iblis wrote:ms.tangledwebs wrote:Not to be terribly informative or anything, but Breakdancing made it's debut in NYC in the seventies. Coincidentally it was developed directly after the first Capoirista (SP?) came to the US. Breakdancing is essentially a non interactive variation on Capoiera, which is a dance/fighting form developed by African slaves in Brazil. If you are at all interested in knowing more about this, I HIGHLY recommend it, course I LOVE Capoiera.
*for all you video geeks, think Eddie Gordo on Tekken
**if you know better on any of this, feel free to correct me
Not trying to be a nazi, but it's "Capoeira". It is really fun, but good luck finding a practitioner who can fight, these days.
Regardless of that, it's very good exercise, (Sure as fuck beats Tae Bo.)
But you're right - it really started as an off-the-wall variation of guerilla warfare, developed by the Africans enslaved in Brazil. However, for the most part, what's practiced in the U.S. is considered Capoeira Regional - more dance and acrobatics - whereas the original (or thus I've been led to believe) is known as Capoeira Angola, which tends more towards takedowns and striking.
The difference is about the same as the difference between American Tae Kwon Do and Korean Tae Kwon Do.
Enormous.
Americans fuck everything up. :p
Thank you for your input, I was lucky enough to study for 2 semesters under a man who really knew what he was doing. We did Capoeira Regional (which is also practiced in Brazil, it is not JUST an American adaptation) and at the end of each class would "play" in a roda, which would involve striking and take downs (we were taught how to fall as well as block, and people rarely got hurt) It was one of the best classes I took in college!!