Capoeira or the Dance of War by Johann Moritz Rugendas, 1835

Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian martial art developed initially by African slaves in Brazil, starting in the colonial period. It is marked by deft, tricky movements often played on the ground or completely inverted. It also has a strong acrobatic component in some versions and is always played with music. Capoeira or the Dance of War by Johann Moritz Rugendas. ... Capoeira or the Dance of War by Johann Moritz Rugendas. ... // Afro-Brazilian is the term used to racially categorise Brazilian citizens of some or full Black African origin. ... Hawaiian State Grappling Championships. ... The Buxton Memorial Fountain, celebrating the emancipation of slaves in the British Empire in 1834, London. ... // The Age of Exploration The discovery of Brazil was preceded by a series of treaties between the kings of Spain and Portugal, the last of them is the Treaty of Tordesillas, signed in 1494, creating the Tordesillas Meridian, that divided the world between that two kingdoms. ... Acrobatics (from Greek Akros, high and bat, walking) is one of the performing arts. ...

There are two main styles of capoeira that are clearly distinct. Angola is characterized by slow, low play with particular attention to the rituals and tradition of capoeira. The other style, Regional (pronounced 'heh-jeeh-oh-nahl' or 'heh-jeeh-oh-now'), is known for its fluid acrobatic play, where technique and strategy are the key points. Both styles are marked by the use of feints and subterfuge, and use groundwork extensively, as well as sweeps, kicks, and headbutts.

Recently, the art has been popularized by the addition of Capoeira performed in various computer games and movies, and capoeira music has featured in modern pop music (see Capoeira in popular culture).

History

During the 1500s, Portugal shipped slaves into South America from Western Africa. Brazil was the largest contributor to slave migration with 42% of all slaves shipped across the Atlantic. The following peoples were the most commonly sold into Brazil: The Sudanese group, composed largely of Yorubaa and Dahomean people, the Islamised Guinea-Sudanese group of Malesian and Hausa people and the Bantu group (among them Kongos, Kimbundas and Kasanjes) from Angola, Congo and Mozambique. South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... A satellite composite image of Africa Africa is the worlds 2nd largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. ... The Yoruba (native name Yorùbá) are the largest single ethnic group in Nigeria. ... Dahomey was a kingdom in Africa, situated in what is now the nation of Benin. ... Map showing the approximate distribution of Bantu (dull yellow) vs. ... Kongo or Kikongo is the Bantu language spoken by the Kongo people living in the tropical forests of Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo and Angola. ...

There are engravings and writings that describe a now-lost fighting dance in Cuba that reminds us of capoeira with two Bantu men moving to the yuka drums. It is called the baile del maní. Batuque and Maculele are other fight-dances closely connected to capoeira. Binomial name Manihot esculenta Crantz The cassava or manioc (Manihot esculenta; also yuca in Spanish, mandioca, aipim, or macaxeira in Portuguese, and mandio in Guaraní) is a woody perennial shrub of the spurge family, that is extensively cultivated as an annual crop for its edible starchy tuberous root. ... Batuque is a Brazilian game played in Bahia in the early part of the twentieth century but now extinct. ... Maculelê (Pronounced: mah-koo-leh-LEH) is a dance from Brazil where a number of people gather in a circle called a Roda with one or more Atabaque positioned at the entrance of the circle. ...

These people brought their cultural traditions and religion with them to the New World. The homogenization of the African people under the oppression of slavery was the catalyst for capoeira. Capoeira was developed by the slaves of Brazil as a way to resist their oppressors, secretly practice their art, transmit their culture, and lift their spirits. Some historians believe that the indigenous peoples of Brazil also played an important role in the development of capoeira. Carte dAmérique, Guillaume Delisle, c. ... Oppression is the negative outcome experienced by people targeted by the arbitrary and cruel exercise of power in a society or social group. ... The Buxton Memorial Fountain, celebrating the emancipation of slaves in the British Empire in 1834, London. ...

