Capoeira is much more than an Afro-Brazilian art--it's a combination of self-defense, acrobatics, culture, song, music, tradition, and philosophy. It is at the same time a graceful fight-dance of attack and defense movements, and an athletic game with the objective of using wit and skill to make the opponent lose their balance and fall.



Our instructor

Mestre (Master) Roque, nicknamed Pantera (Panther), is a native of the city of Salvador, Bahia (Brazil), the birthplace and homeland of capoeira.

In 1976 at the age of 17, Roque began to formally train capoeira under the direction of Mestre Carlos Senna (1931-2002), a former senior student of Mestre Bimba who founded the third registered capoeira academy in 1955. The Centro de Pesquisa, Estudo e Instrução de Capoeira Senavox (Senavox) taught a highly disciplined capoeira with the objective to promote capoeira as a fight-sport and educate through its intellectual, physical, and spiritual philosophy.

Roque graduated to Professor level status in 1984. He taught capoeira at a military academy (Colégio Militar de Salvador) as part of the physical education curriculum; he taught at Senavox, social and athletic clubs (e.g., Esporte Clube da Bahia, Baiano de Tenis) elementary schools, and gave private capoeira and fitness classes.

When Senavox closed its doors the end of the 1990’s, Roque continued to train with his mestre friends from other groups, giving classes at Capoeira Fita Verde, Capoeira Arte Corpo, and others. He became a mentor to Twin Cities Capoeira, and organized a tour for a student group that traveled to Bahia in 2006.

Mestre Roque moved to the U.S. in late 2005, and formed Bodysport Capoeira a year later. He attributes his energy, health, and physical well-being to over 30 years of training capoeira.



PRICE

Monthly (3x/week) - $100 (One-time academy admission fee of $35)
Drop-in price per class - $20.