Capoeira and breakdancing contain similarities in their footwork, groundwork, and upside-down movements, leading some to theorize that capoeira gave birth to breakdancing. Capoeira arrived in New York City with Mestres Jelon Viera and Loremil Machado in the 1970s, around the time of breakdancing’s origin. However, the earliest bboys had little to no contact with capoeira. Instead, they took inspiration from kung-fu films and put their own personal flair into the movements.
Although capoeira and breakdancing may have influenced each other when practitioners of the arts met and exchanged movements, it seems more likely that breakdancing developed on its own rather than being born exclusively from capoeira. But the two are similar in that both represent a way that people living on the margins of society have used movement, music, and creativity to deal with their situation.
For more information, read Capoeira and Breakdancing: At the Roots of Resistance.
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1 comment
Alex
November 28, 2011 at 5:38 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Master Zelon Vieira’s teachings influenced Breack , but it already existed!
http://www.geocities.ws/capoeiranomade5/Mestre_Jelon.pdf