This work utilizes concepts from the repertoire of performance theories to analyze the Afro-Brazilian martial dance Capoeira Angola. Unusually, the role of the author combines both that of an ethnologist and a learner (and now teacher) of Capoeira, merging internal and external perspectives on the subject. Through her field research conducted in 2008, she attempts to resolve the contradiction between clear rules and defined contexts on one hand, and the promotion of improvisation, reflection, and empowerment on the other. To understand this phenomenon of conscious incorporation, she draws on concepts from various performance theories. The work focuses on Capoeira in Europe, but from a different perspective than the existing ethnological literature. The author is less concerned with the social context of Barcelona than with understanding the mental and physical techniques through which the master (Mestre China) conveys his message.