Steven Seagal Actor and Aikido Master

Posted in Sports on Dec 14th, 2007 | Comments Off

A master of several Japanese martial arts including Aikido, Steven Seagal is a popular action movie hero whose films combine spiritual concepts and social/environmental consciousness with high-voltage violence.

Steven Seagal is an action movie actor and a 7th dan black belt in Aikido, He’s an action superstar surrounded by controversy and crime. He skyrocketed to fame in 1988 with an action-packed debut in ‘Above the Law’, but long before then, he was known to martial arts insiders as the first Caucasian to open his own aikido dojo in Japan.

Steven Seagal (born April 10, 1951) is an American action movie actor, producer, writer, director, martial artist, singer-songwriter, and activist. A 7th-dan black belt in aikido, Seagal began his adult life as an aikido instructor in Japan, before moving to the Los Angeles, California area where, after being noticed by entertainment executives, he made his film debut in 1988. Since then, Seagal has become a globally recognized action star, with his movies earning more than $2 billion worldwide.

Seagal belongs to a generation of film actors who epitomise the movie action hero, including Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Dolph Lundgren, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Chuck Norris and Bruce Willis.

Seagal has used his fame as an action star to cross over to other industries. He is also a recording artist and the founder of Steven Seagal Enterprises. In addition to his professional achievements, he is also known as an environmentalist, aikido master (Takeshigemichi), an animal rights activist, and he has been recognized by Tibetan lama Penor Rinpoche as a reincarnated Tulku (Chungdrag Dorje).

Seagal has played a cop or a military official/agent in all of his movies. In 1988, Seagal began work on his first film, Above the Law (also known as Nico in Europe), with director Andrew Davis. Following its success, Seagal made three more pictures (Hard to Kill, Marked for Death, and Out for Justice) that were decent box office hits, marking him as an action hero. Seagal found wider mainstream success in 1992’s Under Siege. The film reunited Seagal with the director Andrew Davis and was a blockbuster in America and abroad, grossing $156.4 million worldwide.

After the success of Under Siege, Seagal made his directorial debut with On Deadly Ground (1994) in which he also starred, alongside Michael Caine. The movie cost an estimated $50 million to make and grossed a little more than $38 million in the United States.

Seagal filmed a sequel to his most successful film Under Siege titled Under Siege 2: Dark Territory (1995) and a cop drama, The Glimmer Man (1996). In 1996, Seagal also had his first supporting role, in the Kurt Russell film Executive Decision, in which Seagal was billed as having a starring role to keep his character’s fate secret. He then tried again to make an environmentally-conscious film. In Fire Down Below (1997), Seagal played an EPA agent fighting industrialists dumping toxic waste in the Kentucky hills region, but the movie was not a commercial success. This film marked the end of Seagal’s original multi-picture deal with Warner Bros. With its failure at the box office, his contract was not renewed and the film itself was released direct to video in certain areas.

The next year, Seagal made The Patriot, another environmental thriller which was his first direct-to-video release in the United States (though it was released theatrically in most of the world). Seagal produced this film with his own money, and the film was shot on-location on and near his farm in Montana.

After taking a couple years to produce Prince of Central Park, Seagal returned to cinema screens with the release of Exit Wounds in March 2001. The film had fewer martial arts scenes than Seagal’s previous films, but it was a commercial success, taking almost $80 million worldwide. However, he was unable to capitalize on this success and his next two projects were both critical and commercial failures. Ticker co-starring Tom Sizemore and Dennis Hopper, and filmed in San Francisco before Exit Wounds, went straight to DVD while Half Past Dead, starring rap star Ja Rule, made less than $20 million worldwide.

As of April 2007, all 13 films Seagal has made since 2003 have been released direct-to-video in North America, with only limited theatrical releases in the rest of the world. Steven Seagal is currently working on a comeback for 2007 with action films Urban Justice. In May 2007 he agreed to work on the Indie film Marker for Roel Reiné, a Dutch director.