After slavery was abolished, the slaves moved to the cities of Brazil, and with no employment to be found, many joined or formed criminal gangs. They continued to practice capoeira, and it became associated with anti-government or criminal activities. As a result, capoeira was outlawed in Brazil in 1892. The punishment for practicing it was extreme (practitioners would have the tendons on the back of their feet cut), and the police were vicious in their attempt to stamp out the art. Capoeira continued to be practiced, but it moved further underground. Rodas were often held in areas with plenty of escape routes, and a special rhythm called cavalaria were added to the music to warn players that the police were coming. To avoid being persecuted, capoeira practitioners (capoeiristas) also gave themselves an apelido or nicknames, often more than one. This made it much harder for the police to discover their true identities. This tradition continues to this day. When a person is baptized into Capoeira at the batizado ceremony, they may be given their apelido. Roda, meaning wheel or, more appropriately in this case, circle in Portuguese, is the name given in several Afro-Brazilian art forms, such as Capoeira, Maculelê and Samba de Roda, to the circular formation within which participants perform the art form. ... A nickname is a short, clever, cute, derogatory, or otherwise substitute name for a person or things real name (for example, Tom is short for Thomas). ...

Persecution of the art petered out eventually, and was entirely gone by 1918.

In 1937, Mestre Bimba was invited to demonstrate his art in front of the president. After this performance, he was given permission to open the first capoeira school in Brazil. Since that time, capoeira has been officially recognized as a national sport, and has spread around the world. Mestre Bimba's systematization and teaching of capoeira made a tremendous contribution to the capoeira community. Mestre Bimba (born Manuel dos Reis Machado November 23rd, 1900, Salvador, Brazil - February 15, 1974) was a mestre (a master practitioner) of the Afro-Brazilian martial art Capoeira. ...

In 1942, Mestre Pastinha opened the first Capoeira Angola school, the Centro Esportivo de Capoeira Angola, located in Bahia. He had his students wear black pants and yellow t-shirts, the same color of the "Ypiranga Futebol Clube," his favorite soccer team. Most Angola schools since then follow in this tradition, having their students wear yellow capoeira t-shirts, altough more recently each club has begun to adopt more personalised uniforms. The son of José Señor Pastinha and Eugênia Maria de Carvalho, Vicente Ferreira Pastinha was born on April 5th, 1889 in Salvador, Brazil. ...

Together, Mestre Bimba and Mestre Pastinha are generally seen as the fathers of modern Capoeira Regional and Capoeira Angola respectively. Mestre Bimba (born Manuel dos Reis Machado November 23rd, 1900, Salvador, Brazil - February 15, 1974) was a mestre (a master practitioner) of the Afro-Brazilian martial art Capoeira. ... The son of José Señor Pastinha and Eugênia Maria de Carvalho, Vicente Ferreira Pastinha was born on April 5th, 1889 in Salvador, Brazil. ...

Etymology

The derivation of the word capoeira is under dispute. One possible meaning is that it refers to an area of forest or jungle that has been cleared by burning or cutting down. Afro-Brazilian scholar Carlos Eugenio believes it refers to a large round basket called a capa commonly worn on the head by urban slaves selling wares (a capoeira being one who wears the basket). Alternatively, Kongo scholar K. Kia Bunseki Fu-Kiau thinks that capoeira could be a deformation of the Kikongo word kipura, which means to flutter, to flit from place to place; to struggle, to fight, to flog. In particular, the term is used to describe rooster's movements in a fight. // Afro-Brazilian is the term used to racially categorise Brazilian citizens of some or full Black African origin. ... Kongo or Kikongo is the Bantu language spoken by the Kongo people living in the tropical forests of Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo and Angola. ... Kongo is the Bantu language spoken by the Kongo people living in the tropical forests of Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo and Angola. ...

Music

A capoeira bateria led by Mestre Cobra Mansa featuring three berimbaus and a pandeiro.

See also: Capoeira music; Capoeira toques

Music is integral to Capoeira. It sets the tempo and style of game that is to be played within the Roda (pronounced Ho'da). The music is comprised of instruments and song. The tempos differ from very slow (Angola) to very fast (São Bento Regional). Many of the songs are sung in a call and response format while others are in the form of a narrative. Capoeiristas sing about a wide variety of subjects. Some songs are about history or stories of famous capoeiristas. Other songs attempt to inspire players to play better. Some songs are about what is going on within the roda. Sometimes the songs are about life, or love lost. Others are lighthearted or even silly things, sung just for fun. Capoeiristas change their playing style significantly as the songs or rhythm from the berimbau (right) commands. In this manner, it is truly the music that drives capoeira. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Mestre Cobra Mansa, more commonly known as Cobrinha, is a mestre or master of Capoeira Angola. ... Image:Berimbau. ... The pandeiro (pronounced: pan-DEH-ruh), similar to the Tambourine, is a small, hand-held Brazilian percussion instrument. ... 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. ... In the game of capoeira, toques are the rhythms played on the berimbau. ... Roda, meaning wheel or, more appropriately in this case, circle in Portuguese, is the name given in several Afro-Brazilian art forms, such as Capoeira, Maculelê and Samba de Roda, to the circular formation within which participants perform the art form. ... A musical instrument is a device that has been constructed or modified with the purpose of making music. ... A song is a relatively short musical composition for the human voice (possibly accompanied by other musical instruments), which features words (lyrics). ... In the game of capoeira, toques are the rhythms played on the berimbau. ... Image:Berimbau. ...

