Capoeira in Kansas City

By Chris Bernard

Kansas City, MO – Brazilian culture has been spreading slowly across the world through the recent popularity of the sport of capoeira. Capoeira is a martial art of kicks, sweeps, and handstands, developed by enslaved Africans in northeastern Brazil. It's a game played to the beat of percussion and song- it almost looks like a dance. There are three groups now in the Kansas City area, and people are learning the basic moves in gyms and universities. Northeast High School student Chris Bernard talks about what he's learned from the martial art.

Chris Bernard is a student leader in Debate Kansas City, the local urban debate league, and is a member of Beribazu Capoeira - one of three capoeira groups in the Kansas City area:

Grupo Beribazu
Forca Rara
Grupo Axe