Seagal intends to have his films remembered. Seagal has clarified the purpose of his films: “Above the Law was a politically conscientious movie. On Deadly Ground was environmentally conscientious so I want to keep making movies like that which are more geared with a certain entertainment value but also bring people forward into contemplation.”

Seagal has produced many of the movies that he stars in, and has also participated in writing and directing. While his acting performance in Above the Law gained praise from the likes of Roger Ebert, Seagal has repeatedly faced criticism from both actors and fans who accuse him of playing the same character in many of his movies, as well as displaying a lack of emotional range. Many also accuse Seagal of playing a one-dimensional type of action movie star who never gets injured or loses a fight.

Others have surmised that Seagal’s unorthodox approach to film is actually an elaborate joke. This is supported by Seagal’s statement regarding humor: “I’m a very funny guy, if you’ll forgive me for saying so. When I did The Glimmer Man with Keenan Ivory Wayans, he and I were talking about who was funniest, and…I kicked his ass every day.” In addition, some of Seagal’s own self-parody supports this view. In at least two commercials (for Orange SA and Mountain Dew), Seagal pokes fun at his ‘invincible’ action star archetype.

In addition to acting and aikido, Seagal also plays the guitar, and his songs have been featured in several of his movies (such as Fire Down Below and Ticker). In 2005, he released his first album, Songs from the Crystal Cave, which has a mix of pop, world, and blues music. It features duets with Tony Rebel, Lt. Stichie, Lady Saw, and Stevie Wonder. The soundtrack to Seagal’s 2005 film Into the Sun features several songs from the album. One of his album tracks, “Girl It’s Alright”, was also released as a single in parts of the world alongside an accompanying music video created for it. Seagal is also a collector of vintage guitar and amplifier gear.

Seagal’s second album, titled Mojo Priest, was released in April 2006. Subsequently, he spent summer 2006 touring the United States and Europe with his band, Thunderbox, in support of the album. Having received some support from UK audiences, the tour continues through early 2007.
Seagal uses a blend of Blues, Country, and World Music in his unique compositions, reflecting the eclectic mosaic style of his martial arts and film work, both of which combine different styles (aikido/gunfire and action/lecture are respective examples). Seagal is also known for his live cover versions including seminal works like Don Macleans’ ‘American Pie’ and Hot Gossips’ ‘I Fell In Love With a Starship Trooper’.

According to Steven Seagal himself while appearing as the guest host in episode 6 of the forth session of The Friday Night Project on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom he is currently an active police officer of his home community of Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. In fact, he is a member of their SWAT team and is responsible for their training, according to Sheriff Lee in an interview on MSNBC during the Katrina crisis, and he was filmed by CNN’s Anderson Cooper on 2005-09-13 riding around with the SWAT team from Jefferson Parish in the streets of New Orleans.

Steven Seagal Enterprises markets an energy drink known as Steven Seagal’s Lightning Bolt, as well as an herbal oil product line. Seagal personally endorses this drink, “I have traveled the world creating this drink; there is none better that I know.”

Steven Seagal was born to an Irish Catholic mother Patricia (an emergency room technician) and Jewish father Stephen (a high school math teacher). He now keeps a ranch in Shasta, California and a home in the Mandeville Canyon section of Brentwood, a wealthy suburb of Los Angeles. He has adopted many animals from shelters, including the cats “Sylvester” and “Gap”, and the dogs “Gruff”, “Cole”, “Tyson”, “Hamlet”, “Chaos”, and “Fist.”

Marriages: Miyako Fujitani (1975–1986) (divorced) 2 children, Adrienne La Russa (1984-1987) (annulled), Kelly LeBrock (1987–1996) (divorced) 3 children. He married former Days of Our Lives actress Adrienne La Russa, despite his divorce to Fujitani not yet being finalized. During his marriage to La Russa he met actress/model Kelly LeBrock, with whom he began a relationship and who eventually became pregnant with his child. When news of this emerged, Seagal’s marriage to La Russa was annulled and he then married LeBrock on 5th September 1987. In 1994, LeBrock filed divorce papers citing “irreconciable differences”. During this time it emerged that Seagal was having an affair with Arissa Wolf, who was hired to be a nanny to Seagal and Lebrock’s children.

