From kung fu to kickboxing, the art of defense is vital for the survival of any culture - a discipline of honor and valor, martial art has preserved and inspired nations for ages. It is amazing how the urban culture of Hip Hop impacts society through astounding break dancing moves such as head spinning and aerial acrobatics, which are all elements of an extraordinary martial art form – capoeira. Unlike any other martial art form, capoeira is an impressive system of combat which combines elements of dance, acrobatics and even music; as a result, it is a beautiful self-defense art form that is not restricted to men only but is ideal for lioness-hearted women.

Every defense practice has its own unique heritage and technique - the history of capoeira is as remarkable as the art form itself. It originated in Brazil in the 16^th century when African slaves began to secretly rebel against their oppressors. The rebels gathered together in remote places of the plantation fields called “capoeira” in the Native American language. The capoeirists appeared to sing and dance, but beyond the ‘folk dance’ façade they were practicing a new martial art form which had moves inherited from their African traditions. Capoeira developed into a formidable combat practice which protected the rebels from the colonists. A symbol of survival and resistance to oppression, capoeira represented the Afro-Brazilian culture. Originally a notoriously deadly and prohibited practice, capoeira transformed into a favorite national sport, a source of Brazilian pride and cultural heritage.

A capoeira performance is a breathtaking sight to watch. Two opponents soar and leap through the air, moving to the tempo of the music played by the capoeirists in a sparring circle called Roda. It is hard to express whether the performers are dancing or fighting, as they quickly shift from the ground to the air in a series of complex and graceful movements, kicks, leg sweeps, jumps, and strikes. Capoerists seem to defy gravity as they fearlessly somersault, flip back and forth, stand on their hand or head and cartwheel freely. Traditionally, the music played in the roda inspires the artistic performance with song chants and tribal instruments. The purpose of a capoeira roda is not to harm or even defeat the opponent but to demonstrate improvisational skill, dexterity and cleverness of technique. The winner of the roda is the craftiest and most creative capoeirist of the group.

Capoeira is an exciting art form, which is not only beautiful to see but exhilarating to perform. An excellent workout, it is also an enjoyable discipline of improv-movement and acrobatic exercise. The heroic grace and versatility of capoeira is the reason it is so popular now, when superhero abilities seem to be achievable. An exemplar capoeira heroine is the amazing “Cat Woman” played by Halle Berry in the recent film, which used elements of capoeira. Imagine how awesome it is to know how to move expressively and be able to accomplish incredible feats using capoeria! To become a capoeira master is not difficult; a strong spirited woman can become more fit, flexible and assertive while learning how to defend herself. Anyone who is not afraid of a little challenge can learn to be as agile as a cat and as graceful as a Lioness.