Ginga
Capoeira move
- Type
- Footwork and evasion
- Martial arts
- Capoeira
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.
Other Capoeira footwork and evasion
Japanese terms for footwork and evasion
| Term | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 足技 | ashiwaza | foot technique (in judo, sumo wrestling, etc.); footwork |
| 足運び | ashihakobi | gait; manner of walking |
| 差し手 | sashite | slipping one's hand beneath the opponent's arm and latching on to the underside of his belt |
| 突っかける | tsukkakeru | to slip on (slippers, sandals, etc.) |
| 一眼二足三胆四力 | ichigannisokusantanshiriki | firstly vision, secondly footwork, thirdly courage, fourthly technique (the most important aspects of kendo) |
External links
Facts from Wikidata Q1411420 (CC0); text quoted from English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Data retrieved 2026-10-22.
Data: Wikidata (CC0 1.0); Wikipedia (English) (CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.