Capoeira is a martial art school that visually resembles an amazing dance. Anyone can master this style, you just have to have the desire and put in a lot of effort. Today in our article we will talk about capoeira techniques, the origin of this trend, what benefits such training brings to the human body, and also what a person needs for each training to be as effective as possible.

What it is?

Capoeira is the national martial art of Brazil, which uniquely combines elements of wrestling, play, acrobatics and even dance. Each movement must be carried out to the accompaniment of fiery Brazilian music and in the end we get an excellent energetic mix!

It is worth noting that in capoeira strikes are reduced to nothing, despite the fact that elements of combat are still present. This is due to the fact that there is practically no contact between partners, since most of them are occupied by low positions simulating kicks, various sweeps and acrobatic techniques. While, when one dancer starts to attack, the second tries in every possible way to dodge, in the end we get an amazingly beautiful fight. But in order to achieve mastery in this matter, it is necessary, first of all, to bring each of your techniques to coordination and coherence.

History of origin

The history of the formation and development of this type of martial art dates back to the 18th century, but there are suggestions that it appeared much earlier. Today, there is a generally accepted version that says that this type of wrestling originated in South America thanks to black slaves who were brought en masse to Portugal from their homeland: Angola, Mozambique, Congo and Guinea.

In those days, the treatment towards them was incredibly cruel and merciless, so they never lost the opportunity to escape. Fugitive slaves formed entire free cities, which were called quilombush, in which not only the original, but also incredibly vibrant African culture was combined with a calmer Indian one. To keep yourself in good health physical fitness and while having fun, they danced. Based on this story, the concept of capoeira appeared..

There are different versions about the origin of the first strikes. Some believe that they belong to the subcultures of national dances of African peoples. It is worth noting that initially this art form did not use fighting techniques. However, there is another version, which states that the fundamental basis of capoeira was the national fighting dance of Africa called ngolo, which was a mandatory component of the initiation rite in the southern regions of Angola.

The young people who fought each other portrayed zebras. In any case, the origins of the martial art of capoeira are always associated with the name of the hero Zumbi, who personified resistance for the Brazilian people.

As for the name, there are also several variations of its origin. One version says that in the Tupi Indian language, capoeira is translated as “a field that is overgrown with bushes and cleared by burning or cutting down.” It is quite possible that the interpretation is relevant, since large areas were needed for dancing and had to be cleared.

The second version relies on the translation of the word from Portuguese - "chicken cage". However, there is a third version, whose adherents are convinced that capoeira is the result of a distorted pronunciation of the words “kipura” and “kipula”, which translated from the African Kikong language mean “flutter from place to place” and “fight”. It is worth mentioning that for some time this type of martial art was prohibited, and therefore remained underground for a long time.

Styles

In 1930, a military coup took place in Brazil, which completely changed the political situation. Since then, capoeira has been recognized by law and is actively developing. Since then, several branches have appeared, each of which positions itself as an independent direction.

Let's look at the main styles of capoeira:

Worth paying Special attention the fact that it is incredibly difficult even for an experienced person to distinguish each of the types from each other, since some elements, impacts and movements are characteristic of all directions, and others are constantly changing and improving.

Beneficial properties of capoeira

What are the benefits of training in this art form? not only for an adult, but also for a child? It has been repeatedly noted in many sources that such training has many undeniable advantages:

As for the shortcomings, there are few of them. These include a small amount vocational schools, as well as the danger of certain impacts and movements!

What is needed to start classes?

First of all, one must decide for what purpose a person wants to master this type of martial art: to diversify his leisure time or to receive a belt and the title of master in order to engage in teaching in the future.

So, for each training session to be effective, you should find a suitable school and enroll in it. Unfortunately, There are very few professional trainers in Russia, which is why capoeira is taught in fitness centers as a fitness discipline.

For full training you will need a little:

  • good mood;
  • a fighting spirit that forces you to work and give your all;
  • It is not necessary to purchase equipment; any loose and comfortable things are enough;
  • It is recommended to practice without shoes, it is more comfortable.

