Capoeira

Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian martial art that blends fighting moves with dance, acrobatics and live music. It was developed in Brazil by enslaved Africans and their descendants, and it's now practised all over the world. Two players move together inside a circle called the roda, trading kicks, dodges and cartwheels to the beat of the music. It's playful, athletic and hypnotic to watch.

Capoeira Angola is the older, more traditional style. It's slower, lower to the ground and full of tricks and strategy.

Capoeira Regional is faster and more athletic, with sharper kicks and a more structured way of training.

Many groups today play a contemporary mix of the two, borrowing the best bits of each. Whatever the style, music and respect for your partner sit at the heart of it.

The roda is the circle where capoeira is played. Players and musicians form a ring, and two people enter the middle to play a game, called a jogo. The music sets the pace. The berimbau, a single-string musical bow, leads the rhythm, joined by drums, tambourines and singing, with everyone clapping along in call and response. It's more of a conversation than a fight, and the aim is to outwit your partner rather than land a blow.

You start with the ginga, the rocking, side-to-side step that keeps you moving the whole time. From there your Activity Leader teaches a few basic kicks, like the sweeping meia lua, dodges called esquivas and acrobatic moves like the cartwheel, known as the au. Some sessions have a go at handstands too. Then it's time to step into the roda and try a game of your own to live music. Cartwheel quality not assessed.

Yes. You don't need to be a gymnast or a fighter to start, and moves can be adapted to suit you. Capoeira builds rhythm, balance and coordination bit by bit, and the music makes it feel more like a dance than a workout. It's sociable, welcoming and just the right amount of show-off. Wear comfy clothes you can move and stretch in.

You might also like Eskrima (Filipino Stick Fighting), Freestyle Gymnastics and Afrobeats Dance.

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