There are three basic kinds of songs in capoeira. A ladainha (litany) is a narrative solo usually sung at the beginning of a roda, often by the Mestre (Master). These ladainhas will often be famous songs previously written by a Mestre, or they may be improvised on the spot. A ladainha is usually followed by a chula or louvação, following a call and response pattern that usually thanks God and one's teacher, among other things. Each call is usually repeated word-for-word by the responders. The ladainha and chula are often omitted in Regional games. Finally, corridos are songs that are sung while a game is being played, again following the call and response pattern. The responses to each call do not simply repeat what was said, however, but change depending on the song. For the words to many of the songs, see Capoeira songs. In capoeira, music sets the rhythm, the style of play, and the energy of a game. ...

The instruments are played in a row called the bateria. three instruments are berimbaus, which look like an archer's bow using a steel string and a gourd for resonation. It is played by striking the string with a stick, and the pitch is regulated by a stone. Legend has it that, in the old times, knives or other sharp objects were attached to the top of the berimbau for protection and in case a large fight broke out. These three bows are the Berraboi (also called the bass or Gunga), Medio, & Viola, and lead the rhythm. Other instruments in the bateria are: two pandeiros (tambourines), a Reco-Reco (rasp), and an Agogo (double gong bell). The Atabaque (conga-like drum), a common feature in most capoeira baterias, is considered an optional instrument, and is not required for a full bateria in some groups. Image:Berimbau. ... Bass (IPA: [], rhyming with face), when used as an adjective, describes tones of low frequency. ... The pandeiro (pronounced: pan-DEH-ruh), similar to the Tambourine, is a small, hand-held Brazilian percussion instrument. ... This article is about musical instrument. ... A rasp is a woodworking tool used for shaping wood. ... Agogo is a rarities album by KMFDM. Agogo is comprised of numerous tracks either previously unreleased, released on other compilations, or otherwise not widely available. ... The neutrality of this article is disputed. ... A bell is a simple sound-making device. ... The atabaque (Pronounced: Ah-tah-bah-keh) is a tall, wooden, Afro-Brazilian hand drum. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Drum carried by John Unger, Company B, 40th Regiment New York Veteran Volunteer Infantry Mozart Regiment, December 20, 1863 Several American Indian-style drums for sale at the National Museum of the American Indian. ...

Roda and philosophy

Two men playing in a Capoeira Regional roda in Amsterdam.

The "roda" is the circle of people within which capoeira is played. People who make up the roda's circular shape clap and sing along to the music being played for the two partners engaged in a capoeira match or rather a "game" ("jogo"). In some capoeira schools an individual in the audience can jump in to engage one of the two players and begin another game. Image File history File links File links The following pages link to this file: Capoeira ... Image File history File links File links The following pages link to this file: Capoeira ... Amsterdam Location Flag Country Netherlands Province North Holland Population 742,951(1 January 2005) Coordinates 52°22′N 4°54′E Website www. ... Roda, meaning wheel or, more appropriately in this case, circle in Portuguese, is the name given in several Afro-Brazilian art forms, such as Capoeira, Maculelê and Samba de Roda, to the circular formation within which participants perform the art form. ... American high school students in a school A school is most commonly a place designated for learning. ...

The minimum roda size is usually a circle where the radius is the length of a berimbau, or about 3 metres (10 feet) in diameter. They are often larger, up to 10 metres in diameter (30 feet). The rhythm being played on the berimbau sets the pace of the game being played in the roda. Slow music limits the game to slow yet complex ground moves and handstands. Image:Berimbau. ... Image:Berimbau. ...

Hits usually aren't made but feigned or just shown. The players often turn away from each other's hits just to throw their own. Slow games are often seen as finesse games, less impressive for the casual viewer. Faster music allows for more circular momentum which is key to gaining "big air" in the roda.