History of capoeira

Reliable information about capoeira begins in the 18th century, but, in fact, it originated somewhat earlier. According to generally accepted version, capoeira originated in South America thanks to black slaves whom the Portuguese brought from other colonies - Angola, Mozambique, Guinea, Congo. As a result of the cruel treatment of Brazilian slave owners, some slaves fled to the jungle, where African religion and culture met Indian. The fugitives settled in quilombos (singular - quilombu) - “free cities”, from the subculture of which capoeira began to spread.

According to various sources, capoeira originates from:

  • African subcultures national dance. Initially, it did not carry a combat aspect, which appeared later, on the territory of Brazil.
  • African ritual war dance “ngolo” (“n’golo”), which was an integral attribute of the initiation rite in the southern regions of Angola, and depicted the dance of zebras - young warriors entered into a ritual battle with each other.

However, despite the different versions, the qualities of dance in capoeira are present.

The development of capoeira at that time is inextricably linked with the legendary hero - Zumbi, who became a symbol of resistance for the people of Brazil. Zumbi dos Palmaris (port. Zumbi dos Palmares) headed one of the largest quilombos - Palmaris, which existed under government blockade for about seventy years.

origin of name

Disputes regarding the etymology of the word “capoeira” continue to this day. The most common versions:

Capoeira underground

A new stage in the development of capoeira was the official documentation of information relating to capoeira. This period begins with the signing in the city of Brazil Golden Law who abolished slavery. It should be noted that the import of slaves was prohibited even earlier - in the city - by the Queiroz law, but for almost another forty years the slave trade continued illegally, until May 13, 1888. On that day, Princess Isabella, who ruled at that time in place of the sick emperor, signed the following law:

Despite the official equalization of all Indians, blacks and mestizos in human rights with Europeans, social discrimination still existed in the country, manifested in all spheres of social life. The religion of Candomblé and capoeira, like many other elements of the culture of the non-European population of Brazil, were officially banned. Social reflection on this fact was the so-called. “Resistance” - capoeira became both a dance and a weapon among underground groups and street gangs. In the city, the practice of capoeira was prohibited by the first constitution of the Brazilian Republic.

Style separation

Capoeira Regional

Quite prominent representatives of the Angola Capoeira style are:

Capoeira Contemporanea

The term "Contemporanea" is used for groups who practice the Angola style while modernizing it. This style is very controversial, as many modern capoeiristas argue that the Angola and Regional styles should not be mixed, and that the student must practice only one of them in order to fully accept the form of the game. Others argue that a capoeirista should be skilled in both traditional and modern capoeira and advocate training in both styles simultaneously. In general, the Contemporanea style is the subject of much debate among capoeiristas.

The name "Contemporanea" is also applied to various groups that do not associate themselves with either Mestre Bimba or Mestre Pastinha.

Over the past few years, the different philosophies of modern capoeira have been expressed in the creation of various schools, particularly in North America, which create and continue to develop their individual school contemporary art. This has become a defining characteristic of many schools, to the point that an experienced student can sometimes tell which school his opponent comes from just by the capoeirista's playing style. Some schools teach mixed media based on a combination of several styles. Traditionally, the birth in these schools begins with the Angola style, during which the Mestre or an experienced student sings the ladainha (which can usually be heard at the beginning of the game in Capoeira Angola). After some time, the game speeds up and soon the Mestre gives a sign, after which the berimbau rhythms become traditional for the Regional style.

Each of the styles, Regional and Angola, focuses on different properties and key points. Regional focuses on developing speed and quick reflexes, while Angola emphasizes the deep meaning of each movement, almost like a game of chess. Schools that teach a combination of both teach it as an opportunity to use the strengths of each in your game.

