Capoeira Basics

attacker's legs with legs first (I forgot drawing a picture, perhaps next time). It's executed in a
similar fashion to the TA, yet legs are closed so you fit through. Mean people lift their heels
when their feet pass by underneath the attacker's face, others like to get up violently. I have
even seen an advanced player rolling over the attacker's back when he got approached by a
Tesoura Angola, but that had been a joking Roda anyway:)
Cruz: The Cruz
(cross) is an
elegant way to
evade an
incoming
Bênção or
Ponteira and
throw the
partner at the same time. Instead of pushing the kicking leg away you bend down and slide
under it. Spread your arms so his leg cannot escape to the side, trap it on your back. Now
simply get up again and watch your opponent fall. If you get trapped with a Cruz by someone
else, don't fall on the back of your head as the Capoeirista on the right does. Try to fall to the
side and dampen the fall with your hands, doing a Au-like motion.
This is Cruz viewed from
above. The diagramm
shows the move the way I
was told, and I found it
very practical and useful
since then. If there are
any other variations I'd be
glad to get emails from
you. To avoid getting accidentally hit by the supporting leg during the throw you have to shift
your head to the right side. If you perform the Cruz and and your position is that of the first
picture, you have to roll your head to the other side so that you end up as in the second picture.
If you're already there, don't do anything except standing up. I do so since the girl I intented to
throw over with a Cruz did a Macaco backwards and kicked me with her support leg right into
my jaw (Hi there Julia!).