Capoeiristas can take up a lot of space while playing, so the roda is rarely small, especially if the players are playing quickly. In the fast game, acrobatics and big, circular kicks abound to the delight of onlookers. Sometimes actual hits are registered, but only between higher-level competing capoeiristas.

The roda is a microcosm which reflects the macrocosm of life and the world around us. Most often in the roda, your greatest opponent is yourself. Philosophy plays a large part in capoeira and the best teachers strive to teach Respeito (Respect), Responsabilidade (Responsibility), Segurança (Safety/Security), Malícia (Cleverness/Street-smarts), and Liberdade (Liberty/Freedom). For the definition of the word microcosm, see here. ... Macrocosm and microcosm is an ancient Greek schema of seeing the same patterns reproduced in all levels of reality. ...

Modern capoeira is often criticized by more traditional practitioners of capoeira as being in the process of losing its "playfulness" in the sense that many capoeiristas tend to focus more on impressive acrobatics and not so much the playful interaction with the other player in the roda.

The game

Capoeira doesn't focus on destroying the person you play against, rather on demonstrating more skill (or cunning). Capoeiristas often prefer to show the movement without completing it, enforcing their superiority in the roda. If your opponent cannot dodge your slowest attack, there is no reason to use your fastest. Each attack that comes in gives you a chance to practice an evasive technique.

Ginga

The ginga (literally: rocking back and forth) is the fundamental movement in capoeira. Capoeira Angola and Capoeira Regional have distinctive forms of ginga. Both are accomplished by maintaining both feet approximately shoulder-width apart and then moving one foot backwards and then back to the base. This movement is done to prepare the body for other movements.

The rest of the body is also involved in the ginga: coordination of the arms (in such a way as to prevent the body from being kicked), torso (many core muscles may be engaged depending on the player's style), and the leaning of the body (forward and back in relation to the position of the feet; the body leans back to avoid kicks, and forward to create opportunities to show attacks). The overall movement should match the rhythm being played by the bateria.

Attacks

Capoeira primarily attacks with kicks and sweeps. Some schools teach punches and hand strikes, but they are not as common, because this art was originally developed by hadcuffed slaves fighting against theirs guards. Elbow strikes are commonly used in place of the hand strikes. Capoeira also uses acrobatic and athletic movements to maneuver around the opponent. Cartwheels (a very common acrobatic movement), handstands, head-spins, hand-spins, hand-springs, sitting movements, turns, jumps, flips, and large dodges are all very common in capoeira.

Defenses

Capoeira defenses consists of evasive moves and rolls. A series of ducks called 'Negativas', which literally means negations (of kicks) are also staple of a capoeiristas' defensive vocabulary. There are typically different Negativas for every step of the Ginga, depending on the direction of the kick and intention of the defender. A common defense is the 'Role', which is a rolling move that combines a duck and a low movement. This move allows the defensive player to quickly evade an attack and position themselves around the aggressor in order to lay up for an attack. It is this combination of attacks and defense which gives a game of Capoeira its perceived 'fluidity' and choreography. Other evasive moves allow the capoeirista to move away or dangerously close in an attempt to trip up the aggressor in the briefest moment of vulnerability (usually in a mid-kick).

Combinations

There are also styles of moves which combines both elements of attack and defense. An example is the 'Au Batido', a move commonly associated with Capoeira. In essence, the move begins as an evasive cartwheel which then turns into a blocking/kick, either as a reflexive response to a blocking move from the opposing player or when an opportunity to do so presents itself (an opponent's drop of guard for example).

Chamada

Capoeira Angola rodas feature a ritual called the "chamada." In a chamada, one player assumes a ritual pose, for example, with one hand in the air. Normally, the other player should approach and join the pose (in this example, touching their hand to the first player's hand). The players then walk back and forth until the first player separates and offers a slow attack, and the jogo resumes. However, the whole chamada is fraught with tension, since it is acceptable for either player (although most often the player that called the chamada) to strike out in a sudden attack – at any speed at all. If the other player is caught, it's because they weren't being careful enough. The goal of the chamada is to test a player's ability to cooperate, to appear friendly, without exposing himself to a sneaky attack. Some mestres will playfully involve spectators in the chamada (for example, introducing a female bystander to their opponent only to take the opponent down while he doffs his hat). Chamadas serve to show how well a player can handle the tricks of the world ("o mundo enganador" is a common call in the louvação).

