Teachers

"I started my Capoeira journey in 1991 in my hometown - Itabuna Bahia, Brazil - one of the most prominent epicenters of Capoeira of all times.

Having trained for several years with Mestres such as China, José Alfredo, Quinho, Dilaho among others, I always wanted to attend some distinguished events such as Capoeirando, but I didn't have the means to pay for it and my parents wouldn't agree with it. So I secretly started going there just as an spectator, and then as a worker for a restaurant nearby. One year, Mestre Suassuna from Grupo Cordão de Ouro was walking around the event and realized I wasn't wearing an attendee wristband, and offered one to me - I thanked him so much, my heart was singing and I was so happy I was finally able to attend the event!

Eventually, as I got more involved, I moved to São Paulo to work with Capoeira with Mestre Suassuna for Grupo Cordão de Ouro, which had always been a dream of mine. After my formation, I received a lot of opportunities to teach locally and in international events, when I started travelling around the world. I have taught in Turkey, Israel, Russia, France, Mexico, USA as well as in several other countries in Africa, Europe and Asia.

I have developed my own teaching method where I teach different aspects of Capoeira such as skills, sequences, games, music, instruments and cultural Afro-Brazilian dances such as Puxada de Rede, Maculelê and Dança Guerreira. I invest my full attention, happiness and passion when training my students, as I share my culture with everyone."

"I was first introduced to Capoeira by a college group in the Spring of 2009. Immediately, I was captivated by the movements, the music, and the interactions between people playing. It was the most unique martial art I'd ever seen, and I needed to learn more.

Ever since then, I have been engrossed in Capoeira, learning as much as I can about movement and the incredibly rich history of the art. This led me to study with several different people across the USA, and to study other movement arts like gymnastics, calisthenics, and martial arts tricking. Through my studies, I have gained a lot of knowledge on how the body works and how to learn new movements and improve what we already do.

Capoeira also sparked my passion for teaching, and I have spent years studying teaching methods and leading classes for students of all ages. I pride myself in my ability to understand my students' limitations, and to help them surpass those limitations!"