The Brazilian martial art of Capoeira, noted for its acrobatic movements and kicks, has been featured in numerous films, TV shows and video game series, with varying degrees of popularity. It's contributions to Western culture and entertainment stem mainly from its captivating, powerful movements. It's growing popularity in North America and Europe have stemmed from its addictive blend of music, dance athleticism, and powerful martial arts strikes and dodges. Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... Capoeira (IPA: ) is an Afro-Brazilian martial art, game, and culture created by enslaved Afrikans in Brazil during the 17th Century [1] Participants form a roda (circle) and take turns playing instruments, singing, and sparring in pairs in the centre of the circle. ...

Its growing popularity in North America and Europe can be seen in its growing relevance in martial arts and action films, from the popular movie/comic character Blade to the niche film Tom Yum Goong by actor Tony Jaa. A blade is the flat part of a tool or weapon that normally has a cutting edge and/or pointed end typically made of a metal, most recently, steel intentionally used to cut, stab, slice, throw, thrust, or strike an animate or inainimate object. ... Tom-Yum-Goong (Thai: ต้มยำกุ้ง; IPA: , distributed as Warrior King in the UK, as The Protector in the US) is a 2005 Thai martial arts film starring Tony Jaa. ... Panom Yeerum (Thai: ; Khmer: ចាភ្ំ យីរុាំ; IPA: ) born on February 5, 1976 in Surin Province, Thailand, better known in the West as Tony Jaa and in Thailand as Jaa Panom, is a Thai martial art film actor, choreographer and director. ...

Movies

Only The Strong, a 1993 action film, is considered to be the only Hollywood film that showcases capoeira from beginning to end. While many capoeira fans appreciate the film out of a sense of irony, it is generally considered to be a poor quality and cheesy movie which has been rarely used to showcase the sport, probably due to almost completely out of reality impressions about Brazil. More recent and more widely seen movies such as 2004's successful Meet the Fockers and Ocean's Twelve both featured capoeira in several short, but memorable scenes. "Meet the Fockers" portrays capoeira as a useless but amusing joke martial art, while an antagonist in "Ocean's Twelve" uses his proficient capoeira training to bypass an advanced laser-based security system. A character of Tenjho Tenge, Bob, also practices capoeira. Another anime character with skills in capoeira is Mugen from Samurai Champloo. Additionally, ex-wrestler turned actor "The Rock" performed a fight scene with several capoeiristas in the film The Rundown. The movie The Quest, starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, had a scene during the tournament of the Golden Dragon, where the Brazilian fighter did an exhibition of capoeira, before his fight. The 1989 movie Rooftops directed by the Academy award winner Robert Wise has also featured a number of capoeira scenes. Another movie from 1989 was "The Mighty Quinn" featuring Xavier Quinn (Denzel Washington), the Chief of Police of a Caribbean Island and his childhood friend, Maubee (Robert Townsend), who becomes the chief suspect in a murder. Xavier and Maubee fight each other using capoeira in one of the final scenes of the movie, and Xavier performs a rasteira, a signature leg sweep, in one of the first scenes. Only The Strong is a 1993 action film, directed by Sheldon Lettich. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Meet the Fockers (2004) is a comedy film and a sequel to Meet the Parents starring Robert DeNiro and Ben Stiller. ... Oceans Twelve is a 2004 film that takes place after the events of the 2001 movie Oceans Eleven. ... Original run 1 April 2004 – 16 September 2004 Episodes 24[2] OVA: Tenjho Tenge: Ultimate Fight Director Toshifumi Kawase Studio Madhouse Licensor Avex Geneon Episodes 2[3] Released 16 March 2005 OVA: Tenjho Tenge: The Past Chapter Episodes 1 Released 30 March 2005 Runtime 92 minutes [4] Tenjho Tenge , lit. ... Original run May 20, 2004 – March 19, 2005 No. ... Dwayne Douglas Johnson[2] (born May 2, 1972) better known by his former ring name The Rock, is an American actor and former professional wrestler. ... The Rundown (also known as Welcome to the Jungle) is an action film starring The Rock and Seann William Scott about a bounty hunter/enforcer/aspiring chef named Beck who must head for the Amazon Rainforest to capture someone. ... For the 1986 Australian film starring Henry Thomas, see Frog Dreaming The Quest was a Jean-Claude Van Damme movie released in 1996, based on martial arts, with a storyline similar to that of Bloodsport. ... Robert Wise (September 10, 1914 – September 14, 2005) was a sound effects editor, film editor, and Academy Award-winning American film producer and director. ... Denzel Hayes Washington, Jr. ... Robert Townsend (born February 6, 1957 in Chicago, Illinois) is an African American film director, writer, and actor. ...

