How Muhammad Ali’s Boxing Style Evokes Capoeira

Rolha Capoeira

1 minute read

Megan Livingston, writing for ESPN platform The Undefeated:

Historian Matthias Röhrig Assunção’s book, Capoeira: The History of an Afro-Brazilian Martial Art, describes capoeira as “the black art of the male underdog” and “a model of counter-hegemonic practice.” It doesn’t feel premature to assert that capoeira and Ali have a lot in common.
Later:
Ali is the capoeira of boxing. He is the dununba of the ring; the dance of the strong man in the flesh.
Megan’s piece provides us with a…

Is There a Place for Capoeira in the Olympics?

Rolha Capoeira

2 minute read

While capoeira’s identity has always had strong roots, it finds its public face constantly changing as the art form adapts to a fast-evolving modern world. Technology, media, and an ever-expanding profile present challenges to the traditions within capoeira and its conservatives, as phenomenons such as the UFC drive more interest to all martial arts—especially ones as visually-pleasing as capoeira.