ABADA CAPOEIRA DUBAI
Capoeira is an art form that combines elements of martial arts, music, folklore and dance.
Its origins and purpose are a matter of debate: some claim it is a uniquely Brazilian folk dance with improvised fighting movements, while others believe it originated as a battle-ready fighting form directly descended from ancient African and Latino-Indian techniques. What we do know, however, is that it was created and brought to Brazil by African slaves sometime after the sixteenth century, and has aided its practitioners in freeing themselves from slavery.
Sparring in Capoeira is a fluid acrobatic game, utilising feints, fakes, takedowns, as well as the extensive use of leg sweeps, kicks, and head butts. Elbow strikes, slaps, punches, and body throws are also frequently used.
Capoeira descends from African fighting styles distilled by various Brazilian influences.
There are many other similar art forms or fighting styles have been noted: a strong example is found in many parallels that are drawn between the Martinique’s Ladja and Brazilian Capoeira.
Furthermore, African-derived combat games similar to wrestling and stick fighting have been documented in seventeenth-century in Barbados, eighteenth-century in Jamaica, and nineteenth century in Venezuela. Stick fighting was and still is practiced in Trinidad, Carriacou, Dominica, and Haiti. Capoeira may have also been influenced by a ritual fight-dance called “N'golo” (the zebra dance), which was performed during the "Efundula”, a ritualof different tribes of southern Angola.
For many years, Capoeira was criminalized and prohibited in Brazil.
In 1890, Brazilian president Da Fonseca signed a nationwide act prohibiting the practice of Capoeira, with severe punishment for those who disobeyed.
In spite of the ban, Manuel dos Reis Machado (Mestre Bimba) continued to practice the art. After many years of struggle, he finally succeeded in convincing the authorities of the cultural value of the art, resulting in the lifting of the official ban in the 1930s.
Over the years, Capoeira has grown in popularity worldwide. At this time in Brazil Capoeira was still primarily practiced among the poorest of Brazilian citizens. With the growing import and consequent popularity of Capoeira outside Brasil, however, much of the stigma with which it was historically associated was shed.
Today there are many schools all over the world and it has attracted a significant spectrum of multicultural and multiracial students.
Capoeira Angola is preserving traditions held before creation of Capoeira Regional and is often characterized by sneaky movements, with the players having games in close proximity. It is generally slower, lower and closer to the ground, although in actual practice, the speed varies in accordance with the music.
Capoeira Regional is the more martial art form of Capoeira, its aim is to make the art less dance-like, more effective, bringing it closer to its fighting origin. In Capoeira Regional, the players can have a large range of "sparring", from close to far, from low to high, from slow to very fast, and from martial to dance-like. This style is specially known for its athletic-acrobatic games, and music always sets the pace.
Attacks in Capoeira are rather dodged than blocked. Capoeira teaches one to attack and defend from any position – while standing, while on the ground, while upside down – and with any part of the body, including the head. It is a three-dimensional art; its players practice moving in all directions in many different ways.
