Moves
A
Arrastao — capoeira takedown, pulling both legs from under an opponent
Ataque — attacking move or movement initiative
Aú — cartwheel
B
Balanço — part of the basic capoeira move (ginga); torso rocks forward and back as the weight shifts
Banda — movement to trip or flank an opponent
Base — base, the ginga, the fundamental movement
Bênção — blessing; a front kick
bôca de siri — ‘crab’s mouth’ movement
C
cabeçada — head butt
chamada — ‘call,’ a named subroutine of capoeira play,the basic kind of inner game
cocorinha — squatting movement
contragolpe — counterattack — to respond to an initiative
D
dá volta ao mundo — ‘take a turn around the world’, a named subroutine of play that involves circling the ring
desequilibrante — movement that unbalances the opponent
E
esquiva — escape movement
F
fuga — flight, a catagory of defensive movements
G
ginga — the fundamental capoeira movement
golpe — strike or blow; attacking movement
M
martelo — ‘hammer’ kick;
meia-lua de compasso — ‘half moon in a compass,’ a spinning kick
P
pião — ‘spinning top,‘like Headspin (no hands) or Handspin
R
rabo de arraia — ‘stingray’s tail’ kick
rasteira — sweep; the basic takedown