David Brin wrote:
Actually, it's tang soo do (Korean) karate. Less heavy contact, more like a dance. Kids, esp girls like that better.
If she's interested in the dance aspect of martial arts then I would suggest at least a cursory look at the Brazilian art known as Capoeira.
The following is a pretty good resource for general martial art information:
http://www.martialartsregister.co.uk/thearts.asp?artid=5
Capoeira was created by African slaves, in Brazil, approximately 400 yrs. ago as a martial art. Capoeira possesses a very unique style that brings together beauty and power, developing mental balance, physical conditioning, self-defense, music and a profound sense of art, all at once. Capoeira can be done by anyone of any age. More than a martial art, Capoeira is also a social event filled with tradition and history.
Due to many circumstances, the history of capoeira, in part, is obscure. There are many documents and facts that can be proven, but there is also much speculation and correct and incorrect conclusions that can not be proven. There is also the popular romanticism and stories that come from the past, for generations, without historic foundation but that is accepted by many. The reality is that there are always questions without responses. The history of capoeira, ironically through its' destiny, reflects the actual jogo (game) de capoeira. In some ways it's a charade and full of mandinga (secrets/deception).
In my 27 years of capoeira I have heard many different responses for the same question. I have read numerous books, which speak of the same subject but take totally different angles. I have spoken with and listened to, attentively, the opinion of many mestres old and young, famous and unknown. I can say that I have already read 99 percent of the published books about capoeira, some good and some bad. I have heard many different berimbau rhythms with the same name. I have seen many of the same movements with different names. I know of cordao graduations with the same level in different colors. I have seen many rodas, many mestres and many capoeiristas but to none has capoeira revealed all of its' history.
Because of this, there will always be questions without exact answers. And because of this I suggest to all who are interested in capoeira and its' history, read as much as possible about the subject and discover its' various angles. The following information that you are about to read doesn't completely reflect my way of thinking. The following information reflects various opinions from various authors, some of which I don't completely agree with but I respect and recommend their work. - Wagner Bueno
In 1500's the Portuguese, led by explorer Pedro Alvares Cabral, arrived in Brazil. One of the first measures taken by the new arrivals was the subjugation of the local population, the Brazilian Indians, in order to furnish the Portuguese with slave labor (for sugarcane and cotton). The experience with the aborigines was a failure. The Indians quickly died in captivity or fled to their nearby homes. The Portuguese then began to import slave labor from Africa . On the other side of the Atlantic, free men and women were captured, loaded onto ghastly slave ships and sent on nightmarish voyages that for most would end in perpetual bondage.
Why was capoeira suppressed? There were many motives. First of all it gave Africans a sense of nationality. It also developed self-confidence in individual capoeira practitioners. Capoeira created small, cohesive groups. It alsocreated dangerous and agile fighters. Sometimes the slaves would injure themselves during the capoeira, which was not desirable from an economical point of view (Wagner Bueno, 1996, Audio Tape). The masters and overseers were probably not as conscious as the king and his intellectuals of his court of all of these motives, but intuitively knew something didn't "smell right."
It must be stressed that there are many other theories attempting to explain the origins of capoeira. According to one prevalent theory, capoeira was a fight that was disguised as a dance so that it could be practiced unbeknownst to the white slave owners. This seems unlikely because, around 1814, when African culture began to be repressed, other forms of African dancing suffered prohibition along with capoeira, so there was no sense in disguising capoeira as a dance.
And just in case you found that interesting, here is a list of capoeira schools in California:
http://www.capoeirista.com/schools.html?q=United%20States&state=California ============================================================= David Brin wrote:
I had to insist on this course, for a while. Now she's enthusiastic. I figure a black belt will help keep her from going insane at 13.
Being involved in martial arts from the age of 10, I can certainly attest to that. It gives the young person many things:
-physical fitness -a sense of sport -self defense -instillation of values -an avenue of release through physical exertion
But perhaps most importantly for an adolescent, it offers a structured system that provides shelter from the not-so-good aspects of the teenage world.
And if she's enthusiastic on her own, combined with a little parental encouragement of course, the very idea of attaining a black belt can be very enticing, as well as quite foundational for a future lifestyle.
Anyway just trying to be helpful...
-Travis
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