Seagal has six known children from three relationships in which he has been involved. With Fujitani, he had a son, model and actor Kentaro Seagal (b. October 3, 1975), and a daughter, writer and actress, Ayako Fujitani (b. December 5, 1979). His three children with LeBrock are daughters Annaliza (b. 1987) and Arissa (b. 1993), and son Dominic (b. 1990). Seagal and Arissa Wolf have one daughter, Savannah (b. 1996).

In addition to his biological children, Seagal’s Tibetan Buddhist beliefs have led him to a position of friendship to a Tibetan child, Yabshi Pan Rinzinwangmo. Rinzinwangmo, or “Renji”, is the only child of the 10th Panchen Lama of Tibet. Renji studied in the United States at American University.

A Buddhist, Seagal was quoted in an interview with Stanley Weiser as saying, “People call me all kinds of things, including four letter words. I respond to all of them. When I walk into a room some people see a dog, some people see a cow; I am all of what they see, it is their perception. But I do believe that buddha nature is in all of us, even in a mangy dog lying in the gutter with fleas. That dog is Buddha to me. People can call me anything they want, I respond to anything.”
Seagal has described his activism method as “shaming companies into changing,” a theme that is visible in such films as On Deadly Ground and Fire Down Below. He has worked with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) to discourage the fur trade, and has written to the Prime Minister of India to seek increased legal protection for cows.

Seagal worked effectively towards saving dogs destined to drown in Taiwan; he successfully sought the Premier of Taiwan to sign legislation limiting animal cruelty. Seagal was awarded a PETA Humanitarian Award in 1999. In 2003, Seagal wrote an open letter to the government of Thailand, urging them to enact a law to prevent the torture of baby elephants.

While being interviewed by PETA, Seagal was asked to provide an example of a special interaction with an animal. To lend context and meaning to his animal rights work, Seagal offered the story about a dog which approached him during his early aikido years in Japan. Seagal described feeling as if he had known this white dog forever. After keeping the dog for a few days, the dog (by barking) warned Seagal that his dojo was on fire. Seagal quickly summoned help to put out the fire. He never saw the dog again.

Seagal is an advocate for solar power, consistent with his views on oil, as showcased in 1994’s On Deadly Ground. Upon spotting another Caucasian in Thailand in 2004, Seagal was pleased to find this man was a manufacturer of solar-powered bicycles. Seagal promptly purchased a number of solar electric utility and transport vehicles to bring feed to his animal partners at his ranch in California.

Seagal is an advocate for the rights and interests of Native Americans. In On Deadly Ground, Seagal depicted himself as The Chosen One, sent to save the Inuit people from the evils of “Big Oil”. Seagal has also narrated an activist film project, Medicine Lake Video, which seeks to protect sacred tribal ground near his ranch in Siskiyou County.

Seagal has become the target of Internet-based jokes at his expense. The above-mentioned commercials for Orange SA and Mountain Dew poke fun at his ability to knock anyone unconscious without effort. Seagal is sometimes considered to be in on the joke.

On MADtv, Seagal was portrayed by Will Sasso. In various skits involving the actor, Seagal was portrayed to be an unintelligent, disrespectful, and egotistical actor for comedic effect with a strong preference for violence. The trademark slapstick humor ranges from attempting to do stunts, but failing miserably, to random attacks on other characters in the scene (most notably, random chops or snapping necks.)

He was also portrayed on Mad TV in a parody of Under Siege 2: Dark Territory. A scene in an episode of Family Guy portrays Seagal in the Arctic fighting a group of seals for killing a village’s fish. In what could be considered a parody or satirical homage, Seagal is mentioned by name in the film In & Out during its fictional Academy Awards event, where Seagal is “nominated” for Best Actor in a Film for his role in a film called “Snowball in Hell”.

