Capoeira

Capoeira

Capoeira or the Dance of War by Johann Moritz Rugendas, 1825, published in 1835
Also known as	jogo de angola jogo de capoeira capoeiragem
Focus	kicks, evasions, takedowns, handstands, acrobatics
Hardness	full-contact
Country of origin	Brazil
Date of formation	unknown, first mention in 1789.
Famous practitioners	(see notable practitioners)
Parenthood	engolo
Ancestor arts	engolo, batuque, possibly moraingy[1] and savate[2]
Related arts	danmyé knocking and kicking breakdancing[3]
Meaning	forest clearing[4]

Capoeira (Portuguese pronunciation: [kapuˈe(j)ɾɐ]) is an Afro-Brazilian martial art and game that includes elements of dance, acrobatics, music and spirituality.

It is known for its acrobatic and complex maneuvers, often involving hands on the ground and inverted kicks. It emphasizes flowing movements rather than fixed stances; the ginga, a rocking step, is usually the focal point of the technique. Though often said to be a martial art disguised as a dance,^[5] capoeira served not only as a form of self defense, but also as a way to maintain spirituality and culture.^[6]

Capoeira has been practiced among black Brazilians for centuries. The date of its creation is unknown, but it was first mentioned in a judicial document under the name Capoeiragem in 1789, as "the gravest of crimes".^[7] In the 19th century, a street fighting style called capoeira carioca was developed. It was repeatedly outlawed and its performers persecuted,^[7] and it was declared totally illegal and banned in 1890.^[8] In the early 1930s, Mestre Bimba reformed traditional capoeira and incorporated elements of jiujitsu, gymnastics and sports.^[9] As a result, the government viewed capoeira as a socially acceptable sport. In 1941, Mestre Pastinha later founded his school where he cultivated the traditional capoeira Angola, distinguishing it from reformed capoeira as the Brazilians' national sport.^[10]

In the late 1970s, trailblazers such as Mestre Acordeon started bringing capoeira to the US and Europe, helping the art become internationally recognized and practiced. On 26 November 2014, capoeira was granted a special protected status as intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO.^[11]

Martial arts from the African diaspora similar to capoeira include knocking and kicking from the Sea Islands, and ladya from Martinique, both of which likely originate from Engolo.^[12]