US OPEN - ABOUT

The US OPEN CAPOEIRA TOURNAMENT is about the game. In recent years it came to my attention that some capoeira schools grew so much that the mestres that run these schools, groups and associations started shifting their attention to the business part of capoeira such as running their schools, expanding their schools, membership growth, and profitability. All that is valid but the point is that many of these mestres lost their touch with the essence of the game, and focused on growth and profitability which in turn bring fear of competition and the pushing of personal philosophies as the selling point of their group. The tactics to retain students and to gain new members goes from saying bad things about other groups’ philosophies, techniques and styles to the use of violence and steroids to prove their superiority. 

The US OPEN CAPOEIRA TOURNAMENT is not about whose group is better, what styles prevails over others, and who has the strongest physique. This tournament, as the testimonials can prove, is about the game, the individual and his/her creativity, it is about bringing back that same element that attracted all of us to this incredible art form called capoeira; the game!!

We as capoeira players have the ability to bring people together through the language of the game, a game that transcends language, social class, religion orientation and ethnicity. Many mestres have worked hard to bring this art form to a status of recognition and respect and we all should recognize their consistency and sacrifice for the art form.

I would like here to acknowledge many mestres who have worked consistently under all kinds of pressure because they all believed in capoeira and its full potential as a unique, complex and complete art form that produces benefits from language acquisition, motor skills, cultural awareness, balance of mind and body, flexibility, cardiorespiratory condition, rhythm, weight management, social interaction, history, strength, self-esteem, discovery of the inner self to functional training and poetry.
CAPOEIRA has all this and more!!

Mestres and Contra-Mestres: Camisa, Bira Acordeon, Suassuna, João Grande, João Pequeno, Joel, Brasilia, Morais, Peixinho, Itapoãn, Gato, Nestor Capoeira, Suino, Chuvisco, Toni Vargas, Nenel, Jogo de Dentro, Preguiça, Nem, Cobrinha Mansa, Mão Branca, Barrão, DiMola, Cobra, Efraim, Urubu, Vaguinho, Marcelo Caveirinha, Roni, Samuka, Boneco, Amen Santos, Paulinho Sabiá, Espirro Mirim, Zebrinha, Burguês, Ralil, Edinho, Paulão Ceará, Beiçola, Batata, Cassio Rã, Catitu, Capixaba, Sabiá, Tucano Preto, Canguru, Bom Jesus, Edna Lima, Marcia Cigarra, Ariranha, Sabará, Papiba, Serpente, Paulo Batuta, Pilão, Carvão, Gui, Indio, Nego Bola, Chuvisquinho, Jelon Vieira, and many more.

view testimonials      2006 results