Spread of capoeira around the world

Capoeira in Europe

Europe's first close acquaintance with capoeira dates back to 1951 - the European tour of the artistic troupe Companhia Brasiliana, followed by others - for example Furacões da Bahia or Brazil Tropical, based master Camisa Rocha. After this, individual specialists were given the opportunity to stay in Europe for a long time, teaching capoeira or performing solo performances. Considered the pioneer of European capoeira Martinho Fiuza, who came to the city. It should be noted that regular teaching of capoeira in the USA began only three years earlier - in the city by a master Jelon Vieira(school Senzala) in NYC . Paulo Siqueira arrived in Germany ( Paulo Siqueira), this event is considered to be the beginning of the continuous development of capoeira in Europe.

Capoeira in the CIS

The first serious interest in this type of art in Russia and the CIS was shown in the city, after the release of the film “Only the Strongest”, with Mark Dacascos in the title role.

The situation due to the lack of information began to change when capoeiristas from the CIS countries began to attend capoeira training camps and seminars in Europe, the USA and Brazil.

The next stage in the development of domestic capoeira was the visits of Brazilian masters. Every year many famous Brazilian capoeira masters come to the CIS with a program of seminars, and, as a rule, they are really interested in the development of capoeira groups in Russia and the CIS.

Capoeira in Russia

Capoeira today

Capoeirista meetings

Meetings of capoeiristas, in absolute majority cases, proceed according to the following rules. The musicians stand at the head of the circle (port. Roda). The roda is formed by capoeiristas or the audience standing or sitting in a circle. Everyone sings songs in Portuguese. The two enter the game near the location of the musician with Gunga, called Pe do Berimbau (port. Pe do Berimbau), sometimes using acrobatic elements. The game begins - movements, strikes, jumps alternate in attempts to reach the opponent or force him to fall. The nature of the game in Roda (fast or slow, friendly or aggressive) depends on the rhythm that the berimbau plays and the songs.

Music

“The ability to sing and respond... is the responsibility of every capoeirista. The inability to sing solo is not a defect, but the inability to sing along with the choir is a big disadvantage. There should not be people in the bateria who do not sing with the choir.”

“Why do songs have a plot?.. ...So that when a representative of another group or a master comes to the clan, improvisation would warn the clan whether it needs to stop, or encourage them to continue playing.”

Training and activities take place to the accompaniment of live music, which is created by a special “capoeira orchestra” - bateria (or sharanga). There are several traditions of bateria composition, they are quite diverse.

The main role in the accompaniment and management of labor is played by Berimbau(port. Berimbau) - an instrument resembling a bow with a resonator. Berimbau sets the basic rhythm and tempo of the game in Roda.

A more or less generally accepted tradition is that the basis of the bateria is three berimbau, each of which serves its own purpose:

In addition to berimbau, the “classic” bateria includes:

Berimbau rhythms

Three main types of berimbau

The rhythm of the berimbau determines the nature of the game in Roda; there are many popular traditional and “author” rhythms for this instrument, for example:

There are other rhythms, described in more detail in the main article of the section.

Songs

In traditional capoeira, the song cycle is divided into three main parts:

The musical sequence opens with the ladainha, a traditional solo song by the mestre (or the person who “leads” the family). The singer may tell a parable or convey a message to the audience. The solo can be improvised. While the master sings, the first pair of players sit and wait, positioned on either side of him.

