Maniya uses her superior agility and flexibility in moves that are not very violent in nature. She does not attack her opponents with weapons, instead she prefers to use evasive tactics, to escape her aggressors and disarm them when necessary. She does not kill for pleasure and when needed she renders her opponents unconscious. Rarely she actually goes as far as killing them.
As such, the modern fighting technique that bears the greatest resemblance to the sort of acrobatics that Maniya performs is Capoeira, inspired by old African practices. Technically this is not actually a fighting style but rather a game meant for pure entertainment, a form of dancing in many ways.
~ CAPOEIRA ~
The game:
The game is marked by fluid acrobatic play, feints, subterfuge, and extensive use of groundwork, as well as sweeps and kicks. Throughout the game, a player must avoid a sweep, trip, or kick that may knock him or her on the floor. Less frequently-used techniques include elbow-strikes, slaps, punches, and body-throws. Capoeira does not focus on injuring the opponent! Rather, it emphasizes skill. Each attack that comes in gives players a chance to practice an evasive technique.
The ginga(literally: "rocking back and forth; to swing") is the fundamental movement in capoeira. It is accomplished by maintaining both feet approximately shoulder-width apart and then moving one foot backwards and then back to the base, describing a triangular 'step' on the ground. This movement is done to prepare the body for other movements. The rest of the body is also involved in the ginga: coordination of the arms (in such a way as to prevent the body from being kicked), torso (many core muscles may be engaged depending on the player's style) and the leaning of the body (forward and back in relation to the position of the feet - the body leans back to avoid kicks, and forward to create opportunities to show attacks).
ATTACKS:
Capoeira primarily attacks with kicks, sweeps, and head strikes. Punches and hand strikes can also be used, but they are not as common. One probable explanation for the primary use of feet is the common West African belief that hands are for creation and feet for destruction. Elbow strikes are commonly used in place of hand strikes. Knee strikes are sometimes seen. Capoeira also uses acrobatic and athletic movements to maneuver around the opponent. Cartwheels, handstands, hand-spins, hand-springs, sitting movements, turns, jumps, flips, and large dodges are all very common in capoeira. Fakes and feints are also an extremely important element in capoeira games and the setting of "traps" or illusory movements are very common.
DEFENSES:
Capoeira defenses consist of evasive moves and rolls. A series of ducks called esquivas, which literally means "escape", are also staple of a capoeiristas' defensive vocabulary. There are typically different esquivas for every step of the Ginga, depending on the direction of the kick and intention of the defender. A common defense is the rol�, which is a rolling move that combines a duck and a low movement. This move allows the defensive player to quickly evade an attack and position themselves around the aggressor in order to lay up for an attack. It is this combination of attacks and defense which gives a game of capoeira its perceived 'fluidity' and choreography. Other evasive moves allow the capoeirista to move away or dangerously close in an attempt to trip up the aggressor in the briefest moment of vulnerability (usually in a mid-kick).
