Capoeira: Art Meets Sport
Even though Capoeira has its roots in the 16th century, the sport has grown in popularity in recent years. Described as a combination of kickboxing, music and dance, Capoeira is a visually enticing sport and is in reality incomparable to any other sport of today. Definitely one for the action-seekers, this sport is fast paced and invigorating, and has become particularly popular amongst betting enthusiasts.
The sport sees two athletes, or more accurately fighters, pitted against each other to a backdrop of traditional music and singing. Of course, this makes betting on this sport very enticing. Definitely one for the fans of other traditional fighting sport forms, wagering against two vastly talented athletes will always bring the big thrills.
Unwrapping Capoeira
Capoeira is best described as a mixed martial art with elements of kickboxing and acrobatics, set to a backdrop of traditional music and singing. The sport was refined over thousands of years, and the fighting style was developed as a way for the original practitioners, who were slaves, to learn self-defence without drawing attention. As a high-intensity sport, athletes perfect their skills over many years, and must be incredibly fit to perform the almost super-human like movements that this sport requires. In the ‘jogo de capoeira’ two players perform a series of attack and defence strategies in continuous movement, and one of the objectives is to confuse, weaken and tire the opponent with moves of deception to ultimately dominate the space and knowing whcih can get your some great online betting NZ odds.
The Early Days of Capoeira
The origins of Capoeira can be dated back as far as the 16th century, and while the exact origin is still a point of contention to many historians, most agree that it was developed by slaves. During the height of the trade, slaves were exported to foreign countries to work in sugar plantations, and during this tumultuous time Capoeira was born. As a way for the slaves to improve their fighting and self-defence abilities, the complex attack and defence strategies were disguised in dance so as to go unfound by their Colonialist slave masters. This argument for the origins of Capoeira is further bolstered when you think of the singing and music background to which this sport takes place. The participants would have easily been able to chalk it all to up to a game if ever questioned considering the range of movements, and the merry surroundings in which they were practising. Unfortunately much of the development of the sport has been lost through the ages, as there are not many surviving written records.
Today
While Capoeira has come a long way since its archaic origins, the Capoeira of today is certainly a sight to behold. If you didn’t know any better, you might assume that you were witnessing acrobatics refining their craft! The sport has grown in popularity on a global scale, and many practitioners are vying for it to become recognized as an Olympic Sport. Whether this will ever become a reality remains to be seen, however there are still plenty of ways to enjoy this awe-inspiring sport, and many ways to place your bets. Once you’ve witnessed a match between these artist-cum-athletes, you won’t turn back.