshops, and community programs.