Catwoman displayed some capoeira moves during some fights scenes. Actress Halle Berry followed a thorough training with Mestre Boneco of Capoeira Brasil. Catwoman is a 2004 film directed by Pitof and released by Warner Brothers on July 23, 2004. ... Halle Maria Berry (IPA: ) (born August 14, 1966[1]) is an American actress. ...

Mestre Ponciano Almeida from Cordão de Ouro, London, has filmed a fight sequence in Hogwarts for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a 2005 fantasy adventure film and the fourth in the popular Harry Potter films series. ...

Actress Charlize Theron also trained in the Brazilian martial-art with Professor Xingu of capoeira Batuque for her role in Æon Flux. Charlize Theron (born August 7, 1975) is a South African-American actress and former fashion model. ... Æon Flux is a science fiction film produced by Paramount Pictures and Lakeshore Entertainment. ...

In the 2005 Thai action movie The Protector, there is a short fight sequence with the main character Tony Jaa fighting a capoeirista (Lateef Crowder), who was one of the three opponents he faced in the temple fight scene. The fight was presented with a contrast considering Tony Jaa's athletic style vs Lateef Crowder's capoeira skills. Lateef Crowder was reported to have been injured during filming, which is why the fight was cut short in the film. Lateef Crowder is a capoeira master, playing a role in the film Tom-Yum-Goong [The Protector]. He was injured on the set during filming of the movie, which was why the fight between him and Tony Jaa was cut short. ...

The 2006 film Idlewild featured a short but notable segment of capoeira choreography. Idlewild is an American musical film, released August 25, 2006, written and directed by Bryan Barber. ...

The 2006 film Dead or Alive features a scene in which the ninjutsu practioner Hayabusa uses ground capoeira to fend off attackers.

Carlos Saura has announced that he will be going to Brazil early 2007 to make a film about capoeira and other local rhythms. Carlos Saura (born 4 January 1932, Atarés, Huesca) is a Spanish film director. ...

In the 1997 film Mortal Kombat:Annihilation, the character Rayden fights multiple Reptile-like creatures. The last one he fights uses many capoeira kicks and evasions.

Many of Wesley Snipes' action films include scenes involving capoeira, as it is one of several martial arts he practices. Wesley Trent Snipes (born July 31, 1962) is an American actor, martial artist and film producer. ...

Mestre Bimba: A Capoeira Illuminada (2006) is a documentary about Mestre Bimba and Capoeira. Mestre Bimba (born Manuel dos Reis Machado November 23, 1900, Salvador, Brazil - February 15, 1974) was a mestre (a master practitioner) of the Afro-Brazilian martial art Capoeira. ...

In Meet the Fockers Bernie Focker, played by Dustin Hoffman says to Jack Byrnes, Robert De Niro's character, that he has practiced the art of capoeira. He then goes into a skating like stance and shows he only has a small knowledge of it. Meet the Fockers (2004) is a comedy film and a sequel to Meet the Parents starring Robert DeNiro and Ben Stiller. ... Dustin Lee Hoffman (born August 8, 1937) is a two-time Academy Award-winning, BAFTA-winning, and five-time Golden Globe-winning American method actor. ... Robert De Niro in 1988 Robert De Niro (born August 17, 1943) is a two-time Academy Award and Golden Globe-winning American film actor, director, and producer. ...

