Esquiva Lateral
Esquiva Lateral
Literally: lateral dodge
A sideways capoeira dodge that does not block an attack but avoids it with movement; esquiva is basic defence in both Angola and Regional.
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Esquiva lateral, literally sideways dodge, is one of the dodges of capoeira. Esquiva is a defensive technique that does not block an attack but avoids it with movement; the Tucson Capoeira glossary defines it as an evasive movement. The dodges of capoeira also include cocorinha and resistência, a crouch, and queda de quatro, a fall onto all fours. Esquiva is a basic defensive technique in both main styles, Capoeira Angola and Capoeira Regional. Exactly how the sideways variant is performed and how it differs from the other dodges is something we have not been able to document from sources, and neither is who introduced it into training.