General concepts and definitions in capoeira

  • port. Abada/ Abada - special white capoeirista pants.
  • port. Amazonia/ Amazonia is a style of playing capoeira; when playing in this style, capoeiristas imitate the movements of animals, using mainly the lower technique.
  • port. Angola/ Angola - capoeira style of play, characterized by a special rhythm of playing the berimbau, in roda they play very close and slowly.
  • port. Apelido/ Apelidou is a name in capoeira, given to the mestre before the batizada.
  • port. Axé/ Ashe - the energy of capoeira.
  • port. Bateria/ Bateria - the orchestra, the instruments and the people playing them, they set the pace of the game.
  • port. Batizado/ Batizadu - initiation ceremony, baptism, receiving the first cord.
  • port. Benguela/ Benguela is a style of playing capoeira, characterized by a special rhythm of playing the berimbau, the style is dominated by departures, movements, the rhythm is average, the blows are smooth and not high.
  • port. Volta ao mundo/ Volta au mundu - a walk in a circle, used for a break for players or musicians.
  • port. Grimas/ Grimash - sticks for makulele.
  • port. Jogo/ Jogu is a game of sorts.
  • port. Jogo de compra/ Jogu di compra is a game in which one person comes out in a family and replaces the one who plays longer.
  • port. Iuna/ Iuna is a style of playing capoeira, characterized by a special rhythm of playing the berimbau, acrobatics predominate in the roda, they play at a distance so as not to interfere with each other.
  • port. Corda/ Corda - a colored cord indicating the status of a capoeirista, worn on the belt.
  • port. Corridos, quadros/ Curridus, cuadrus - songs performed by the participants of the roda.
  • port. Ladainha/ Ladainha - introductory song, sung only in Angola, performed solo.
  • port. Maculelê/ Makulele - a dance-game with sticks, participants perform various movements, falling into the rhythm set by the drums.
  • port. Regional/ Regional - style of playing capoeira, characterized by a special rhythm of playing the berimbau, the roda is played quickly, high and fast strikes predominate, you can do jumps and acrobatics.
  • port. Roda/ Roda - a circle formed by participants in which capoeiristas play.
  • port. Solo/ Solo - a single performance by a capoeirista, with or without rode, in which he shows his ability to perform some kind of strikes, connections, acrobatic movements.
  • port. Toque/ Toke - rhythm of playing the berimbau.
  • port. Troca de corda/ Troka di cord - change cord, move to the next level.
  • port. Chamada/ Shamada - a call, a certain sequence of steps and actions, used exclusively in Angola for a break or to change the course of the game.
  • port. Chulas/ Shulas is a song of praise, sung only in Angola.

Movements and Strikes

There are no static stances in capoeira. Its basis is ginga (port. ginga). Ginga is a continuous movement, the player is constantly moving, ready to escape the blow or carry out the blow himself. Main stands and movements:

  • Ginga (port. Ginga).
  • Negachiva (port. Negativa).
  • Eshkiva (port. Esquiva).
  • Cocorinha (port. Cocorinha).
  • Rolet (port. Role).

Handstands and movements:

  • Au abertu (port. Au aberto)
  • Au feshadu (port. Au fechado).
  • Oh good luck (port. Au goodness).
  • Au agulya (port. Au agulha).
  • Bananeira (port. Bananeira).
  • Biku di papagayu (port. Bico de papagaio).
  • Macaque (port. Macaco).

The names of the movements vary from school to school; the terms given above are characteristic of certain schools of the Regional and Capoeira Contemporanea directions. The same names in other schools may mean slightly different movements.

Gradations of skill

In modern capoeira directions regional And contemporary to indicate skill, a system of belts or scarves is adopted, the colors of which are determined by each individual school. Belts (port. cordão) or neck scarves (port. lenço) are colored scarf cords worn by capoeiristas. They can receive their degree, apelida (and scarf belt) only at the initiation ceremony (port. batizado). Along with practice in roda and practicing new elements, the student learns the Portuguese language, music, songs, the history of capoeira and its philosophy. With perseverance and constant training, after a few years you can achieve the title of an experienced student (port. formado). The next level allows you to help your teacher. The highest ranks are Mestre Xarangeiro (port. mestre-xarangeiro) contra-mestre (port. contra-mestre) and Mestre (port. mestre). The title of Mestre allows you to open your own school; achieving this title takes at least ten years.

In the tradition of most schools of the direction Angola issuing belts and conducting batizada is not practiced.

Batizado

Initiation into capoeirista, when a newcomer can be given a name (“apelida”) and the first cordao. In capoeira there is no traditional change to a belt according to standards as in other martial arts; readiness to change the belt is determined by the coach based on the results of training for the entire time. If a player is called into the circle for a batizada, we can assume that he has an increase in the gradation of belts, unless he makes “loud mistakes” or shows basic ignorance of the rules of entry into the family. The ceremony is held differently in different schools; usually a capoeirist of at least the level of “professor” has the right to conduct a batizada. The ceremony for changing the belt (degree) is called “Troca di cordao” (port. Troca de Cordao) and is usually carried out together with batizada.