Television

Capoeira first entered public consciousness in the UK by exposure from the Nokia Mobile 2000 advertisement showing Mestre Sylvia and Contra-Mestre Marcos of the London School of Capoeira performing on a beach. This article is about the telecommunications corporation. ...

One of the BBC 'Rhythm & Movement' idents introduced to BBC One in 2002 shows a capoeira dance, which raised its profile in the United Kingdom. While the attention capoeira has received has caused a boom of interest in this martial art, more skeptical capoeiristas have argued that the way it is used in the media is misrepresentative of what capoeira truly is. BBC Rhythm & Movement idents were a set of on-screen channel identities used on BBC One from 29 March 2002 until 7 October 2006. ... BBC One is the primary television channel of the BBC, and the first in the United Kingdom. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ...

Capoeira formed the basis for the martial arts style called Mustaba, used by the Jaffa people serving Imhotep in the Stargate SG-1 universe. The fighting style was highlighted in the fifth season episode The Warrior. The Jaffa are a fictional alien race, in the television series Stargate SG-1. ... Stargate SG-1 (often abbreviated as SG-1) is a science fiction television series, part of the Stargate franchise. ... The Warrior is an episode of the science fiction television series Stargate SG-1. ...

In the anime Tenjho Tenge, the character Bob Makihara uses this style. Bob Makihara ) is a character in the manga and anime series Tenjho Tenge. ...

Stargate SG-1 also used several capoeiristas from Grupo Axé Capoeira, namely Mestre Barrão, as well as several professores, instructors and students in many stunt choreographies, and conceptualized a race of alien beings practicing a martial art that is based solely on capoeira. The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ...

In the animated version of Fullmetal Alchemist, the homonculus Envy uses many Capoiera-styled attacks in his fight scenes. Most notably he can be seen using it during his fight against the series protagonist in the penultimate episode; he also uses it in the fourth season ending credits and during his fight with Greed in the series midpoint.

In the manga and anime One Piece, The Straw Hat Pirates' chef, Sanji, uses a fictional martial art in which one only attacks with the legs and feet. It draws heavily on capoeira. Serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump Shonen Jump Original run August 4, 1997 – (ongoing) Volumes 47 volumes with 475 chapters TV anime Director Konosuke Uda Munehisa Sakai Studio Toei Animation Network Fuji TV GMA 7 Original run October 20, 1999 – (ongoing) Episodes 327 (current) OVA: Defeat Him! The Pirate Ganzak Director... Sanji ) is a fictional character in the anime and manga One Piece. ...

In the anime Samurai Champloo, one of the main characters, Mugen, uses a fictional sword art that greatly resembles the methodology, theory, and movements behind capoeira, although the director Watanabe is quoted as saying it is derived from breakdancing. However, the idea of trickery, as well as the high focus on reading others movements are both exceedingly similar to Mugen's style.

In both the anime and manga of the series Death Note, the character L is seen performing Capoeira in a fight against Light Yagami and in the second opening sequence. Serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump Arena Komik Original run December 2003 – May 2006 No. ...

In the hit martial arts cartoon Xiaolin Showdown, one of the main protagonists, Raimundo, practices capoiera throughout the series.

In the series Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Zack, the Black Ranger, uses a martial art style that includes dance, something he refers to as "Hip Hop Kido". Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (MMPR) is an American live-action television series, created for the American market, based on the sixteenth installment of the Japanese Super Sentai franchise, Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger. ...

Comics

Batman is said to be trained in all "127 major martial arts", the DK Ultimate Guide to the character mentions Capoeira by name as one of these, as well as the Greg Rucka novelization to the "No Man's Land" story arc. Other characters in Batman's canon are also seen using capoeira like movements, including, notably, the most recent Batgirl, Cassandra Cain, although it is noted that she has no dominant style. Her natural ability of reading movement, however, and her resulting dodges are very similar to capoeira principals. Batman (originally referred to as the Bat-Man and still referred to at times as the Batman) is a DC Comics fictional superhero who first appeared in Detective Comics #27 in May 1939. ... Greg Rucka is an American writer of novels and comic books. ... Cassandra Cain is a fictional character in the DC Universe, and the most recent Batgirl. ...

