Grupo Liberdade De Capoeira

MESTRE CIGANO AND GRUPO LIBERDADE

Robson A.V. Ribeiro (03/27/62) is a native Brazilian, born in the Botafogo district of Rio de Janeiro. He was first introduced to Capoeira in 1972 in Bahia at a roda overseen by his first Mestre, Pedrinho Fio do Ouro. Cigano went on to study with several other Mestres, graduating to Mestre at the age of 21 from Mestre Sardi of Rio. While in Rio de Janeiro,he worked with and taught the omnipresent street children from the Favelas (slums) of the city. He worked in conjunction with Centro Arquediocese of Rio de Janeiro, forming courses of social integration, using Capoeira masters. He founded Grupo Liberdade de Capoeira in 1987 and emigrated to the USA the following year.

In 1996, Mestre Cigano opened the New Jersey Capoeira Arts Center, in the East Ward of Newark, NJ. He has dedicated himself to teaching students of all ages and backgrounds, not only the fundamentals of capoeira, but his philosophy of respect and integrity. Although he returned to Brazil in late 2008 to Porto Seguro, his influence is evident to the enormous success of capoeira in New Jersey.

Today, Grupo Liberdade has aspiring students at various levels of proficiency in this complex art. The Group performs for private and public organizations, showing the joyous nature of the Brazilian spirit. The group comprises of a diverse number of individuals who share a common heart. They are musically and physically competent, with vitality and genuine desire to learn.

PROFESSOR MACACO

Saman Dashti was born in Manhattan and raised in Jamaica Queens. In California in 1995, he witnessed a street performance that he later find out was Capoeira. He found a school and started training Capoeira with Mestre Acordeon.

Saman moved to New Jersey in 1997 and joined Grupo Liberdade de Capoeira. He teaches capoeira classes in the Newark YMCA and Grace Community and works as a teaching artist in the public schools.

PROFESSOR CIPO

Emilio Mourao is one of Mestre Cigano's very first students in the USA. He has been studying capoeira since 1991. He took a hiatus and studied under Mestre Zumbi. He received the professor cordel from Mestre Cigano in 2008. He works as an Audio & Video technician.

INSTRUCTOR CHICÃO

Francisco Abreu was born in Portugal in 1974 in Destrito de Coimbra. He arrived in the USA in 1989 and started Capoeira in 1996 with Mestre Cigano. He runs a daycare center in the Ironbound section of Newark.

INSTRUCTOR ARANHA

Josh Rivera has been studying capoeira with Mestre Cigano since 1996. He seeks preservation of the old ways as well as fostering the evolution of what is to come, all while balancing his life as a husband and father, and his career as a police officer.

MONITORA AMAZONAS

Jana “Jah” Burton grew up in Queens, New York training at Jiujitsu and Judo. Track and Field brought her to New Jersey, where she competed and coached for Seton Hall U., NJ City U. and St. Peter’s College. Amazonas teaches mathematics in the Newark Public Schools system and is a dedicated teaching artist and performer in several West African dance and drum as well as Afro Brazilian performing arts companies. She also teaches West African and Afro Brazilian arts in several programs for children throughout New Jersey.

GRUPO LIBERDADE BELT SYSTEM

Grupo Liberdade belt system is based on skill, knowledge, and performance in the many aspects of Capoeira including movement, game, music, history, and philosophy as well as ability to teach capoeira.

Green
Dark Green
Green Yellow
Dark Green Yellow
Yellow - Graduado
Dark Yellow - Monitor

Yellow Blue- Instructor
Blue - Professor
Green Yellow Blue - Contramestre
White Green - Mestre 1st degree
White Yellow - Mestre 2nd degree
White Blue Mestre 3rd degree
White - Grão Mestre