Capoeira (pronounced ka-poo-eyh-da) is an African-Brazilian martial art that incorporates acrobatics, dance, music, and songs in a rhythmic dialogue of body, mind, and spirit. It is a communal game in which two opponents play each other inside the roda (a circle), formed by the other players who create rhythm for the game by clapping, singing, and playing the berimbaus (African-Brazilian traditional instruments, considered the soul of Capoeira) and other key instruments. The two opponents compete with each other using capoeira movements, camouflaging the self-defense kicks and moves with playful acrobatics and dance-like moves spontaneously creating strategy to fool their partner and catch them off guard.
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