Many of you out there may be wondering ‘what is capoeira?’ Capoeira is part dance, part martial art that was created by the slaves of Africa around the 1500′s and imported to Brazil (where it was taken on by the Brazilians as their own).

It is usually performed to music, and usually involves the participant swaying from one foot to the other whilst pivoting their arms around their body. As a martial art, capoeira is one of the most entertaining to watch since it often involves people doing flips and all manner of gravity-defying feats.

The strength of capoeira as a martial art comes in its unpredictability. Back when it was used for fighting almost no-one had ever seen anything like it (and many people still haven’t) so you certainly had the element of surprise on your side. In addition to this, it is very easy to become mesmerised by the movements of a capoeira routine – only to be struck by a surprise attack from your opponent. Read the rest of this entry »