Volta ao mundo (or "trip around the world") is a short break taken by both players, and is in Capoeira Regional the only Chamada or call available to indicate a desire to change something about the game being played, while in Capoeira Angola it leads to more formalized Chamadas.

Though each school is different, an example from a regional school could be walking counter-clockwise in large circle, loosely holding left hands and walking in the same direction. Two or three gentle laps is all the rest you get, then it's time to play again. In a Capoeira Angola school the meeting of the left hands would indicate a specific chamada that requires a ritual exit distinct and different from merely separating hands.

The "volta ao mundo" is commonly used to force the players to cool down after a heated exchange or by a player when he/she needs a break. It is important to note that "volta ao mundo" is practiced differently by different schools – some hold hands, some do not, some walk, some run. In some schools, the "volta ao mundo" is done when the music is over and the players are waiting for the new one to start. If you ever visit a roda, make sure you respect that school's behaviours in this respect as failure to do so is looked upon as quite rude.

Trickery

For students who have mastered the basic moves, their game naturally progresses towards a more cunning slant. The art of trickery, or 'Malandragem'. This involves a lot of improvisation and modifications of basic moves into a flurry of feints and fakes in a blatant attempt to trick the opponent in responding wrongly. To this end, the ability of the capoeirista lies in their skill to observe and reliance on their innate sense in anticipating the moves of their opponents and prepare the appropriate response. Some capoeiristas take this aspect of the art to heights akin to the guile of theatrics and drama. Games displaying elaborate performances and even staging skits reenacting historic cultural aspects of Capoeira are commonly demonstrated amongst the most learned of the art.

Styles of Capoeira

There are many different kinds of capoeira. As previously stated the two largest types are Angola and Regional. Although groups of one style do exist, most groups tend to mix the two styles to some degree. Capoeira Angola groups from the Northeast will tend to identify only as Capoeira Angola and will mimic Regional for performances.

Capoeira Angola

Angola is considered to be the true root style of capoeira, often characterized by slower, sneakier movements played closer to the ground and with the players playing their games in closer proximity to each other. Capoeira Angola, in actuality, is played in a great range of speeds, ranging from Mestre Rene's school (with fast, highly acrobatic movements and frenetic high tempo music) to Mestre João Pequeno's school (with much slower, methodical movements to low tempo, hypnotic music). The father of modern Capoeira Angola is considered to be Mestre Pastinha (Paas-cheen-yah) who lived in Salvador, Bahia. Today, most of the Capoeira Angola media that is accessible comes from mestres in Pastinha's lineage, but this isn't to say that he was the only one or that he was the originator. Many others helped in the preservation and propagation of Capoeira Angola, including Mestre Caiçara, Mestre Bobo, Mestre Noronho, Besouro Mangangá, etc. The Angola style, while emphasizing the traditions and history of capoeira remains a contemporaneous art in the vibrant street scene of Salvador, Bahia. There is a diversity of styles and players, all of the traditional form, playing or performing in a great range of speeds and testing each other in various academies and in the street. The son of José Señor Pastinha and Eugênia Maria de Carvalho, Vicente Ferreira Pastinha was born on April 5th, 1889 in Salvador, Brazil. ... Flag of Bahia See other Brazilian States Capital Salvador Largest City Salvador Area 564 273 km² Population   - Total   - Density 13 070 250 23. ... The concept of lineage is one that is of primary importance to the practitioners of Capoeira Angola. ...

Capoeira Regional

Regional is a newer and more martially-oriented game. Regional was developed by Mestre Bimba to make capoeira more mainstream and accessible to the public, and less associated with the criminal elements of Brazil. While capoeiristas can sometimes play Angola-like, slow games, the Regional style is most often composed of fast and athletic play. On the contrary to what you might read elsewhere, Bimba's Regional style contains almost none of acrobatic movements so often associated with capoeira. It is combat oriented while maintaining the trickiness of Capoeira Angola. Mestre Bimba (born Manuel dos Reis Machado November 23rd, 1900, Salvador, Brazil - February 15, 1974) was a mestre (a master practitioner) of the Afro-Brazilian martial art Capoeira. ...

Later, so called modern Regional came to be (see the next section about capoeira contemporanea). Developed by other people from Bimba's Regional, this type of game is characterized by high jumps, acrobatics, and spinning kick. This Regional should not be confused with the original style created by Mestre Bimba.

