“What is capoeira?”, you might ask. Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian martial art that can be best described as “dance martial arts”. It can be used a self-defense but is also beautiful to watch just for fun. It was developed by Africans in Brazil as early as the 16th century. It was created because the Brazilian government banned martial arts, as it would encourage slave rebellions. The Africans still wanted to do martial art, so they disguised it as dance. A circle would be formed around people performing capoeira so the authorities wouldn’t find out. Music was played with common instruments so that if government authorities were to come close, the capoeira performers could quickly begin dancing as a coverup.
Capoeira is a traditional martial art with an interesting history. One starts out with basic, quick movements (with Portuguese names). As you improve, you can practice movements together with great fluency. My advice for beginners is that you cannot over think otherwise you will lose your core balance. You have to move with the flow of energy and not worry about making everything perfect. After all, Capoeira is an art form, which means there is usually not a “right” or “wrong” way to do things. You will enjoy it the most when you make it your own.
My Average Teenage Life 