The afforementioned characters from One Piece, Death Note, and Tenjho Tenge all originate as comic book characters. These characters are Sanji, L, and Bob respectively.

Music

Several pop and rock artists, such as Soulfly, Sepultura, Ben Harper, Leftfield and Gjallarhorn have published albums containing one or more tunes featuring the berimbau. Soulfly is a heavy metal band started by Max Cavalera in 1997 after his decision to leave Sepultura. ... Sepultura is a Brazilian thrash metal band, formed in 1984. ... Ben Harper (born Benjamin Chase Harper on October 28, 1969 in Claremont, California, USA) is an American musician. ... Leftism is the debut album by electronica musicians Leftfield, released in 1995. ... Heimdallr blows into Gjallarhorn in this illustration from an 18th century Icelandic manuscript. ... An album or record album is a collection of related audio or music tracks distributed to the public. ... Three Berimbaus The berimbau is a single-string percussion instrument, a musical bow, from Brazil. ...

The automobile company Mazda uses a capoeira song, Zum Zum Zum, in their advertisements. “Car” and “Cars” redirect here. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... A capoeira bateria led by Mestre Cobra Mansa featuring three berimbaus and a pandeiro In capoeira, music sets the rhythm, the style of play, and the energy of a game. ... Advert redirects here. ...

Pop singer Ricky Martin trained Capoeira under the group Capoeira Abolicao in Miami, Fl. He has showcased the art in many television interviews, worldwide. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

The song "The Garden" on turntablist Cut Chemist's 2006 album "The Audience's Listening" is a remix of capoeira music, featuring a berembau, singing in Portuguese and a traditional capoeira beat. Turntablism is a subgenre of pop music which emerged from hip hop. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ...

The 2006 music video of Mas Que Nada by Black-Eyed Peas and Sergio Mendes features, among various Brazilian dance forms, several scenes of capoeiristas fighting. A music video is a short film or video that accompanies a complete piece of music, most commonly a song. ... Mas que nada (No way or Come on) is a song originally written and performed by Jorge Ben in 1963, which later became the signature song of Brazilian musician and performer Sergio Mendes. ... The Black Eyed Peas are an American hip hop crew from Los Angeles, who have lately enjoyed massive international pop success. ... Sérgio Santos Mendes, pron. ...

Basshunter's video Vifta Med Handerna ("Throw Your Hands Up") has clips of Capoeira fighting moves. Sage Niles, better known by the pseudonym Basshunter, is a Swedish musician and DJ. Jonas was born December 22, 1984, in Halmstad, Sweden. ...

Capoeira-related terminology, such as ginga and roda, are included in the lyrics to Nelly Furtado's song "Explode," from her Folklore album. Nelly Kim Furtado (born December 2, 1978) is a Canadian singer, songwriter, record producer, and instrumentalist, who also holds Portuguese citizenship. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

In Christina Aguilera's music video Dirrty, capoeira can be clearly seen roughly 3:55 into the video. Christina María Aguilera (born December 18, 1980) is an American pop singer and songwriter. ... Redman singles chronology Smash Sumthin (2001) Dirrty (2004) Put It Down (2007) Dirrty is a hip pop song performed by American singer Christina Aguilera featuring rapper Reggie Redman Noble. ...

A very short but unmistakable scene of capoeira can be seen approximately 2:31 into Santana and Wyclef Jean's video for Maria Maria. Santana (originally the Santana Blues Band) is a flexible number of musicians accompanying Carlos Santana since the late 1960s. ... Nelust Wyclef Jean (IPA: ) (born October 17, 1972) is a Haitian-American rapper, guitarist, producer, and member of the hip hop trio The Fugees. ... Maria Maria is a song by Santana and The Product G&B. It reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed there for ten weeks. ...

