About

Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian art in the form of a "play-fight" that can sometimes be more play, and sometimes more fight. It takes place in a roda or circle led by powerful percussion and singing.

Born out of enslaved people's yearning for freedom in Brazil, Capoeira has developed as a method of liberation, survival, self-expression, celebration, enjoyment, well-being, community-building, and overcoming the barriers imposed by society.

Capoeira is open to people of all ages, races, genders, religions, sizes, and abilities. The only requirement is a desire to learn, and respect for the art and other Capoeira players.

Capoeira Angonal was founded on April 22nd, 1977 by Mestre Bocka, making it one of the oldest Capoeira groups in the city of São Gonçalo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Today, it has thousands of members across the Brazilian states of Rio de Janeiro, Pará, and Roraima; in Aotearoa-New Zealand; and Columbia, South Carolina in the United States.

Mestre Bocka created the name "Angonal" to reflect his philosophy of uniting the two dominant and often polarized styles of his art, Capoeira Angola and Capoeira Regional. Following his philosophy, our group promotes Capoeira in all its forms, and aims to teach our members how to play any style of Capoeira game, anywhere, with creativity and most importantly, with respect.

Capoeira Angonal SC was established in 2025 by Instrutor Futa. It is dedicated to the promotion and cultivation of the Afro-Brazilian art of Capoeira in South Carolina, and the promotion of Capoeira as a vehicle for the physical, social, and psychological betterment of all participants and their communities.

Capoeira Angonal uses a system of cordas or rope belts to show the level a member of our school has reached. It is derived from one of the oldest systems of belt graduations, created by Mestre Mendonça, which he based on the colors of the Brazilian flag.

Student cordas

Starting at complete beginner (calouro or caloura), students move through the next 5 cordas as alunos or alunas (students) based upon their development as Capoeira players, gaining new knowledge of the movements, ways to apply them, as well as basic Capoeira rhythms and songs. They then assimilate this knowledge until they are able to play freely, deepen their knowledge through dedicated training, and start to develop their own personal way of playing Capoeira.

Graduate cordas

Once reaching the level of Graduado or Graduada (graduated student), the capoeirista is now able to start teaching others while further developing their game, and broadening their knowledge of different forms of Capoeira game, and the culture surrounding the art. This continues through Monitor/Monitora (Coach), and at the Instrutor/Instrutora (Instructor) level, when the capoeirista takes on more responsibility, including leading Capoeira rodas (circles) more and more.

Teacher cordas

As a Professor or Professora (teacher), the capoeirista is a well-respected player and educator, adept at sharing their now very broad and deep understanding of Capoeira, and developing the abilities of their students. As a Contra Mestre or Contra Mestra (Assistant Master) the capoeirista has mastered the main elements of Capoeira, and is making an impact on the community.

Master

The new mestre or mestra (master) of Capoeira has proven themselves to be a font of knowledge of Capoeira, able to guide a roda with purpose, and serve as a worthy ambassador for the art. From here, there is 10 years between mestre's belts.

Second degree Master

The mestre or mestra has transcended their own ego and serves as a humble pillar of the community. They contribute greatly to the art of Capoeira, and to the communities that they live and teach within.

Third degree Master

The mestre or mestra sees the fruit of their actions as they guide their students, which now includes multiple instructors, teachers, contra mestres/contra mestras and even masters. They are known as a dependable resource on all the facets of Capoeira.

Grandmaster

At the final level, after 30 years as a mestre or mestra, the master is widely recognized as a respected guardian of the art. The white corda looks almost identical to the first corda, symbolizing that the master has gone beyond knowledge to be as open as a beginner.

Born and raised in Aotearoa-New Zealand, Instrutor Futa discovered Capoeira in 1996 through the video game "Tekken 3", the movie "Only the Strong," and "The Little Capoeira Book" by Nestor Capoeira. Training alone initially, he discovered the class of Instrutor (now Mestre) Brabo from Capoeira Pasifika-Mandinga in 1997, learning from him and later some Brazilian instructors.

In 2001, already working as a Capoeira performer in Latin American dance shows, he attended a workshop held by Mestre China of Capoeira Angonal, who had recently relocated to New Zealand from Brazil. Futa had never seen such a skillful and stylish capoeirista before, on video or in real life, and became his dedicated student, training five to six days a week.

After moving to Melbourne, Australia part-time to work in dance shows there, Futa started organizing monthly visits for Mestre China to give workshops. At this time, Mestre China asked him to start leading regular Capoeira sessions in Melbourne to keep up his training. Travelling to Brazil with Mestre China in 2004, Futa received the rank of Graduado (graduated student), which officially authorized him to teach. He continued to teach adults as well as children and teens in schools, after school programs, and diversion projects in Australia until 2007, when he decided to return to Aotearoa-New Zealand to pursue a college education. Before doing so, however, he spent six months training Capoeira intensively in Brazil. It was during this time that he met his future mestre (master of Capoeira), André.

On returning to Aotearoa-New Zealand, Futa taught in his hometown of South Auckland while continuing to learn from Mestre China and traveling periodically to Brazil. After earning Bachelor of Arts and Master of Social Work degrees, he moved to the U.S. in 2016 to join his wife. Living in both Austin, Texas and New York City, Futa taught Capoeira in public schools and for cultural programs, teaching physical, life and social skills through the art. In 2017, unable to get in contact with Mestre China, Futa became a student of Mestre André, head of the Rio Bonito branch of Capoeira Angonal. Mestre André is the supervising mestre of Capoeira Angonal SC.