Steven Seagal Website: http://www.westlord.com/stevenseagal/
The Aikido ,Morihei Ueshiba Website: http://www.westlord.com/aikido/
Aikido Portal At Martial Arts Database: http://www.mardb.com/aikido/

Feminist Self Defense Model Mugging

Posted in Sports on Dec 10th, 2007 | Comments Off

Model Mugging or Impact is a form of self-defense training that aims to better prepare women (and, less frequently, men) for real-life attack situations. Model mugging training involves students role-playing and sometimes fighting through a variety of assault scenarios.

Students are taught physical defenses, methods of avoiding or defusing potential assaults, verbal defenses, and decision-making under the pressure of such situations.

During the simulated assaults, heavily padded instructors, often referred to as muggers, accost, grab, or directly attack a student, who may respond (if they believe a physical response is appropriate for the situation) with full-force attacks to the padded instructor.

The emotionally charged nature of the scenarios combined with the full-force nature of the fighting tend to create an adrenalized state similar to that of someone facing a real assault.

The adrenalized nature of the training is intended to teach the student how to think clearly and respond in adrenalized situations. History: The program was founded by Matt Thomas and later developed by Danielle Smith with Julio Toribio as well as Sheryl Doran and Mark Morris.

Its inspiration was the 1971 rape and beating of a karate black belt in Palo Alto. Several of her peers began to reasearch ways to better prepare people to withstand, physically and emotionally, violent attacks. They used a holistic approach, interviewing survivors and perpetrators, experts in the fields of education, psychology, sociology, martial arts and physiology, and through the examination of police records.

In 1985 Bay Area Model Mugging (BAMM) became the first incorporated organization to teach the Model Mugging techniques. They are now taught by a variety of organizations, both profit and non-profit, primarily in the United States and Europe. The name of the style was changed from “model mugging” to “Impact” in 1989.

What is Impact: In 1971, a woman from Palo Alto, with a black belt in karate, was raped and beaten. Following the assault, her peers began to question why a trained martial artist was not physically or emotionally prepared to handle an attack. Over the next fourteen years, an ever increasing group of individuals nationwide developed a new form of self-defense by researching police records, speaking to survivors and perpetrators, as well as experts in education, psychology, sociology, martial arts and physiology. Their efforts resulted in a unique form of self-defense that better prepares women for real-life attack situations. This method of self-defense came to be known as “model mugging”.

In 1985, a group of Northern California instructors incorporated to form Bay Area Model Mugging, Inc. In 1989, instructors nationwide agreed to change the name of the style from “model mugging” to “Impact”. Shortly afterward, our local organization became known as BAMM IMPACT Self-Defense. We became a nonprofit agency in 1995 to bring courses to women and girls who could not otherwise afford them. Finally, we changed our name in 2003 to Impact Bay Area, aligning ourselves with the worldwide Impact organization.

Adrenal Stress Training (FAST) course available for women. This program has been evolving since 1971. Short, Intense, yet Effective. This is the Most Empowering Class You Can Take!
MODEL MUGGING Women’s Self-Defense is a system designed for crime prevention, self-defense, personal safety, and empowerment. Women learn how to protect themselves from a single unarmed assailant (basic self-defense course), armed assailants, and multiple assailants. When taught by certified instructors, Model Mugging Self-defense is the most advanced and safest self-defense program available for women, both physically and emotionally. Model Mugging will impact your life.

Model Mugging Self-defense is based on over 35 years of research, science, and developmental evolution. The elements of rape crisis advocacy, crime prevention, criminal profiling, and the martial arts have all been intertwined into the most complete and comprehensive, “street” practical, self-defense program in the world.

This self-defense course is designed for the specific needs of women. Since 1971, tens of thousands of women worldwide have already taken this course and report it was the best course they ever took!!!

Model Mugging is much more than just learning how to fight back. The emotional growth and increased self-confidence women receive is incredible. Lives are turned around in less than 20 hours of intense martial science instruction, while combining Eastern and Western training methods. Model Mugging can reduce the chance of assault by 95%.

