From Three Practitioners to a Waitlist: How Dodge City's Capoeira Scene Took Shape
When Maria Santos founded the Dodge City Capoeira Academy in 2017, she was one of three practitioners in a 40-mile radius. Now her waitlist for beginner classes runs 12 weeks deep.
Santos, a Contramestre under Grupo Cordão de Ouro with 18 years of training, didn't expect this trajectory when she left São Paulo for southwest Kansas. "I came for family," she says. "I stayed because people here were hungry for something beyond typical gym workouts."
That hunger has transformed Dodge City into one of the more unlikely Capoeira outposts in the Midwest—a development that mirrors broader shifts in the city itself. As immigrant communities, particularly from Brazil and Central America, have grown to represent nearly 30% of Dodge City's population according to recent census data, so too has interest in Afro-Brazilian cultural practices.
What Is Capoeira? History, Movement, and Meaning
Capoeira developed among enslaved Africans in colonial Brazil, who disguised combat training as dance to evade Portuguese colonial authorities who forbade martial practice. Contemporary training honors this legacy of resistance and cultural preservation.
The art form combines fluid movements, acrobatics, and strategic combat techniques, all set to the rhythm of traditional instruments including the berimbau, a single-string percussion bow that dictates the game's pace and intensity. Unlike conventional martial arts, Capoeira unfolds within a roda—a circle of participants who sing, clap, and play instruments while two practitioners engage in the center.
For Dodge City practitioners, this historical dimension isn't academic. "You can't separate the movement from where it came from," says James Okonkwo, an advanced student at Santos's academy who began training in 2019. "The roda is where you test yourself, but it's also where you remember."
Where to Experience Capoeira in Dodge City
The Dodge City Capoeira Academy
Address: 1423 Wyatt Earp Boulevard
Schedule: Beginner fundamentals (Tuesdays/Thursdays, 6:30–8:00 PM); advanced conditioning (Mondays/Wednesdays, 7:00–9:00 PM); all-levels Saturday (10:00 AM–12:00 PM)
Pricing: $85/month unlimited; $15 drop-in; sliding scale available
Santos leads instruction alongside two additional teachers: her husband, Pedro Ribeiro (Instrutor, 12 years training), and visiting mestre João Silva, who travels from Wichita monthly for weekend workshops. The academy occupies a converted warehouse space with sprung hardwood floors—a necessary investment, Santos notes, given the volume of aerial movements.
Classes range from 6-week beginner fundamentals focusing on ginga (base movement), esquivas (evasions), and basic kicks, to twice-weekly advanced conditioning that incorporates floreios (acrobatic flourishes) and strategic improvisation.
New students should expect a physical and cultural challenge unlike typical gym workouts. "We don't just show you how to kick," Santos explains. "You learn Portuguese commands, you sing, you play instruments. The body is only part of it."
Weekly Rodas at Central Park
Location: Central Park, 1600 Chestnut Street (near the band shell)
Schedule: Saturdays, 4:00–6:00 PM, weather permitting; no cost to participate or observe
Every Saturday, local Capoeira groups gather for open rodas that welcome practitioners from across southwest Kansas and the Oklahoma Panhandle. These sessions aren't performances for passive consumption—visitors are encouraged to join the circle, attempt basic movements, or simply ask questions during breaks.
The informal structure belies serious purpose. "The roda is where everything comes together," says Okonkwo. "You can drill in class all week, but the roda is where you actually learn to play."
Attendance typically ranges from 8–20 participants depending on season, with larger turnouts when regional groups from Garden City or Liberal make the drive.
Annual Cultural Events
Dodge City Days Festival (late July/early August): The city's largest annual event includes Capoeira demonstrations on the main stage, typically scheduled for the Saturday afternoon of festival weekend. Organized by the Dodge City/Ford County Development Corporation with Santos's academy as featured performers.
Dia da Consciência Negra (Black Consciousness Day) Commemoration (November 20): A newer addition to the local calendar, this event at the Dodge City Public Library includes film screenings, discussions of Afro-Brazilian history, and a participatory roda. Co-hosted by the library's multicultural programming department and the Capoeira academy since 2021.
Southwest Kansas Heritage Festival (September, Garden City):