Organization of the capoeirista movement

Capoeira schools now unite tens of thousands of people around the world. Festivals and seminars are held regularly.

A school is determined by its affiliation with one of the capoeira styles. Typically, each school has a base location and many branches around the world. The Mestre (or his disciples) regularly visits the branches and conducts batizada. There are many internationally recognized and respected schools, as well as little-known ones.

However, it is certainly necessary to take into account the following opinions:

“...Capoeira is like air: we know that it exists, we breathe it, we cannot live without it. And at the same time, we cannot catch it, put it in some kind of framework. Capoeira cannot be limited to just one single group of practitioners, one single formal organization, and especially not one group of masters who claim a monopoly on its ownership. Capoeira goes beyond all of us. No society, group or person will ever control it...
...Before thinking about creating a capoeira institution, we must ask ourselves: why would anyone want to organize us? Why do we need an organization that will control our way of life? Who will benefit from this? Capoeira? Capoeira player? Bureaucrats? Is the creation of such organizations really necessary?...
…we are open to learning about capoeira, but we don’t want anyone to impose their own scale of values ​​on us. We want a community that values ​​and encourages both the individuality of each member and the collaboration between them...” - Mestre Cobra Mansa

Thus, it can be seen that there are two main trends: maximum organization and maximum freedom. And, of course, there are as many opinions as you like between these poles. Each group, capoeirista association, or individual who does not have a strong connection with a specific group chooses its own path. However, here another principle comes into play - following the “line” - a tradition passed on from teacher to student.

Capoeira in films, videos, commercials and computer games

Modern capoeira includes many spectacular acrobatic jumps, tricks and movements. A game that combines powerful blows with dizzying acrobatics can make a strong impression on an outside observer. It is natural that capoeira did not go unnoticed by Hollywood directors.

Only the strong

The first feature film entirely dedicated to capoeira.

Other games

In addition to the game "Capoeira Fighter", made by enthusiasts, there are many commercial games in which capoeira is present in one form or another. Games of this kind include such titles as “Tekken” (episodes from 3 and up: Eddie Gordo, Tiger, Christy Monteiro), Prince of Persia (The Sands of Time; WW; TTT), “Fatal Fury” (FF1 , 3, Real Bout 1, 2, Special), “The King of Fighters” (KoF: MI 1, KoF: MI2, KoF 11), “Street Fighter 3” (all versions), Rage of the Dragons. The matter is not limited to the games listed, and not all games present capoeira specifically as a combat discipline. For example, in the online role-playing game World of Warcraft, trolls, after commanding to dance (/dance), begin to perform capoeira movements.

Notes

  1. Health"snews.com Capoeira - is it appropriate for a gentleman? ,
  2. Health"snews.com Capoeira – The main thing is stretching,
  3. ISBN 5-93347-205-0.
  4. Article Quilombush - free cities on v8mag.ru
  5. Capoeira Angola: collection of articles. M., Rusaki, 2005., ISBN 5-93347-205-0. Daniel Dawson, article “Capoeira Angola and Mestre Joao Grandi”, English.
  6. Capoeira Angola: collection of articles. M., Rusaki, 2005., ISBN 5-93347-205-0. page 22
  7. Article CAPOEIRA: BRAZILIAN WAR DANCE on idance.ru
  8. Capoeira during this period is described in more detail in Jorge Amado’s book “The Shop of Miracles”
  9. Mestre Bimba
  10. Capoeira Angola: collection of articles. M., Rusaki, 2005., ISBN 5-93347-205-0. Article "Capoeira Angola", Martin de Moor.
  11. “GRUPOS PARAFOLCLÓRICOS BAIANOS. Olhar o passado e entender o presente para redimensionar o futuro» Nadir Nóbrega Oliveira (port.)
  12. Mestre de Capoeira Paulo Siqueira (German)
  13. “Herança de Pastinha. Metafísica da Capoeira.” Decanio, Ângelo; Colecão São Salomão 3, Salvador: Produção Independente, 1996., p. 38, p. 54

What is capoeira

Capoeira is a Brazilian national art that combines dance, acting and acrobatics. The art of battle, spiritual unity with higher powers and communication are subtly intertwined here. Capoeira has its own unique philosophy, character traits, directions and styles. The striking technique of capoeira is in many ways similar to that of other martial arts. And the beauty is added by power racks and acrobatic elements.

