The history of capoeira is rooted in the rich African traditions brought to Brazil by enslaved Africans, dating back nearly 500 years. The art form arose from the pressures of colonialism and oppression, as slaves disguised a form of self-defense in the charade of a dance. Capoeira combines elements of fighting with dancing, singing, and musical instruments, and is expressed in the roda, the circle where training manifests into games between two capoeiristas. The game of capoeira is a fluid series of agile, acrobatic, and martial movements linked together to form a unique conversation, while an orchestra of berimbaus, atabaques, pandeiros, and voices provide energy.