Ginga (capoeira)
| Ginga | |
|---|---|
Two capoeira players in ginga | |
| Name | Ginga |
| Meaning | to sway, dance, play (Bantu) |
| Type | footwork, dance move |
| Parent style | capoeira Angola |
| Parent technique | engolo base step |
| Child technique(s) | balanço |
The ginga (pronounced jeen-gah; from gingar - to sway) is the fundamental footwork (or dancing move) of capoeira. It is a sidestep that can be a prance or a shuffle and it sets the rhythm of the game. The ginga embodies the extraordinary cunning of capoeira, which is its fundamental characteristic.
The capoeira game starts with keeping the body in constant motion with dancelike steps, making capoeiristas elusive targets for opponents. The constant triangular footwork makes capoeira both easily recognizable and confusing, since it looks much more like a rhythmic dance step than a fighting stance.
The ginga distinguishes capoeira from other martial arts. Only a few others employ similar rhythmic footwork, including taekkyon and some forms of pencak silat.
The initial form of ginga comes from engolo, the forerunner of capoeira.