Capoeira is all three, and much more.

Capoeira is an art form that combines fighting techniques and fluid dance movements in a ritual involving call and response songs and rhythms. It originated among African's taken to Brazil, who combined elements of their own culture into a response to the oppression of slavery and it’s repercussions.

Capoeira is rooted in the rituals of Central and West African cultures that were brought to Brazil through the Trans-Atlantic slave trade.What originated as a ritual right of passage for young men, has developed into a martial art and social political movement practiced on every continent by every race, age, and gender. The history of capoeira, the instruments, music, and movements are maintained primarily through oral tradition and practice. Capoeira has been, and continues to be, a driving force in resistance and revolution the world over.