Nowadays, the combat aspect of capoeira has receded a little into the background, and modern technique is more of a dance game. Rhythm and music are embodied in the movements of the fighters, and it seems that they are talking to each other in the language of dance, and the winner is the one who managed to confuse the enemy with his cunning and skill.

During the so-called fight, participants gather in a circle, play musical instruments, sing and clap. Two players go to the center and an improvisation begins, consisting of complex movements, rotations, headstands and handstands. Participants take turns entering the circle, gradually replacing each other.

There are many most controversial hypotheses and guesses regarding the history of the emergence of capoeira as a martial art. Some researchers say that the prototype was a dance common among African tribes, others argue that capoeira originated from the fusion of various cultures of the Brazilian Indians. And even the word “capoeira” itself does not have an unambiguous interpretation. But many masters translate this word as “low vegetation,” or more precisely, a place with short grass where it is convenient to practice classes.

Capoeira appeared in Russia less than 10 years ago and was not immediately understood. We perceived the combination of acrobatics and dance elements as a new direction in fitness and went to training with the goal of losing weight. But gradually people realized that capoeira is more than fitness. And, despite the fact that all blows are delivered past the enemy, real life they are quite effective. Therefore, self-defense enthusiasts will not be disappointed.

Today, many fitness centers invite you to take up capoeira and fully immerse yourself in Brazilian culture. You can come alone or with a group of friends - rest assured that everyone will find something for themselves. And promotions at fitness clubs will allow you to purchase a subscription for several classes at a discount.

Where to begin

Anyone can practice capoeira, regardless of age and physical fitness. To get started, you can go to a trial lesson and observe. The classes themselves have two varieties: training and Rhoda, so before signing up, it is better to clarify where you will go. The workouts consist of stretching, endurance and flexibility exercises, complemented by acrobatic elements.

Rhoda is the most interesting and spectacular part. To the accompaniment of Brazilian music, capoeiristas come out in pairs in a circle, and a dance dialogue begins. Strikes are delivered mostly with the legs, and the hands are used for defense, throwing and sweeping. Roda, as a rule, takes place without physical contact, and the blows are given at a distance. The fighters work closely with each other and strive to make capoeira beautiful.

Clothing for classes, first of all, should be comfortable. The color of capoeira is white, but nothing bad will happen if you come in dark. Shoes are not required during the classes as they are barefoot. Girls should wear their hair in a ponytail, otherwise how will you stand on your head?

It is not necessary to perceive capoeira as the path of the warrior. For some it helps them relax after a hard day, for others it is to lift their spirits or make friends, and for others it is a fun and unusual sport.

There are dozens of martial arts and hundreds of dances in the world. And there are only isolated cases when the art of defense and the art of dancing are combined into one harmonious whole. Such an impressive symbiosis is Capoeira - dance-wrestling or martial art born in dance.

It must be admitted that the art of dance intersects with combat not only in capoeira. Ukrainian hopak, combat dance with checkers, Cossack dance have no less refined combat techniques and excellent choreography. These dances are impressive and colorful. However, they all remain within their national culture and are almost exotic. But capoeira has long transcended the boundaries of the Brazilian national martial art and has become very popular all over the world.
Capoeira is recognized as an official sport in its homeland and has more than half a million “players” registered by federations, not counting countless amateur adherents in many countries. And, at the same time, capoeira is a separate dance style, spectacular, attractive and very complex.

What is the secret of capoeira's popularity?
Use your imagination! This dance is one of those dances that are better to see once than to read its description a hundred times. But still, we will try to convey the philosophy of dance, its essence and emotions.