Regional ranks capoeiristas (Capoeira players) by ability, denoting different skill with the use of a corda (colored rope, also known as cordel or cordão) worn as a belt. Angola does not use such a formal system of ranking, relying instead upon the discretion of a student's mestre. In both forms, though, recognition of advanced skill comes only after many years of constant practice.

Capoeira Contemporânea

Today, there are many fusion styles, which mix the Angola and Regional traditions. Some refer to this as "capoeira atual," or "capoeira contemporânea." Whether playing Angola or Regional, groups often have different styles of wildly different movements. In general, older groups/styles often have a greater emphasis on the traditions of capoeira, while newer groups concentrate chiefly on sports-like technique.

Capoeira in popular culture

Capoeira has recently been popularized by the addition of Capoeira in a number of computer games, giving the sport introductory access to untold millions of teenagers and twenty-something adults. For the list, see list of computer and video games. ...

• Two capoeiristas, Eddie Gordo and Christie Monteiro, fight in the popular games Tekken 3, Tekken 4, and Tekken 5.
• Elena fights Capoeira in the game Street Fighter III.
• In the early Fatal Fury video games, the characters Richard Myer and Bob Wilson used capoeira.
• 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 anime and upcoming videogame, Samurai Champloo, the character Mugen has a fighting style said to be inspired from capoeira.
• In the video game The King of Fighters XI, a Japanese female fighter named Momoko uses Capoeira.
• In the anime Tenjho Tenge, the character Bob Makihara uses this style.

Capoeiristas outside Faneuil Hall in Boston

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. 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. A character of Tenjho Tenge, Bob, also practices capoeira. 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. Eddy Gordo circa Tekken 5 Eduardo Eddy Gordo is a video game character in the Tekken series. ... Christie Monteiro is a fictional character in the Tekken series of video games. ... Tekken 3 is the third installment in the popular Tekken video game franchise. ... Tekken 4 is the fifth installment in the popular Tekken video game franchise, and was the second in the Tekken series for the PlayStation 2. ... Tekken 5 is the sixth installment in the popular Tekken video game franchise. ... Elena as she appears in Street Fighter III: Third Strike. ... Street Fighter III is a fighting game produced by Capcom, released in 1997 on Capcoms CPS-3 hardware, which is a continuation of the famous Street Fighter series. ... Fatal Fury (餓狼伝説 or Garou Densetsu in Japan) is a fighting game series developed by SNK for the Neo-Geo system. ... Computer and video games A screenshot of Tetris for the Nintendo Game Boy A console game (better known as a video game) is a form of interactive multimedia used for entertainment, which consists of a moveable image displayed on a screen that is usually controlled and manipulated using a handheld... World of Warcraft (commonly abbreviated as WoW) is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) developed by Blizzard Entertainment. ... Trolls with an abducted princess (John Bauer, 1915) A troll is a fearsome member of a mythical anthropomorph race from Scandinavian folklore. ... WWE SmackDown! (formerly WWF SmackDown!) is a series of professional wrestling video games released by THQ for PlayStation (PS1), PlayStation 2 (PS2) and PlayStation Portable (PSP). ... Bust-a-Groove is a hybrid music/fighting game for the Sony PlayStation released for the Japanese and American markets in 1998. ... The PlayStation is a video game console of the 32/64-bit era, first produced by Sony Computer Entertainment in the mid 1990s. ... A scene from Cowboy Bebop (1998) Anime (アニメ) (pronounced ah-nee-may) is a style of cartoon animation originating in Japan, with distinctive character and background stylings that visually set it apart from other forms of animation. ... A computer game is a game composed of a computer-controlled virtual universe that players interact with in order to achieve a defined goal or set of goals. ... Samurai Champloo (サムライチャンプルー) is an anime series consisting of twenty-six 24-minute episodes that began broadcasting on Fuji TV in Japan on May 19, 2004. ... The following lists and describes characters of significance who appear in the fictional anime series Samurai Champloo. ... The next game in the series. ... Momoko is one of the three new characters debuting in the video game King of Fighters XI. There, she belongs to the Psycho Soldiers along with Athena and Kensou. ... Souchiro Nagi, from the anime. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Bostoncapoeira. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Bostoncapoeira. ... Only The Strong is a 1993 action film, directed by Sheldon Lettich. ... 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. ... Souchiro Nagi, from the anime. ... Dwayne Douglas Johnson (born May 2, 1972 in Hayward, California), better known by his stage name The Rock, is an American actor and former professional wrestler. ... Spoiler warning: The Rundown is an action mixed black comedy movie about a bounty hunter/ enforcer/ aspiring chef named Beck who must head for the Amazon jungle to capture someone who, it turns out, is not the bad guy hed been warned about. ... The Quest was a Jean-Claude Van Damme movie, based on martial arts, with a storyline similar to that of Bloodsport. ... Director Robert Wise Robert Wise (September 10, 1914 — September 14, 2005) was an Academy Award-winning American film producer and director. ...

