Capoeira is a very unique martial art – it looks so different to any other martial art, but contains so many standard moves within its dance-like flow of movement that it’s essentially a fully-rounded martial art with a very secure defence and a very strong attack when executed masterfully.
Brazilians are known for their great physical attributes – they’ve won the football world cup so many more times than any other country. Their intricately powerful and passionate yet calm and fun sporting attitude is expressed comprehensively within their native martial art and dance – Capoeira.
Traditionally practised in circular gatherings called rodas, in tune to live song & percussion music, with 1-on-1 no-contact & light-contact sparring inside the circle. This is a real African tribal influence – so different to anything coming from the Far East or the West.
Capoeira can be traced back to the African tribal dances – in particular the Elephant Dance from Angola. It evolved as Africans were taken to Brazil by Portuguese colonists as slaves. It evolved into a sophisticated martial art – balanced and diverse yet practical for combat for people who are full of energy and rhythm and comfortable operating low to the ground. Capoeira was able to be regularly practised by slaves by being disguised under its ancestral style of dancing.
Capoeira brings a whole new meaning to groundfighting. Its confusingly unreadable nature, with near-instant fluid transitions between a very diverse range of moves, give Capoeira a quality of attack like no other martial art. And as the saying goes, surprise is the best form of attack!