8.11.10

Launch of the new look for Axé Capoeira Arizona's website.

Show&Batizado Nov 11-14

Tickets are NOW ON SALE for our batizado show @ Scottsdale Center for the arts. Students pay your batizado fees. Click here to purchase tickets!

Grupo Axé Capoeira

Grupo Axé Capoeira began in Recife, Brazil in 1982.

Today, as Arizona's first academy of Capoeira, the Group continues to rise as one of the world's leading Capoeira organizations. Backed by worldwide releases of over six albums of music on CD, several VHS and DVD performance releases and the four Volume Instructional DVD compilation, enrollment continues to steadily increase.

The Group continues to travel around the world and participate in competitions and has participated in the 2001 International Capoeira Competition in Argentina. Furthermore, Grupo Axé Capoeira is renowned as a traveling group which promotes the history, music, art, and culture of Brazil in interactive and educational demonstrations.

Philosophy & Methodology

The philosophy of Grupo Axé Capoeira is to respect all the mestres, preserve the roots and traditions of Capoeira, and train Capoeira in all its aspects: as a fight, art, and culture. We endeavor to teach and educate so that capoeira will grow in a positive healthy way. We attempt to pass on to the students physical and mental methods of training so that they learn to create situations and maintain a dialogue within the game. By playing both with friends and enemies, students learn to deal with any situation in or out of the roda. In North America, we not only teach movements, but the Brazilian language and customs as well, so that the students may become true capoeiristas.

Objectives

Axé Capoeira is working hard to ensure that Capoeira has a strong future. Through research, travel and participating in events, we hope to increase our knowledge in the art and contribute to the evolution of Capoeira. Our goal is for Capoeira to be placed among the most widely practiced and respected martial art forms in the world.

Mestre Barrao

Marcos da Silva, Mestre Barrão, was born in the port city of Recife, on the North East coast of Brazil. Recife is renowned for its Brazilian music and dance, and its long Capoeira tradition.

In 1974, Marcos began studying Capoeira with Mestre Pirajá. While learning the foundations of the art, he showed an affinity for the drums and other instruments as well as the skills that would conduct his life. After three years of training with Mestre Pirajá, who eventually left on sabbatical, Marcos went on in 1977 to continue his training with Mestre Teté. Mestre Teté shared with him the ways of the Street Capoeirista. He learned about the variable situations of the street: how to be shrewd and clever when playing, how to read opponents, and how to judge situations that one invariably finds oneself in, both inside and outside of the Roda of Capoeira.

In 1979, he began to enter Capoeira competitions throughout North East Brazil and in 1980, Marcos began to teach. In 1982, a young Barrão was determined to test his skills against the best opponents he could find and entered the prestigious National Championship in Rio de Janeiro. Such was his skill and fortune that in the end, he left as Brazilian Champion. Upon his return, many opportunities came his way to teach in schools, community centres, and universities throughout Brazil and eventually he formed Grupo Axé Capoeira. In 1987, he was graduated to First Degree Master by Mestre Pirajá. He has now received his Second Degree Master.

In 1990, Mestre Barrão was invited to demonstrate his art at the International Children's Festivals throughout North America and eventually found himself in Canada at the Vancouver International Children's Festival. After spending 1991 teaching in Italy, Barrão decided to immigrate to Canada in 1992 and begin teaching here at various locations. He started The Annual International Capoeira Encounter and has renowned and respected Mestres from all over the world visit and share their skills. In 1996, he opened Canada's first Academy of Capoeira.

Today, Mestre Barrão frequently receives invitations to conduct and teach Capoeira at international workshops. The mestres who assembled at the Melhores Do Seculo event in Curitiba Parana in 2000, recognized Mestre Barrão as one of the great capoeiristas of the century, due to his skill and contribution to Capoeira. Mestre Barrão and his Grupo Axé Capoeira have recorded six CD volumes of Capoeira music and one other, together with Mestre Burguês which continues to be tremendously popular throughout Brazil. They have also produced several VHS and DVD performance releases and the four Volume Instructional DVD compilation. Mestre Barrão now has schools in Canada, Brazil, the United States, Barbados, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, England, France, Kazakstan, Mexico, Peru, Poland, Russia, Taiwan, Trinidad & Tobago, Turkey and Ukraine.

Prof. Camara

Jay “Camara” Spain was Mestre Barrão’s first student in North America and is a highly valued Professor in Grupo Axé Capoeira. In 2003, Axé Capoeira Arizona opened the first Capoeira Academy and Dance Cultural Center in the Valley. Classes are offered to kids, teens and adults of all sizes and skill levels.

As head teacher of Axé Capoeira Arizona, Camara has developed and implemented the kids, teens and young adults curriculum to provide everyone with an alternative means to develop confidence, to encourage health and fitness, and to promote cultural awareness and experiences through Capoeira.

Jay Spain has over 40 years of martial arts experience, which includes teaching certifications in Capoeira and several other martial arts with extensive travels throughout the world.

Professor Camara says Capoeira is like life. Life sometimes is not fair, sometimes good, sometimes bad. The way you move is the way you think, the way you think is the way you move. So goes life. The cycles, the circles. Why is that? All around the world, regardless or race, creed, culture, or lifestyle, people rise with the sun and retire with the night. Once in the circle of Capoeira, inside the roda, these answers will come.