Courtesy of xaracdo.

Courtesy of StudioEast.

The practice of capoeira will lead you to a sound mind and body.  Your spirits will lift… you'll feel better… and live longer.

And you'll have a lot of fun while meeting some like-minded people.

The latest incarnation of the art form, known as Boneco Capoeira, has been designed as an exercise program taught at fitness centers nationwide.

Doing the samba, a dance part of capoeira, participants usually partner for two or three minutes to increase the heart rate.

As it has evolved from the high-powered kicks and flips into more of a cardiovascular workout, capoeira has also begun to enter popular culture in the form of movies, including Catwoman, starring Halle Berry, and Ocean's Twelve. Capoeira was even featured in Usher's Caught Up video.