Welcome
Capoeira Mandinga
Capoeira has been in the north bay area since the early 1990’s when Mestre Marcelo’s students Bigode and Gafanhoto brought his work north and began teaching through the Santa Rosa Public Schools and Rec programs. Mestre developed many young gifted capoeiristas as well as a young family physician who has continued Mestre Marcelo’s work here in the Santa Rosa area to the present. We explore the different styles of capoeira including aspects of martial arts and acrobatics, associated dances, take time to study its history, and have a bunch of fun playing and training hard. Our community strives to be supportive and growth and happiness oriented.
Capoeira Mandinga is the name of our Capoeira group that has existed in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1984, when Mestre Marcelo Pereira started it under the name of Senzala Grande (the name was changed in 1995). Capoeira Mandinga also had a life as a nonprofit organization called the Capoeira Institute and as a performing arts group called Brazil Dance Revue. The organization’s capoeira lineage from Mestre Suassuna’s Cordâo de Ouro represents one of the most elite in the capoeira world today. However, we teach students to appreciate and respect all styles and systems as their method is a mixture of all methods. We incorporate different training aspects of capoeira Regional, Angola, Miudinho, Contemporânea and our style/system created by Mestre Marcelo Caveirinha’s capoeira Maneira where we emphasize body expression with capoeira-related movements to the toque maniero. Capoeira Mandinga is committed to quality and therefore continue to study and research capoeira to present it to their students at its highest level.
Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian form that encompasses martial arts, percussion, dance and song.
Mestre Marcelo
Mestre Indio
Mestre Gafanhoto
Professor Silencio
Mestra Lua de Sertao
Professor Gueirro
Instrutora Trevo
Monitor China
Monitor Amazonas
Current
Welcome to our current group. Mestre Indio has been keeping a space for us now since the early 2000’s. We have a dedicated place for Rodas, workshops and training for all levels.
Click here to learn more about our current group
Past Mandinga Santa Rosa
Welcome to an archive of Mandinga Capoeiristas Santa Rosa and worldwide. Please post your memories and dates, pics/vids, training stories etc.
Click here to send a post/vid/pic : with name, apelido, yrs trained belt and a bit about yourself then and now
Capoeira Mandinga Archive
Welcome to an archive of past Capoeira Mandinga events, classes, groups, trips and stories.
Capoeira Mandinga Now and back in the day
Come learn capoeira with us !!
Discover Capoeira Mandinga Roots, Lineage, Connections Relatives
Mestre Marcelo started capoeira in the 70’s, trained and graduated under Mestre Suassuna Cordao de Ouro. He began teaching in Brazil in the late 70’s, travelled with Mestre Accordion in 1986 to the US, and moved here for good in 1988. He originated Senzala Grande in SP in 80’s and changed the name to Capoeira Mandinga in 1994 to differentiate from the group Senzala. Mestre’s work has grown from his original group in the East Bay and spread across the continental us and Hawaii, Tijuana and Veracruz Mexico, Japan, China (Beijing and Shanghai), Hong Kong, Guam, Iceland, Italy. He organized the first International Encounter in 1995 and the first Capoeira Brazil Camp in California, events that have touched thousands. He promoted the inclusion and strength of women in capoeira, fighting against oppression and graduating the first american Mestra. His unique and strong style was mo’capped in the Tekken video game series as Eddie Gordo, Christie Manteiro and Tiger Jackson. He returned home to São Paulo to care for his parents. Since Covid the group has consolidated to Tucson Arizona, Santa Rosa California, Vera Cruz Mexico, Milano Italy, and Manti Utah.
Please post updates on the blog, add pics/vids
Capoeira Mandinga Santa Rosa 