Capoiera is awesome
Out of context: Reply #22
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- TheBlueOne0
Capoeira didn't evolve out of a dance style. Capoeira is capoeira. It's roots are in Africa, but developed into it;s modern form in Brazil. It has along history and various lineages through time - some from Rio (Called Capoeira Carioca, circa 19th century) were strictly streetfighting - no dancing, no upside down moves - and all those moves are still found in the art today, other forms from Brazil's northeast (Bahia primarily) were more dance-like, and those forms survived the police crackdown on the art until the 1930's. Capoeira is like a buskers art - it used to be done up on the streets for tourists, thus getting more "showier" and then it got added to alot of the brazilian folkloric shows that toured the world in the 50's and 60's. Some capoeiristas stayed behind in europe (Nestor Capoeira) and some in the US (Mestres Jelon in NY and Accordeon in SF) in the early 70's. And it's just gotten bigger globally since that time.
It CAN be a pretty good set of fighting skills - pretty basic,with emphasis on liveness, evasion etc. (and no good fighting capoeirista would ever turn his back or do a cartwheel or whatever in a fight) but it's rarely taught that way, and besides the best part about capoeira is actually playing capoeira, and the aim of that isn't to beat each other up, but rather push each other to find different answers to offensive and defensive puzzles within the game. Plus it's a whole cultural thing - the music, songs, instumentation and rituals of it are vital. I discovered it in '94 myself and have been involved ever since. One of the most complete and humanistic expressions of humanity I have ever come across...
And besides...after the training and the playing and the fighting, you sometimes just samba. And the women are amazing.