An Afro-Brazillian martial art which combines fighting with performance art. It's a very recognizable style with its emphasis on acrobatics, ground combat, and spinning kicks frequently all at the same time. Its usage dates back at least to the 18th century. Capoeira as practiced today stems primarily from two Mestres in the 20th century and their respective schools: Mestre Bimba, founder of the modernized Capoeira Regional in the 1930s, and Mestre Pastinha, founder of the more traditionalist Capoeira Angola that strove to keep closer to the art's roots.

Its origins are hazy and debated, but it emerged as a fighting style among the slaves of Brazil. The elements of dance existed partly so that the slaves could mask it as a cultural activity unrelated to fighting. It evolved to be a favored fighting style among criminals, and at various times in Brazilian history, it has been declared illegal to practice. As a result, much of the known history is based on stories and legends.

The art spread first throughout Brazil, from poor blacks to wealthier classes, and throughout the world in the later part of the 20th century.

!!Tropes associated with Capoeira

* ArmedLegs: A common misrepresentation is that some early capoeiristas performed with razor blades clenched between their toes as a hidden weapon. In actuality, razors were used, but generally in the user's hands.
** There ARE videos on Website/YouTube showing people playing with razors between their toes but these games are ''very'' slow and cautious.
* BadassGrandpa: Some of the founding ''mestres'' are still around and at the age of 70-80, they're still happily flipping around the ''roda'' and schooling students at the promotion ceremonies.
* CombatPragmatist: Capoeiristas outside the roda or other sanctioned fights can easily become this with techniques like ''Telefone'' ("Telephone"), in which you clap your hands on either of the opponent's ears to disorient them and potentially permanently ruin their hearing, or ''Arpão de Cabeça'' ("Head Spear"), in which you throw your whole body into a headbutt aimed at the enemy's head, chest, or [[GroinAttack groin]].
** When in the Roda never accept if the other person [[SchmuckBait offers you a "blessing"]]
*** Just to elaborate, the Blessing (or, in portuguese, "Benção") is an unbalancing pushing kick that is one of the most known and effective moves in Capoeira.
* DanceBattler: A traditional Capoeira roda (sparring circle) is performed to music, and is as much about looking impressive and showing off how clever you are as it is about landing blows.
* EverythingsBetterWithSpinning: Multiple spinning kicks are frequently linked together, building up momentum and, again, looking impressive.
** The spinning kick exchanges may also be used by one player to lull the other into a false sense of security before dumping him or her on his butt with a sudden sweep. All part of the fun of the game.
* ExtremityExtremist: The basic dozen or so kicks are pretty much always the first thing new students will learn, and probably 90% of the attacks in the roda are kicks. Headbutts and takedowns account for another 9% or so. Hand strikes are usually reserved for illustrating to your opponent that they're conspicuously dropping their guard. Hand or elbow strikes and takedowns are generally reserved to more experienced practitioners, but can become fairly frequent in games between skilled Capoeiristas.
* ItWillNeverCatchOn: Back when ''OnlyTheStrong'' came out, a film critic called Capoeira "the lambada of martial arts". That critic turned out to be very wrong.
* MartialPacifist: According to Mestre Bimba, "The best way of self-defense is not getting into fights at all". Facing off in the roda is referred to as "playing" rather than "fighting", and it is always the duty of a more skilled player to look out for the safety of the less skilled opponent.
* MoodMotif: The music played during the roda determines how the game is played. Slower music results in a slower, more strategic game, typically with a lot of ground fighting, close fighting, and elaborate reversals. Faster music results in a more acrobatic and high-flying match and usually involves more distance so as to not harm your partner.
* RoundhouseKick: The style actually focuses more on the less practical full spin roundhouses, especially to chain spinning kicks, but the shorter arc ones are also used.
* RuleOfCool: The roda where Capoeiristas play is not so much about beating your opponent as both practicing and showing off your own techniques as well as giving the opponent opportunity to show his own. Also, did we mention that it looks really impressive?
* UseYourHead: A fairly standard move. Unlike most martial arts, headbutts are almost always done with the top of the head in a spearing movement.

