Negativa
Negativa is a low transitional capoeira position, a squat on one leg with the other extended; it serves as an escape and a trap.
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Negativa is a low transitional capoeira position, among ground movements and escapes. The capoeirista squats on one leg and extends the other forward, the supporting hand resting on the ground beside the extended leg while the free hand guards the face. The name comes from the Portuguese verb negar, to deny, and relates to the term negaça. It lets the player deny an attack by lowering the body to the ground and quickly regain stability after a sweep or loss of balance; together with rolls and acrobatic elements such as the aú, it helps the player go around the attacker and move into a counterattack. From a low negativa the player flows smoothly into rolé or aú de cabeça. An experienced player can also use it to lure an opponent, since it looks vulnerable while a counterattack is being prepared. The negativa derrubando variant serves as a sweep: the player hooks the opponent's supporting leg the moment it stands on one leg during a kick. Negativa angola is an even lower sideways form for evading low kicks, knee bent, the other leg extended, torso lowered as close to the ground as possible.