Capoeira Expert Jailed

UK -- A Plymouth court was told by a prosecutor how a married Brazilian capoeira "expert" passed a Plymouth woman in the street on New Year's Day and wished her a happy new year.

The prosecutor told how the defendant then turned and followed the young woman. He dragged the victim into a service lane and subjected her to a 20-minute horrific ordeal in which the victim was convinced the attacker was going to kill her, according to thisisplymouth.co.uk.

The woman was reportedly strangled, blindfolded, threatened with a knife and raped three times before the 23-year-old martial arts "expert" finally took off.

The court ended up sentencing the defendant to eight years in jail.

'Street kata'

This class blends elements from tae kwon do, shodokan aikido, capoeira and tai chi with serious dance moves. Imagine "The Karate Kid Goes Break Dancing." Street Kata, according to a class description, is about "understanding movement, which flows into understanding self."

Wow! Really ...
Most of this stuff is plain stupid, perhaps funny at best. Now, I can relate to people making money with martial arts - no problem with that what so ever.

Also, coming up with a 'catchy' name; not knowing that kata is a karate term (that has nothing to do with tae kwon do or aikido); or making up "Grasshopper" phrases like "understanding movement, which flows into understanding self"; I really have nothing but a big smile for all that.

The sad part is all these people that need something new - constantly - not to be bored. Today it is quite OK to be almost anything - even dead - as long as you're not BORING. It's like we have become stuck inside a teenagers 'I'm bored' statement forever.

How do these people intend to become good at anything, when they can't repeat a task over and over? After all that is really boring, you know!

So folks, we have to make martial arts entertaining: No repetitions, always new stuff, just plain fun. Why not put on rubber noses and funny hats while we're at it?

It's showtime!

What Happened to Dirty?

Capoeira - Dangerous Dancing:

What do you get when you mix martial arts, singing, Portuguese, exotic musical instruments and a whole lot of enthusiasm? Capoeira.

The movement looks simultaneously asthetically pleasing and dangerous. Participants of the club, or capoeristas, throw spinning kicks, jump into no-handed cartwheels and sweep their feet from side to side, shifting their weight as they pulse in and out of low stances.

Source

Graceful Capoeira

Graceful capoeira is a cultural treasure:

Pairing off, they engage in something unlike other martial arts. This isn't sparring. Blows aren't landed — not on purpose, anyhow. Instead, capoeira players describe what they do as a conversation.

Source