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!!Examples

* ''Film/OnlyTheStrong'', generally the movie most U.S. capoeiristras cite as their introduction to Capoeira.
* Eddy Gordo and Christie Monteiro of the ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}'' series, possibly the best reproduced example in non-Brazilian media..
* L in ''Manga/DeathNote'', as well as the ActionGirl who taught him in the manga.
* ''WesternAnimation/ComboNinos''
* VideoGame/EternalChampions: Trident uses Capoeira despite its existence being an anachronism in his given time period.
* VideoGame/FatalFury / VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters: Soiree Meira, Momoko, Richard Meyer, and Bob Wilson
** Yashiro had his fighting style stated as Capoeira, but it bears little resemblance.
* ''Film/TheRundown'': The natives employ Capoeira in their fight against Dwayne Johnson.
* ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheKingdomOfTheCrystalSkull'': The attackers in the graveyard use several Capoeira techniques in their hit-and-run attacks
* ''Cordão de Ouro'' - The film is about the history of Capoeira
* ''Series/KungFu'': season 1, episode 13 involves a Brazilian businessman trying to guard a diamond. Sadly, very little Capoeira is shown.
* Elena in the ''VideoGame/StreetFighter'' series
** Blanka occasionally had Capoeira listed as his fighting style, but his actual fighting style bears no resemblance to it.
* Echidna in ''VideoGame/TheBouncer''
* ''VideoGame/CapoeiraFighter'': A Flash-based fighting game which has had at least two sequels
* ''VideoGame/CapoeiraLegends'': An IndieGame for Windows which features Capoeira as an exploration of Brazilian culture.
* Lateef Crowder is one of Hollywood's most prominent capoeiristras. His roles have included
** The Brazilian fighter in ''Film/{{Undisputed}} 3''. While his part was fairly minor, both of his fights are arguably among the [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome highlights of the movie]] and, among other things, subvert ExtremityExtremist aspect HARD.
** Eddy Gordo in the ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}'' movie.
** The unnamed capoeiristra in ''Film/TomYumGoong'' - Known as The ''Protector'' in the United States. The fight was cut short due to an injury on-set, but it was still [[OneSceneWonder one of the coolest-looking fight scenes in the whole movie]].
* In ''Film/Hellboy II'', Abe employs a ''negativa''/''rolê'' combination to evade attacks at one point in the film.
* The enemy captain of Episode 2 of ''{{Mercs}}'' employs Capoeira in his fighting style.
* [[http://crystalhall.wikia.com/wiki/For%C3%A7a Força]] of the WhateleyUniverse is a Capoeira practitioner. As noted by several characters, using a fighting style employing handstands makes less sense when your hands are the only point from which you cna discharge your energy blasts.
* Male trolls in ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' have Capoeira as their dance emote. Few players are any good at [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYy5aVSa2eU replicating]] [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQGL_vSdgBo it.]]
* An episode of BobsBurgers focused on Tina trying to learn Capoeira. "Capoeira" in this instance consisted primarily of the dreamy instructor hitting people in the face with his ponytail while yelling "[[CallingYourAttacks Ponytail!]] and tripping people while saying "Brazil."
* The dance between Aang and Katara in the ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' episode "The Headband" shows major inspiration from it.
* The Franchise/{{Pokemon}} Hitmontop, known as ''Kapoerer'' in the original Japanese, was inspired by a capoeirista. Of note is that is the only Pokémon to learn the unique move Triple Kick, a flashy but unreliable attack that may be a nod to [[AwesomeButImpractical some of the less practical maneuvers in Capoeira.]]
* Kilik Lunge from ''Manga/SoulEater'' has a pair of Weapons named [[http://souleater.wikia.com/wiki/Pot_of_Fire_and_Pot_of_Thunder Pot of Fire and Pot of Thunder]]that practice Capoeira.
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ih-UosRDvNA This]] [[RecordedAndStandUpComedy Stand-Up Comedy]] session in Spanish has the comedian Sergio Freire commenting about Capoeira [[CloudCuckooLander in a very... special manner.]]
* Fabiola Iglesias in ''Anime/BlackLagoon'' uses it in conjunction with gunplay.
* The [[FantasticFightingStyle Jaffa martial art mastaba]] in ''Series/StargateSG1'' is capoeira (in fact, the show used actual practitioners as extras and doubles for "The Warrior").
* The Guardians of Kandrakar in ''ComicBook/{{WITCH}}'' learned the basics in the ''New Power'' arc as part of their attuning to the titular power-up.
* ''Martial Arts: Capoeira'' for the PC and Wii, rather obviously, features the style.
* ''VideoGame/RageOfTheDragons'': Pupa Salgueiro, one of the playable characters, uses this style in conjunction with her wrench.
* In ''WesternAnimation/XiaolinShowdown'', if Raimundo isn't using Shen Gong Wu, expect him to be using this fighting style.

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