A capoeirista can hardly be called just a dancer. Rather, he is an athlete, a dexterous and calculating player. And capoeira itself is a meeting of two opponents, accompanied by rhythmic music, demonstrating the ability to control their body, defend and attack, avoid blows and calculate the opponent’s intention. The meeting of capoeirists, however, is not called a “battle”, not a “match”, not a “round” and, especially, not a dance, but a game (“burn”).

Capoeira has strong traditions. Capoeira music is the sounds of the pandeiro tambourine, the atabaque drum, the reco-reco rattles and the agogo bells. And the main “violin” in this exotic symphony is played by the berimbau, a plucked string instrument similar to a bow.

There can be as many participants in the dance-game as you like. Capoeiristas and the audience form a circle (Roda in Portuguese), at the head of which the musicians stand. To the rhythmic sounds musical instruments(well, in a simplified version, just for recording) participants perform ladainya - a special chorus and clap their hands. The capoeirista code requires everyone to be able to sing songs in Portuguese. By the way, even in Russian capoeira schools, great attention is paid to this skill in order to maintain the traditions of the dance.

A pair of dancer-fighters enters the center of the circle using a special sign. Following the ritual, the players first squat down, touch the floor with their palms and, after shaking hands, simultaneously jump up, starting the “game.”
The movements of capoeira resemble the fight of “flying” ninjas. To the sound of the berimbau, players “cartwheel”, “spread” along the ground, stand on one palm, perform acrobatic somersaults, avoiding the enemy’s attacks or forcing him to fall. The fighters completely dissolve in capoeira, almost fall into a trance, obeying the thick music of the drums, guess each other’s intentions and thoughts and reduce the distance between body parts to a few millimeters.
For an ignorant spectator, it is obvious that two people are fighting, and seem to be throwing kicks at the opponent’s head or are about to crush his chin with their head. But... the heels “fly” a millimeter from the faces, and the crushing blows do not reach the target. This is the principle of the most spectacular style of capoeira "regional" - non-contact. Regional is distinguished by sharp amplitude movements, high stances, spectacular acrobatics, and the game itself takes place to a constantly accelerating musical rhythm.

Another style of capoeira, Angola, is completely different, with slow movements occurring to a leisurely drum beat. This is the bottom technique. There are three main elements of dance:

  1. Low stand, in which the fighters’ legs are widely spaced and all movements are carried out in a pendulum step. The body weight is alternately shifted from one leg to the other, forming dance movements. From this position, the capoeirist often leans on his hands to strike with one or both legs, make a jump, somersault or sweep. And capoeira itself received the name “foot boxing” for the abundance of such movements.
  2. In capoeira there are two attack zones: lower level (various blows to the opponent’s legs, hooks and sweeps) and upper zone – kicks to the opponent’s head.
  3. The third element of dance is protection which consists of slopes, turns and somersaults. Capoeira is replete with acrobatic elements, where the blocks are not hard, and the enemy’s blow is deflected through sliding and rotating movements.

Another capoeira tradition is the clothing of the dancer-fighters. It is customary that capoeira is performed in white trousers and white T-shirts. Dancers whose muscles are well pumped up love to dance capoeira with a bare torso. A good fighter is considered to be the one who comes out of the fight “flawlessly white” and even when using the lower technique, has never touched the ground with his clothes.

Where did this miracle come from - capoeira (a little history).
Capoeira can be safely called a symbiosis of wrestling, play and dance.
The translation of the name "capoeira" is ambiguous. According to one version, “capoeira” comes from “capoeiras” - “jungle thickets”. Another meaning attributed to the word capoeira is “cut down forest”, “clearing” is the place where the fugitive slaves who founded this style hid. Still other sources translate the word “capoeira” as “low vegetation” – an area with low grass where it is convenient to practice martial arts.