Catwoman also displayed some capoeira moves during some fights scenes. Actress Halle Berry reportedly followed a thorough training with a brasilian instructor. Catwoman (real name Selina Kyle) is a DC Comics character, associated with the Batman franchise. ... Halle Berry on the cover of Vogue (Dec 2002). ...

Moreover, several pop and rock artists, such as Soulfly, Sepultura, Ben Harper and Gjallarhorn have published albums containing one or more tunes featuring the berimbau. The automobile company Mazda has also made a Capoeira song, Zum Zum Zum, the theme song for their advertisements. Soulfly is an alternative metal band started by Max Cavalera in 1997 after his decision to leave Sepultura. ... Sepultura is a Brazilian thrash metal/death metal band assembled in 1984, though their current sound is often described as groove metal. ... Ben Harper (born October 28, 1969) is an American musician of the 1990s and 2000s. ... In Norse mythology, the Giallarhorn or Gjallarhorn (ringing horn) is the name of the horn with which the gatekeeper god, Heimdallr, sent messages from the gods of Asgard to the mortals of Midgard. ... An album is a collection of related audio tracks, released together commercially in an audio format to the public. ... Image:Berimbau. ... A small variety of cars, the most popular kind of automobile. ... Mazda Motor Corporation (マツダ Matsuda) TYO: 7261 is a Japanese automobile maker based in Hiroshima, Japan. ... 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. ... Generally speaking, advertising is the promotion of goods, services, companies and ideas, usually by an identified sponsor. ...

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. Breakdancing, also known as breaking and b-boying by its practitioners and followers, is a street dance style that evolved as part of the hip hop movement in the South Bronx of New York City during the early 1970s. ... The United States of America — also referred to as the United States, the U.S.A., the U.S., America, the States, or (archaically) Columbia—is a federal republic of 50 states located primarily in central North America (with the exception of two states: Alaska and Hawaii). ... 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. ...

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 are a set of on-screen channel identities used on BBC One since 2002. ... Viewing Figure History BBC One (or BBC1 as it was formerly styled) is the oldest television station in the world. ... For the Cusco album, see 2002 (album). ...

Capoeira formed the basis for the martial arts style of the Jaffa people 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 (alternately spelled Stargåte, and popularly abbreviated as SG-1) is a television series based upon the 1994 science fiction film Stargate. ... The Warrior is an episode of the science fiction television series Stargate SG-1. ...

In the 2005 Thai action movie Tom Yum Goong, there was a short fight sequence with the main character Tony Jaa fighting a Capoeira master (Lateef Crowder), who was one of the three opponents he faced in the temple fight scene. The fight was presented with an interesting contrast considering Tony Jaa's athletic style vs Lateef Crowder's Capoeira skills. Lateef Crowder was reported to have got injured during filming, which is why the fight was cut short in the film. This article is about the 2005 Thai action film. ... Panom Yeerum (read: Pa-nom Yee-rum, Thai: พนม ยีรัมย์) (born on February 5, 1976), better known in the West as Tony Jaa, is a martial arts actor and choreographer who is skilled in Muay Thai, Taekwondo, Aikido, Pencak Silat, Krabi Krabong, gymnastics, and track & field. ...

Finding a place to play

If you are interested in playing capoeira, most major cities throughout the world have at least one club/group to join. Make sure you find out about your group's style and watch a class. Different groups have many differing advantages, so do the research yourself. Some styles are heavily geared towards being clever in the roda whereas others focus more on the physical capabilities of the players. Some groups practice exclusively Angola, while others practice exclusively Regional, so if the style you see isn't what you hoped for, keep looking.

The Southern California hardcore metal scene also uses capoeira as an evolution of the early 80's "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.

