Step into the roda at Cordão de Ouro Westmere, and the first thing you'll notice isn't a kick or a flip—it's the conversation. Every ginga, every au, every breath between movements carries meaning. For over fifteen years, we've taught capoeiristas across Westmere City how to speak this language fluently.
Located just off the Westmere Green Line in the Riverdale Arts District, we're the only academy in the city offering full batizado ceremonies and direct lineage to Mestre Suassuna's Cordão de Ouro tradition. Whether you've never tied a cordão or you're preparing for your own mestre journey, this is where your next chapter begins.
What Sets Us Apart
Capoeira isn't a fitness trend you chase for six months. It's a living art form—one that demands respect for its Afro-Brazilian roots, its music, and the community that keeps it alive.
Our lead instructor, Contramestre Rafael Oliveira, trained for twelve years in São Paulo and Brasília before founding our Westmere academy in 2009. Under his direction, we've built something rare: a training environment where technical rigor and cultural authenticity aren't competing priorities. They're inseparable.
Here's how that shows up in every class:
- Movement as expression — We don't drill au sem mão or meia lua de compasso as isolated tricks. You learn how each technique functions as dialogue within the roda.
- Music as foundation — From your first week, you'll work with the berimbau, pandeiro, and atabaque. Understanding the toques isn't optional here; it's how you learn to lead the roda's energy.
- Sparring with intention — Our advanced students train jogo de dentro—close, strategic play where reading your partner matters more than flash.
Programs for Every Level
Foundation Classes
New to Capoeira? Start here. Over eight weeks, you'll master the eight basic ginga variations, learn the berimbau's toque de Angola, and understand why Capoeira emerged as resistance among enslaved Africans in colonial Brazil. No acrobatics required—just curiosity and commitment.
Intermediate Training
Ready to string movements together? This track focuses on sequence fluency, confidence in au sem mão and bananeira, and deeper musical study. By the end of your first year at this level, you'll participate fully in our monthly rodas open to the broader Westmere community.
Advanced Masterclasses
For cordão azul and above. Contramestre Rafael leads intensive sessions in jogo de dentro, floreios tailored to your body type, and competition preparation. Several of our advanced students have placed at the annual Capoeira Northeastern Championships.
Cultural Events & Batizado
We don't just train capoeiristas—we graduate them. Our biennial batizado draws mestres from Boston, New York, and Brazil. Between ceremonies, you'll find us hosting samba de roda nights, Afro-Brazilian percussion workshops, and community dinners at Riverdale Park.
From Our Community
"I walked in at 34 with zero martial arts background and two left feet. Three years later, I led the bateria at our 2023 batizado and performed at the Westmere International Arts Festival. Capoeira didn't just change my body—it rearranged my confidence." — Maria Santos, Cordão Verde
Your First Foundation Class Is Free
Stop searching for "Capoeira near me" and step into the roda.
Call us: (555) 123-4567
Book online: cordaodeourowestmere.com/start
Visit us: 482 Riverdale Avenue, Westmere City — Green Line to Riverdale Station
Follow: @CordaoOuroWestmere for roda schedules, student takeovers, and event announcements
Vamos jogar. Let's play.