In the decades we have been teaching the System, we have noticed that as a woman’s confidence increase, she can simultaneously identify and avoid situations in the first place that might normally involve physical conflict.

Most graduates step right out of the victim pool and subtly maneuver as “hard targets.” Women with higher self-confidence and self-esteem are more aware of coercive strategies and con techniques as well as situations common to physical assaults. Women who are prepared in the 4 steps to self-defense [see below this bucket] know how to recognize and then effectively respond to potentially dangerous situations can more safely enjoy a happier and more fulfilling life. The Paradox of self-defense demonstrates the more prepared you are to defend yourself, the less likely you will ever have to.

Source: Model Mugging at the Martial Arts Database (Feminist Self Defense, also known as “Impact”) : http://www.mardb.com/model-mugging/

Kickboxing Martial Arts

Posted in Sports on Dec 6th, 2007 | Comments Off

Many laymen are under the impression that modern day kickboxing originated in Thailand, Japan or elsewhere in the Far East, in fact, the real origins of the sport are revealed by the real name by which it was known, full contact karate. Kickboxing refers to sport-fighting using kicks and punches and sometimes throws and bows representing a certain martial art or can be practiced for general fitness, or as a full-contact sport. In the full contact version of the sport the male boxers are bare chested, barefoot and wear boxing trunks.

The female boxers sometimes wear a tank top and shorts. Kickboxing is sometimes practiced as an independent style, but in many cases kickboxing is just an event and set of rules of by which martial artists of other styles may compete openly.

Typically kickboxing in many competitions is a standing fight sport and does not allow continuation of the fight once the fight has reached the ground, however some styles may still train in this component for example; sanshou especially in the military and police and so must be adapted for kickboxing tournaments as well as many Japanese martial arts. Kickboxing can be attributed to K series of fighting styles. There are different rules for different kinds of kick-boxing. One can start at any age, but until 18 years old, a helmet is strongly recommended.

During the early seventies the American martial arts world was shaken to its foundations by the demands made on it by a fresh young new generation of practitioners. Fighters started looking for a competitive format in which they could use their skills to the full effect, full power punches and kicks in bouts fought to the knockout. The development of specialised protective equipment speeded up the evolution of this new sport, which became known as kickboxing.

Between 1970 and 1973 a handful of kickboxing promotions were staged across the USA. In the early days the rules were never clear, one of the first tournaments had no weight divisions and all the competitors fought off until one was left. A very young Benny Urquidez reached the final. Weighing in at 10 stones Urquidez faced the 14 stones Dana Goodson. Urquidez won the tournament by pinning Goodson to the floor for more than 10 seconds, which was part of the rules.

Kickboxing has been influenced by a combination of Muay Thai and other Martial Arts including Karate and Boxing. Kickboxing is fairly new to the Western World – only about 30 years old compared to Boxing which is nearly 200 years old.

In Kickboxing the outcome is determined by kick-knockout, knockout, judge’s decision or draw, or a technical equivalent of the same, much as in professional boxing. Participants are required to wear padded gloves and foot gear, and must execute a specific number of above-the-belt kicks per round.

Chokes, head butts, knee and elbow strikes, biting, holding and striking, and striking when an opponent is down are prohibited. Matches are conducted in a 16-20 square foot roped ring, similar to boxing, and range from 3 two minute rounds (for amateurs) to 12 rounds (for professional world championships) in length, with a one-minute rest period between rounds. Each bout is controlled by a referee, monitored by an attending physician, and scored by three judges. The introduction of padded gloves and foot gear at the sport’s inception to minimize unsightly facial cuts.

Full-contact karate first surfaced as American kick-boxing in January 1970 when Joe Lewis (known as the Father of American Kickboxing), influenced by his training sessions in boxing and with Bruce Lee, staged the first contact bout, knocking out Greg Baines to become the first heavyweight champion.