Special events

Capoeira Regional groups periodically hold Batizados ("baptisms" into the art of capoeira). Members being "baptized" are normally given a corda (cord belt) and an apelido (capoeira nickname, which may already have been given in class before the Batizado). Batizados are major events to which a number of groups and masters from near and far are normally invited. Sometimes a Batizado is also held in conjunction with a Troca de Corda ("change of belts"), in which students already baptized who have trained hard and been deemed worthy by their teachers are awarded higher-ranking belts as an acknowledgment of their efforts. Such ceremonies provide opportunities to see a variety of different capoeira styles, watch mestres play, and see some of the best of the game. Sometimes they are open to the public. A nickname is a short, clever, cute, derogatory, or otherwise substitute name for a person or things real name (for example, Tom is short for Thomas). ...

Batizados and Trocas de Corda do not occur in Capoeira Angola, which does not have a system of belts. However, some contemporary schools of capoeira have combined the study of both arts and may require their students to be learned in the ways of Capoeira Angola before being awarded a higher belt.

Important Mestres

• Mestre Bimba: founder of the Regional style.
• Mestre Pastinha: founder of the first organized Angola academy.

Other Capoeira Mestres may be found at Category:Capoeira Mestres Mestre Bimba (born Manuel dos Reis Machado November 23rd, 1900, Salvador, Brazil - February 15, 1974) was a mestre (a master practitioner) of the Afro-Brazilian martial art Capoeira. ... The son of José Señor Pastinha and Eugênia Maria de Carvalho, Vicente Ferreira Pastinha was born on April 5th, 1889 in Salvador, Brazil. ...

For a complete list of all known Capoeira Mestres, see the Mestre Index at Capoeira4All.com.

See also

• capoeira music
• berimbau
• Christie Monteiro
• Eddie Gordo
• Madame Satã

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. ... Image:Berimbau. ... Christie Monteiro is a fictional character in the Tekken series of video games. ... Eddy Gordo circa Tekken 5 Eduardo Eddy Gordo is a video game character in the Tekken series. ... João Francisco dos Santos (1900-1976), also known as the infamous drag performer and capoeirista Madame Satã, was born unto a family of ex- slaves in Brazil. ...

Books

• Almeida B. (1986). Capoeira, a Brazilian Art Form: History, Philosophy, and Practice (2nd ed.). North Atlantic Books. ISBN 0938190296
• Nestor Capoeira. (2002). Capoeira: Roots of the Dance-Fight-Game. North Atlantic Books. ISBN 1556434049
• Nestor Capoeira. (2003), The Little Capoeira Book (Revised ed.). North Atlantic Books. ISBN 1556434405
• Lowell L.J. (1992), Ring of Liberation : Deceptive Discourse in Brazilian Capoeira. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 0226476839
• Röhrig Assunção, Matthias (2004) "Capoeira: The History of Afro-Brazilian Martial Art" Routledge ISBN 0714650315
• Downey, Greg. (2005). "Learning Capoeira: Lessons in Cunning From an Afro-Brazilian Art". Oxford University Press. ISBN 0195176979
• Mansouri, Arno (2005). "Capoeira, Bahia", Editions Demi-Lune. ISBN 2952557101 Bilingual (French and English) Info at www.editionsdemilune.com/bahia

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Capoeira

Look up capoeira in Wiktionary, the free dictionary

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... The Wikimedia Commons (also called Commons or Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wiktionary logo Wiktionary[1] is a Wikimedia Foundation project intended to be a free wiki dictionary (including thesaurus and lexicon) in every language. ...

General Information

• www.berimbau.info Information about Capoeira, Berimbau, Capoeira schools, Capoeira Pictures and many more
• www.capoeiracre.com Capoeira forum
• www.capoeiratopazio.com.br
• www.capoeira.com Capoeira forum
• www.capoeirista.com Information and forums
• www.wu-wien.ac.at/usr/h96b/h9650297/capoeira.html Information on basic Capoeira moves
• www.capoeira4all.com Information on Capoeira history, mestres, moves, and more
• www.planetcapoeira.com Website of the Planet Capoeira Magazine
• Capoeira Fighter 3 Demonstration of Capoeira, as a fighting game in Flash

International school directories

• www.berimbau.info schools (capoeira schools)
• www.capoeirista.com schools (over 1000 schools)
• dmoz.org schools
• Capoeira @ Frappr! - Capoeira group listing and their locations (still populating)
• Martialhub.com Worldwide Capoeira schools and associations listed