Capoeira — pronounced ka-poo-AY-rah — is an Afro-Brazilian martial art developed by enslaved people as a form of resistance, disguised as dance so it could be practiced in the open. It blends acrobatics, dance, and live music into something like jiu jitsu, kickboxing, breakdancing, and gymnastics happening all at once. You learn the foundations first, then build steadily toward the harder movement.
We run classes for adults 14+ and for kids in two age groups — 3–5 and 6–13. Classes are mixed-level by design: complete beginners train alongside people who have been at it for years, and you progress at your own pace. Your first class is free.
The lineageMass Capoeira is part of Capoeira Luanda, founded in 2007 by Mestre Jelon Viera — one of the first masters to bring capoeira to the United States. Classes here are led by Contramestre Morcego (Alexandro Silveira), born in Salvador, Bahia, with more than 30 years of teaching behind him.
Everything points toward the roda — the circle. Players enter two at a time and answer each other in movement while everyone else claps and sings. The bateria sets the terms: the berimbau calls the game fast or slow, joined by pandeiro, atabaque, and agogô. Nothing is choreographed and no two games are the same. It is unlike anything else, and it is why people stay.
Agora hosts the annual Batizado e Troca de Cordas — a multi-day gathering where new students are formally welcomed into the art and advanced students receive their next cord. Guest mestres and groups travel in from across New England and beyond for days of rodas, live music, and workshops. Dates and tickets post to our events calendar as soon as they are set.
Full program details, class structure, and the story of Capoeira Luanda live at masscapoeira.com.