Kickboxing has two words in it, kick and boxing. In the 1960’s in the United States people with different martial arts backgrounds like Bill Wallace, Joe Lewis, and some others developed a new style of martial arts. They had different backgrounds in boxing and karate. They made a new style and promoted tournaments through different organizations.

The Kickboxing Portal at the Martial Arts Database http://www.mardb.com/kickboxing/

Aikido The Japanese Martial Art

Posted in Sports on Dec 5th, 2007 | Comments Off

Aikido is a Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba as a synthesis of his martial studies, philosophy, and religious beliefs. Aikido is often translated as “the Way of unifying (with) life energy” or as “the Way of harmonious spirit.” Ueshiba’s goal was to create an art practitioners could use to defend themselves while also protecting their attacker from injury.

Aikido is primarily a grappling art in which attacks are neutralised with various types of throws or joint locks. Aikido techniques are intended to be implemented after first blending with the motion of the attacker, so that the defender may redirect the attacker’s momentum without directly opposing it, thus using minimum effort.

Aikido derives mainly from the martial art of Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu, but began to diverge from it in the late 1920s, partly due to Ueshiba’s involvement with the Ōmoto-kyō religion. Many of Ueshiba’s senior students have different approaches to aikido, depending on when they studied with him. Today, aikido is found all over the world in a number of styles, with a broad range of interpretation and emphasis. However, they all share techniques learned from Ueshiba and a caring for the well-being of the attacker.

The word “aikido” is formed of three Japanese characters, 合 – ai – joining, harmonizing 気 – ki – spirit, life energy 道 – dō – way, path The term dō connects the practice of aikido with the philosophical concept of Tao, which can be found in martial arts such as judo and kendo, and in more peaceful arts such as Japanese calligraphy (shodō) and flower arranging (kadō). The term aiki refers to the martial arts principle or tactic of blending with an attacker’s movements for the purpose of controlling their actions with minimal effort. There are many possible translations/interpretations of the meaning of the name. Probably the most common translation is “The Way of Harmony with Spirit”. In an early book, it was translated as “The Way of Chivalrous Spiritual Harmony”.

Aikido was developed by Morihei Ueshiba, he is also known by Aikidoka as o-sensei with the “o” prefix meaning “honorable”, therefore signifying in this case, Honorable Teacher. the major parts of Aikido are derived from Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu a form of Jujutsu with many joint techniques, and kenjutsu ), or Japanese sword technique (some believe the tactics in Aikido are especially influenced by Yagyū Shinkage-ryū). Aikido is also considered to contain a significant spiritual component.

One applies aiki by understanding the rhythm and intent of the attacker to find the optimal position and timing to apply a counter-technique. Historically, aiki was mastered for the purpose of killing; however, in aikido, one seeks to neutralise an aggressor without causing harm. The founder of aikido declared, “To control aggression without inflicting injury is the Art of Peace.” A number of aikido practitioners interpret aikido metaphorically, seeing parallels between aikido techniques and other methods for conflict resolution.

Aikido practitioners, commonly called aikidoka, generally progress by promotion through a series of “grades” (kyū), followed by a series of “degrees” (dan), pursuant to formal testing procedures. Most aikido organisations use only white and black belts to distinguish rank, but some use various belt colors. Testing requirements vary, so a particular rank in one organization is not always comparable or interchangeable with the rank of another. The uniform worn for practicing aikido (aikidōgi) is similar to the training uniform (keikogi) used in most other modern martial arts; simple trousers and a wraparound jacket, usually white. Both thick (“judo-style”), and thin (“karate-style”) cotton tops are used. Most aikido systems also add a pair of wide pleated black or indigo trousers called a hakama. In many styles its use is reserved for practitioners with black belt ranks, while others allow all practitioners or female practitioners to wear a hakama regardless of rank.