A capoeira roda is featured in Aaliyah's music video 4 Page Letter about 3:04 into the video. For Aaliyahs self-titled album, see Aaliyah (album). ... 4 Page Letter is an R&B song recorded by American singer Aaliyah. ...

Dance

Breakdancing, developed in the 1970s, has many analogous moves. Indeed, many Brazilians had immigrated to the US, and particularly to New York, by that time, and would practice capoeira in the streets where it was able to influence this new dance form. However, the original breakdancers of the early 1970s based their style primarily on actors in Asian kung fu films, rather than capoeira. A breakdancer performing a one-handed freeze (also known as a pike) in the streets of Paris. ... Motto: (traditional) In God We Trust (official, 1956–present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at the federal level; English de facto Government Federal Republic  - President George W. Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence - Declared - Recognized... Midtown Manhattan, looking north from the Empire State Building, 2005 New York City (officially named the City of New York) is the most populous city in the state of New York and the entire United States. ... Alternative meaning: Kung Fu (TV series) Kung fu or gongfu (功夫, Pinyin: gōngfu) is a well-known Chinese term used in the West to designate Chinese martial arts. ...

The Southern California hardcore metal scene also uses capoeira as an evolution of the early 1980s "slam dancing". With many of the basic traditions of the "roda" and "volta-ao-mundo", the participants engage in capoeira at 144-180+ beats per minute. Notably the fans that follow bands such as "Bleeding Through" and "Audora", dance in this manner. This style is also known as "playing the clown," because the fans appear to look like clowns in relation to more legitimate and inventive forms of hardcore music and subculture.

Cantonese pop star Denise Ho hired Instructor Berimbau of Grupo Axé Capoeira to teach her and choreograph a piece for a large show in Hong Kong.

Mestre Amen was also involved in many of Janet Jackson's videos from the Rhythm Nation album.

Video games

Capoeira has found its way into a number of computer games, giving the sport introductory access to untold millions of teenagers and young adults. Computer and video games redirects here. ...

• In the games King of Fighters: Maximum Impact and King of Fighters 2006, the character Soiree Meira uses capoeira as his fighting style.
• One of the earliest video games to make use of capoeira was the 1993 Sega Genesis 2D-fighting game Eternal Champions. In this game, the Atlantian warrior Trident applied the technique in combination with several genre-typical supernatural attacks. As with all characters in the game, Trident's biography in the "Information" menu offered a brief description and history of the fighting style.
• Three capoeiristas, Eddy Gordo, Tiger Jackson and Christie Monteiro fight in the popular games Tekken 3, Tekken 4,Tekken 5 and Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection.
• Chris Bowman from the video game Urban Reign practices Capoiera.
• In the game The Bouncer, Volt's rival, Echidna, uses capoeira as her fighting style.
• Elena fights using capoeira in the game Street Fighter III.
• In the early Fatal Fury video games, the characters Richard Meyer and Bob Wilson used capoeira.
• The Neo-Geo game Rage of the Dragons features a Brazilian girl named Pupa, who practices capoeira regional.
• In the massively multiplayer RPG World of Warcraft, troll males perform capoeira moves as a non-combatitive dance emote.
• In addition to characters, several capoeira kicks have appeared in several wrestling games, including the WWE Smackdown! series.
• In the competitive dancing game Bust a Groove for the PlayStation, a pair of aliens named 'Capoeira' are featured as a boss, incorporating the dance into their routine.
• In the video game The King of Fighters XI, a Japanese female fighter named Momoko uses capoeira combine with Psychic Powers. This is uncharacteristic because the Psycho Soldier team all practice Chinese Martial Arts.
• In the video game Legacy of Kain: Defiance, the male vampire hunters use capoeira for their fighting style.
• The Japanese name of the Pokémon Hitmontop is カポエラー (Kapoera), which fits perfectly its fighting style and moves.
• In 1999's The Matrix, the character Morpheus can be seen using capoeira moves, shortly after telling Neo to "stop trying to hit me, and hit me" during the Dojo training fight scene.