The origins of capoeira are still controversial. But the most common and plausible version says that its history began as a war dance of black slaves brought by the Portuguese during the period of colonization to Brazil. They honed their capoeira skills in moments of rest and disguised them as dance. It is believed that black slaves who escaped from plantations borrowed some capoeira techniques from local Indians. The capoeira technique was perfected in the settlements of fugitive slaves for future battles with the colonialists. Since the 1820s, capoeiristas were severely persecuted, and as severe punishment sentenced to hard labor and 200 lashes.

Decades later, capoeira did not disappear, but only “hardened”, becoming the main tool of street fighting in Rio de Janeiro. By the way, the first detailed descriptions of capoeira came to us mostly from police reports. An effective and very dangerous martial art was used by gangs and clans of the city to fight “wall to wall.” They terrorized the townspeople and were virtually invulnerable to the police. They tried to “cool off” the capoeiristas and forcibly recruited them into the army. But this only contributed to the spread of capoeira in remote provinces, where recruits were sent.
Ultimately, the Brazilian Criminal Code in 1890 elevated capoeira to the rank of a criminal activity. Those who practiced capoeira were sentenced to six months in prison and deportation to a remote northeastern island; for crime lords, the sentence was doubled.

Capoeira owes its second birth to master Bimba.
The fight against capoeira turned out to be very effective, and by the beginning of the twentieth century this martial art was almost forgotten. The tradition of capoeira was revived by a legendary man nicknamed Bimba (official name - Manuel dos Reis Machado). They called him Bimba-Three Strikes - they say that’s exactly what he needed to kill any opponent. In a duel against him, no one could hold out for more than a minute and a half.
Bimba decided to prove that capoeira is undeservedly forgotten and is a national martial art that can serve its people. In 1932, he opened the first capoeira school and developed the technique that formed the basis of the non-contact regional style.
Potentially, almost half of capoeira’s blows are fatal, but the teacher-Bimba introduced the same humane principle that is now canonical for capoeirists - non-contact.

Shortly after Bimba, another master (mestre) of capoeira, Vicente Ferreira Pastinha, founded his school of capoeira "Angola" with an alternative philosophy. He believed that acrobatics was not the main thing in capoeira, but emphasized the ritual and playful elements in it. In 1941, Pastinha laid the foundation for a new “Angolan” style and united around himself many opponents of the overly sporty “regional” style.

The revival of capoeira in the 1930s coincided in Brazil with an active search for national idea. The authorities considered capoeira a vibrant and worthy expression of the Brazilian character and turned a blind eye to its criminal past.
The final recognition of capoeira occurred after demonstration performances, which in 1953 Bimba demonstrated with the students of his school especially for the president of the country, Getulio Vargas. He was impressed and predicted a brilliant future for capoeira.

A real boom awaited capoeira in the 1970-1980s. Crowds of followers of both styles became interested in capoeira in the wake of the cult of physical health. In addition, capoeira performed by “mulattos in white pants” was a spectacular and, at the same time, non-aggressive art that entertained tourists. Brazilians proudly demonstrated capoeira and aroused interest in this beautiful sport-dance-game among fans all over the world.

Capoeira spread rapidly. Elements of capoeira can be clearly seen in hip-hop and breakdancing. Today, combat, sports, dance and fitness capoeira is very popular on all five continents. In particular, capoeira has existed in Russia for more than 10 years and is recognized as a full-fledged sport. The first serious interest in capoeira was stirred up in Russia by the film released in 1994 - “Only the Strongest”. The main role in it was played by Mark Dacascos, who made an indelible impression on the audience with this martial art and ignited in many enthusiasts a spark of love for capoeira and a great desire to learn.

As a result, capoeira has gained worldwide fame and continues to increase the number of its fans. Surprisingly, capoeira, unlike many martial arts, over the long period of its development has preserved almost all traditions in a pure, unchanged form. A truly unique case when, being so widespread, capoeira was not influenced by other combat systems.

Capoeira skills can be improved throughout your life, and the pinnacle of mastery is achieved by those who are especially persistent after ten years of intensive training. This is a complex art that requires good physical training, plasticity and coordination of movements. However, you just have to start practicing, and capoeira will gradually teach your body to be perfect.