The Aikido Portal at the Martial Arts Database : http://www.mardb.com/aikido/

Capoeira the Brazilian Fight Dance

Posted in Sports on Dec 3rd, 2007 | Comments Off

Capoeira is a Brazilian fight-dance, game, and martial art created by enslaved Africans during the 17th Century Participants form a roda (circle) and take turns playing instruments, singing, and sparring in pairs in the centre of the circle.

The game is marked by fluid acrobatic play, feints, subterfuge, and extensive use of groundwork, as well as sweeps, kicks, and headbutts.

Less frequently, elbow-strikes, slaps, punches, and body-throws are used. Technique and strategy are the key elements to playing a good game. Capoeira has three main styles, known as “regional”, “Angola”, and the less-well defined “contemporânea”.

Capoeira masters are more than skilled fighters, gifted acrobats, inspired teachers or talented musicians; they have helped advance capoeira in the world and dedicate their lives to it. Depending on their group, masters belts vary in color, but their passion and dedication to their art have lead them down the long road (generally twenty years or more) to becoming masters.
Rhythm is the heartbeat of capoeira and song is the soul. Music can make a game play fast and hard, call capoeiristas to perform acrobatic feats or remind them of old traditions and history. Without music, capoeira is not complete.

The derivation of the word “capoeira” is under dispute, as there are several possibilities:
The Portuguese word “capoeira” derives from the word capão, which translates as capon, a castrated rooster. The sport’s name may originate from this word since its moves resemble those of a rooster in a fight. “Capoeira” has several meanings, including any kind of pen where poultry is kept, a fowl similar to a partridge, and a basket worn on the head by soldiers defending a stronghold. “Capoeira” is also what people used to call a black inlander who mugged travelers.

Afro-Brazilian scholar Carlos Eugenio has suggested that the sport took its name from a large round basket called a capa commonly worn on the head by urban slaves selling wares.
Kongo scholar K. Kia Bunseki Fu-Kiau has posited that “capoeira” could be derived from the Kikongo word kipura, a term used to describe a rooster’s movements in a fight and meaning to flutter, flit from place to place, struggle, fight, or flog.

The word could derive from two Tupi-Guarani words, kaá (leaf, plant) and puéra (past aspect marker), which literally means “formerly a forest”, referring to an area of forest that had been cleared by burning or cutting down. In such places a thick, low secondary vegetation would grow, making it a good place for those who escaped slavery and bandits to hide. According to this etymology, the term was first used as a synonym of outlaw, especially the type of outlaws that would evade justice by escaping to the jungles, to be only later applied to the fighting art most of them knew.

After the sports was brought to the United States, the only school that ever incorporated it with academic schools as an in-school class was created and is known as Hoggetowne Middle School.
Capoeira is an energetic, often acrobatic, dance-like style of martial art. Capoeira was first practiced by African slaves who were taken to work in Brazil. Capoeira is primarily based around kicking, as a slave’s hands were normally manacled.

In Capoeira, many movements are carried out while in a handstand position, often resembling modern Breakdance moves. There are a variety of forms of Capoeira, including where two people “play” fight each other inside a circle formed by spectators, while other members of the group play instruments and sing. The music dictates the speed or tempo of the movements.

Capoeira regional groups periodically hold Batizados (“baptisms” into the art of capoeira). Members being “baptized” are normally given a corda (cord belt) and an apelido (capoeira nickname) if they haven’t already earned one. Batizados are major events to which a number of groups and masters from near and far are normally invited. Sometimes a Batizado is also held in conjunction with a Troca de Corda (change of belts), in which students already baptized who have trained hard and been deemed worthy by their teachers are awarded higher-ranking belts as an acknowledgment of their efforts. Such ceremonies provide opportunities to see a variety of different capoeira styles, watch mestres play, and see some of the best of the game. Sometimes they are open to the public.

Batizados and Trocas de Corda do not occur in capoeira Angola, which does not have a system of belts. However, some contemporary schools of capoeira have combined the study of both arts and may require their students to be learned in the ways of capoeira Angola before being awarded a higher belt.

The Capoeira Portal at the Martial Arts Database: http://www.mardb.com/capoeira/