Now I am not suggesting you take up the Brazilian martial art / fight-dance / game known as capoeira ... I don’t want to be responsible for the broken bones you incur while attempting it in your backyard. (I'm rather happy that my 19-year-old son seems past the stage where he wants to try this. At least I think he's past that stage!)
But I am suggesting that even watching the capoeira dancers in these videos below can be an amazing and inspiring experience for you, as it is a gorgeous demonstration of what human passion and determination is capable of ... not to mention what the (young) human body is capable of.
Capoeira evolved from the highly artistic fight-dances of enslaved Africans in the 19th century who were shipped to South America. The slaves practiced and expanded it as a way to resist their oppressors, maintain their culture and art and uplift their spirits. Some historians believe that the indigenous natives of Brazil also influenced certain aspects of capoeira ... you’ll certainly hear a mix of the influences in the music.
To perform capoeira, participants form a circle (a “roda”) and take turns sparring in the middle while the others play music and sing. Typically the sparring partners do not make actual contact with one another, or at least not hard contact, but instead deliver a variety of graceful and powerful attack, defense and combo moves “at” target areas of one another.
Turn Up Your Speakers and Watch these Fascinating Capoeira Videos Now (KEEP WATCHING… both get more amazing as they go on!)
IMPORTANT NOTE: This one is truly amazing... when you start it the screen will be black for a bit, be patient...