Learn Capoeira moves

Above about Capoeira moves.

-Ginga: The standard movement from which all Capoeira moves are performed. (See Capoeira Corner for an animation)
-Queda de Rins: A stance positioning your legs over your body, elbows and head supporting the weight

-Queda de Tres: Angola position with both hands on the ground, one leg straight. This position is used to land into to escape a banda or other attack and go into an evasive move.

-Queda de Quatro: Angola Position with legs straight in front on the ground and weight on your hands. You use this to escape or back away from an opponent. It's also a position you fall back onto to escape takedowns like the queda de tres

-Esquiva Baixa: A low dodge with one leg back, one hand blocking your head and one supporting your weight.
-Esquiva Lateral: Like Esquiva Baixa but to the side, and one arm is overhead

-Cocorinha: A crouching position.
-Ponte: Backbend or low backbend (arms and legs bent but back isn't touching the ground)
-Resistencia: Like cocorinha, but one leg can be forward, you lean back as you escape. You use reistencia to go to a low ponte, rolé or rasteira to the side.
-Entrada: A sidestep dodge, also a step forward. The entrada step is also what leads into spinning moves like the Armada, Mei Lua de Compasso, and Meia Lua Solta
-Balanço: An evasive maneuver to the side with legs spread, you use the momentum to bounce back into other moves.
-Rolé: A way of moving low to the ground, legs sweeping short in front of you.

-Escala: Defensive move where you fall back onto one leg. From here usually you spring forward to attack, a sweep or Chapeu de Couro

-Reverse Planche (left) and Manna (right): These strength holds are sometimes seen in the roda by very strong capoeiristas. Just thought I'd throw them in.

-Vingativa: A counter that uses your weight and leverage to topple an opponent.
-Cruz: A counter that ‘uproots’ the opponent.
-Boca de Calca: A simple takedown where you grab the opponent's ankles and yank.
-Arrastão: Takedown where you move in close, shoulder to the opponent's chest, grab their thighs and heave their skull to the ground.
-Acoite de Braco: A body slam or throw or takedown. Grab one arm, put your other arm between his legs, heave him up onto and over your shoulders and plunk him on the ground.
-Cintura Desprezada: A series of 4 acrobatic partner exercises developed by Mestre Bimba to teach students how to land on their feet. This training helped students learn moves like backflips, forward flips & au sem mao. I don't know what these are and I've never done them before, so don't bother asking.
-Arpão: Spinning handslaps.
-Giro: To spin on your heels, like faking a kick
-Asfixiante: Forward punch.
-Godeme: A backhand elbow, backhand or overhead strike.
-Galopante: A swinging palm strike.
-Cutelo: Any hit with the outer edge of your stiff hand, like a chop
-Dedeira: Eye gouge
-Telefone: Smacking both sides of the head with your hands
-Cutevelada: Any elbow strike.

-Banda: A standing sweep, used to place the foot for one of the following takedowns

-Banda de Costa: Takedown where you move in, put one leg behind his and push him over.
-Banda por Dentro: Takedown where you sweep the inside leg rather than the outer leg.
-Aú: A cartwheel. There are many variations, i.e. legs tucked, aù into hand/headstand, one-handed, legs together, etc.
-Aú Agulha: A cartwheel, but in the middle you hop off your hands into the landing.
-Aú Leg Switch: A cartwheel but the legs switch position midway through and you land on the opposite foot.

-Aú Cortado, aka Slanted Aú: A cartwheel slanted with the legs coming down over head rather than sideways.