2024 was a year for new beginnings. Futa travelled to Brazil to receive his current rank of "Instrutor," and in the same year he, his wife, and their dog decide to make Columbia, South Carolina their new home. He is excited to contribute to the cultural richness of Columbia, and share with the community his love for the beautiful and fulfilling art of Capoeira, and all the physical, mental, and emotional benefits it can bring.

Mestre André was born in the town of Rio Bonito in Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil. At around 6 years old, he saw a Capoeira class held by Mestre Carcará and fell in love with the art. His parents were reluctant to sign him up for classes, but as luck would have it, his friend became a student of Mestre Carcará, and the two would play using the movements his friend learned. Over time, the young André found his desire to train in a real Capoeira school growing every day.

While still a child, André moved with his mother to the city of São Gonçalo, part of the Rio de Janeiro metro area. There he met Professor (now Mestre) Capa from Capoeira Angonal. However, it wasn't until he was a teenager that he had the opportunity to begin training Capoeira formally. He became a student of Professor (now Mestre) Coelho of Capoeira Angonal in Rio Bonito when visiting his father there. Transiting between Rio Bonito and São Gonçalo, he also studied under other teachers and masters, including Mestre Capa, until meeting the founder of Capoeira Angonal, Mestre Bocka. Inspired by Mestre Bocka's impressive abilities as a Capoeira player, musician, and educator, André began frequenting his classes more than any others, learning as much as he could. That's why in 1994, when Mestres Capa, Canela, and Preguiça decided to leave Capoeira Angonal to form Iê Capoeira, and Coelho decided to follow them, André chose to stay. He remains a direct student of Mestre Bocka to this day.

Returning to live in Rio Bonito, André began teaching Capoeira to children, teens, and adults there, while continuing to travel to São Gonçalo to train with his mestre. Today, he has taught the art to hundreds of people not just in Rio Bonito, but also in other parts of the state, including the capital. He is committed to promoting Capoeira as a place where people of all backgrounds, faiths, and beliefs can come together to relieve stress, develop their minds and bodies, and deepen their knowledge of culture and history. In 2019, in recognition of his many years of dedication and contributions to the community and the art of Capoeira, Mestre Bocka bestowed upon him the rank of mestre of Capoeira.

Mestre André continues to serve as the mestre of the Rio Bonito branch of Capoeira Angonal, and is the supervising mestre of Capoeira Angonal South Carolina, offering support and guidance to Instrutor Futa. He is also the supervising mestre of Graduado Pavão, who leads classes in Santarém, Pará, Brazil.

Mestre Bocka was born on November 28th, 1955 in São Gonçalo, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He started learning Capoeira in 1968 with Mestre Verdugo, but three years later, Mestre Verdugo decided to stop teaching to focus on other things. The young Bocka started leading classes, not as a mestre or teacher, but more as the head of the group of students, which were still called the Grupo de Capoeira Regional do Mestre Verdugo (Capoeira Regional Group of Mestre Verdugo). With time, he attracted a larger and larger following, always seeking to improve his own skills as he sought to help his followers develop theirs.

In 1977, at a meeting of Capoeira groups in São Gonçalo, it so happened that the majority of the students present were Bocka's. When it came time to introduce the masters, this large group was left out, since he was not a mestre (master). The twenty or so masters present discussed the issue and decided that they would bestow upon him the title of mestre of Capoeira right then, in recognition of his contribution to the Capoeira community. Accepting this new title, Mestre Bocka decided to also rename his group. He recognized that at the time (and still to a large extent today), Capoeira was divided into two main styles: Capoeira Angola (a 'traditionalist' form known for games played close to the ground), and Capoeira Regional (a 'modernized' form created by Mestre Bimba known for a more upright and aggressive style of play). Mestre Bocka chose to combine the words 'Angola' and 'Regional' to reflect his style and philosophy: Capoeira is a single and complete art form, not this or that, but both. With that, Capoeira Angonal was born.

Since that time, Mestre Bocka has gone on to become one of the most respected and influential Capoeira masters in the city of São Gonçalo, and the state of Rio de Janeiro, with his students teaching Capoeira all over Brazil and the world. He is one of the founding members of the Federação de Capoeira Cultural e Desportiva do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (Federation of Cultural and Sports Capoeira of the State of Rio de Janeiro) and the Liga Gonçalense de Capoeira (São Gonçalo Capoeira League). He is respected as a guardian of the art and culture of Capoeira in São Gonçalo, and has been recognized as such by the City of São Gonçalo on multiple occasions. He is also frequently invited to share his great knowledge at Capoeira events worldwide, and even has the Prêmio Mestre Bocka de Música (Mestre Bocka Prize for Music) named in his honor.

Today, Mestre Bocka continues to teach children and adults in the Clube Recreativo de Trindade, where he has taught Capoeira for almost 50 years. There you will find absolute beginners alongside experienced masters, all benefiting from Mestre Bocka's lifelong dedication to Capoeira. There you will also find his renowned roda tradicional (traditional Capoeira circle) every month. The roda is known for its unparalleled energy and attracts Capoeira players from all over the region, Brazil, and the world.