Vamos jogar capoeira,
Vamos tocar berimbau¹ 

Capoeira is a highly athletic Brazilian martial art that emphasizes style, acrobatics, and music over traditional martial arts emphasis on "beating" your "opponent." In the course of a Capoeira game² , no contact is made with one's opponent. Rather, one might see a series of kicks, evasions, and takedowns, as well as acrobatic moves seemingly done for reason other than to look flashy.

History

Capoeira first came about in Brazil, where slaves from several different African cultures were thrown together. The slaves combined fighting, music, and dance elements of their respective cultures and came up with what is now called Capoeira.

No one really knows the true origins of Capoeira, because nothing was written down when it was created. The leading theory is that the African slaves developed their own fighting style to protect themselves from white slave owners, but hid their training in plain sight by making look like a ritualistic game. Another theory says that an African rite of passage called the N'Golo, during which warriors would engage in a ritualistic fight/dance, was the original Capoeira.

Regardless of its original origins, Capoeira was practiced by Brazilian slaves up until they were freed in the 1880s, at which point Capoeira became the fighting style of criminals. Similar to gangs of today, Capoeira gangs would have their own turf, where they controlled the criminal activites. Capoeira at that time incorporated less ritual and music than previously, and involved the use of weapons such as knives and clubs.

In the early 20th century, the first Capoeira academies were opened, and capoeira went from being the art of outlaws to being declared Brazil's national sport. During that time, Capoeira took on two distinct styles under two different masters. Mestre Bimba created what is now known as Capoeira Regional, which emphasizes the fighting aspects of Capoeira. Mestre Pastinha taught a style known today as Capoeira Angola, which is played slower and closer to the ground, emphasizing the dance and ritual aspects of the game. Today, Capoeira is the second-most played sport in Brazil, after soccer.

Capoeira in the Media

Compared to other martial arts, Capoeira is relatively unknown outside of Brazil. Eastern martial arts like Karate or Kung Fu are often shown in movies and television shows, but Capoeira has only appeared in a few places, most notably in video games.

Anyone who has played Tekken 3 is probably familiar with Capoeira. The character Eddy Gordo is modeled after a well-known Capoeira master. Except for a bit of artistic license, all the movements that Eddy Gordo does are actual Capoeira movements.

Capoeira appeared in the Jean-Claude Van Damme movie "The Quest," where a capoeira player was featured in two fighting scenes. Capoeira can also be seen in the Carlos Santana music video "Maria, Maria," and the Wyclef Jean video "We Just Tryin' to Stay Alive."

In addition, Capoeira was featured in a movie called "Only the Strong," in which a former Green Beret proficient in Capoeira teaches the art to a group of rowdy high school students. Despite terrible acting and writing, the movie does have some good footage of Capoeira games, and does convey a bit of the culture and art behind Capoeira.

Capoeira Movements

In Capoeira, punches are seldom thrown and blows are never blocked. Almost every attack is a kick, and instead of blocking, capoeira players always evade attacks. Good Capoeira players will not randomly throw attacks and expect to hit their opponents; rather, they will bide their time until they can evade a poorly-executed attack and launch a devastating counterattack.

In addition to trying to hit their opponents, Capoeira players also execute a variety of takedowns. A takedown is a way of knocking one's opponent down, and is often done when one's opponent has left some area vulnerable to counterattack. A takedown can be as simple as reaching down and pulling on one's opponent's foot, or as complex as coming to the opponent's side and sweeping his feet out from under him while simultaneously shoving his midsection back with one's elbow.

The Roda

Capoeira is usually played in a Roda³ . A Roda consists of a circle of people about 10 to 20 feet across, and a the head of the Roda are the musical instruments played during the game. Players who wish to enter the game, or "buy in," generally must kneel at the head of the Roda and wait for permission to enter. There are usually two players playing at any one time, and they play until new players buy into the game.

The people who make up the rest of the Roda contribute to the music by singing and rhythmically clapping their hands. Most Capoeira songs have solo parts and chorus parts, so people in the Roda are always listening for their cue to sing a chorus.

The music being played is very important, as it tells the players inside the Roda how to play. If the music is fast and excited, the players should be playing fast, combative games. If the music is slow and leisurely, the players should play a slow, careful game.