In the first century in which Portuguese colonist inhabited Brazil, the main economic activity was the production and processing of sugarcane that were harvested by slaves. Similar to the slaves of North America the slaves were transported from Africa. In this environment, capoeira was born not as a straight forward fighting style, but as a hope of survival of their culture roots. The dance capoeira was soon prohibited by slave masters deeming it threatening and saw it to be a potential tool of empowerment. So although many slaves used this dance as a copping mechanism, there was potential to take action against Portuguese colonist. Studying capoeira truly deepens the severity of the era, seeing it in modern day the ethnic dance is nothing but positive and energy infused. The characteristics of this dance have still survived through arguably one of the darkest times in South American history, through this dark time the roots of capoeira intensified its hold on the slave which produced a dancing core which is now impalpable in terms of changing the art.