Queixada
Queixada is an arcing capoeira kick to the jaw, the reverse version of meia lua de frente; common in Regional, rare in Angola.
Quick Facts
About
Queixada, from the Portuguese queixo (chin, jaw), is an arcing capoeira kick aimed at the opponent's jaw. Sources describe it as the reverse version of the meia lua de frente kick, and Mestre Pastinha called it meia lua virada, reversed meia lua. There are two versions. In 1928 Anibal Burlamaqui stated that he introduced into capoeira a queixada kicked with the front leg: the capoeirista steps up to the opponent, judges the distance, and quickly raises the leg to the opponent's jaw. In the nineteen-thirties Mestre Bimba introduced into capoeira regional a version kicked with the back leg, probably inspired by Asian martial arts; the leg rises from inside outward and strikes with the outer foot edge. The back-leg version is fast and confusing, can make the opponent dodge the wrong way, and makes it easier to chain further kicks without stopping the motion. Queixada is common in capoeira regional and is used only rarely in capoeira Angola. As a variant of the front arcing kick it is also documented in the Angolan engolo.