Respect for the art
Explore capoeira as a martial art, a musical practice, and an expression of Afro-Brazilian culture.
Brazilian roots.
Tucson community.
Part of Grupo Axé Capoeira, our school brings martial arts, music, and Afro-Brazilian culture to Tucson.
A practice
we share.
Capoeira brings people together through movement, music, and interaction.
Room for beginners
Kids and adults have separate programs. Beginners are welcome in any scheduled class in their age group.
Learning together
The roda is a shared circle: players, musicians, and the people around them all contribute to the experience.
One group. A living lineage.
Our Tucson school is part of Grupo Axé Capoeira, an international community founded by Mestre Barrão in Recife, Brazil, in 1982. Movement, music, and respect for capoeira’s roots connect our local practice to that wider group.
Explore Grupo Axé Capoeira
Mestre Barrão.
Founder of Grupo Axé Capoeira
Marcos da Silva, known as Mestre Barrão, is a capoeira mestre, musician, and cultural artist from Recife, Brazil. He began his training with Mestre Pirajá and continued with Mestre Teté, developing the practice he would later share internationally.
Through teaching, music, and cultural exchange, Mestre Barrão has helped connect capoeira communities around the world. His group’s philosophy brings together the art’s physical practice, musical traditions, and cultural roots. That is the wider tradition our Tucson school belongs to.
Visit Mestre Barrão’s official site- 01 · GROUP ROOTS
Mestre Barrão
Grupo Axé Capoeira founder
Founded the group in Recife and developed its international teaching community.
Grupo Axé Capoeira - 02 · ARIZONA
Mestre Camará
Our Arizona connection
A student of Mestre Barrão, Mestre Camará brought Axé Capoeira to Arizona in 1999. Professor Sombra is his student.
Mestre Camará’s group profile - 03 · TUCSON
Professor Sombra
Tucson founder & head instructor
A student of Mestre Camará, Professor Sombra carries that teaching relationship into our Tucson school.
Meet our Tucson team
TUCSON · 2009–2025
Our Tucson story.
Choose a year to explore our beginnings, our connections, and the moments we have shared.
Our beginnings
Axé takes root in Tucson.
Professor Sombra established Axé Capoeira Tucson, starting the Tucson chapter of Grupo Axé Capoeira.
As a student of Mestre Camará, he brought that teaching lineage into a new local community.
Learning together
Our first workshop.
Axé Capoeira Tucson held its first workshop with Mestrando Bambu and Professora Arara.
The workshop marked an early opportunity for Tucson students to learn together with visiting teachers from the wider capoeira community.
A place to train
Studio Axé opens its doors.
We opened our first private training space: Studio Axé.
The studio created a dedicated home for capoeira, dance, and martial arts in Tucson.
Brazilian culture
Club Carnaval comes to Tucson.
Studio Axé partnered with Playground to launch Club Carnaval, a Brazilian party in Tucson.
The collaboration brought another way to celebrate Brazilian culture and bring our community together.
Our first batizado
Mestre Barrão joins us in Tucson.
Axé Capoeira Tucson held its first batizado and troca de corda, with Mestre Barrão as guest of honor.
It was the first time our school welcomed Mestre Barrão to Tucson as the guest of honor for this celebration.
Room to grow
A bigger home for Studio Axé.
Studio Axé expanded into a 5,000-square-foot training space.
The move gave our community more room for capoeira, dance, and martial arts.
Ten years in Tucson
Celebrating a decade of Axé.
Axé Capoeira Tucson celebrated 10 years since its founding in 2009.
That year, our second Tucson batizado also celebrated 20 years of Axé Capoeira Arizona, honoring the wider community we are part of.
Staying connected
Capoeira continues online.
In response to the pandemic, we launched Tucson Capoeira Online.
Online training offered a way to keep our community connected and our practice moving forward.
Coming together again
A reunion and a graduation.
Our third Axé Capoeira Tucson batizado brought us together in Tucson for the first batizado after the pandemic.
At this event, Professor Sombra graduated to first-degree Professor—a milestone in his capoeira journey and our school’s story.
Our current home
A new chapter at STEM.
Axé Capoeira Tucson moved into its new training space at STEM Excellence Tutoring.
Today, this is the home of our kids, teen, and adult capoeira classes in Tucson.
Visit our training space1 of 10
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Meet our team.
The people who bring our classes to life.
Professor Sombra
Founder & Head Instructor
Graduada Sarará
Head Kids’ Class Instructor
Pererê
Assistant Student Teacher
Sabiá
Assistant Student Teacher
Raposa
Assistant Student Teacher
The people make
the practice.
From our community
“The community within Axe Capoeira Tucson is very supportive and encouraging.”JasonStudent testimonial
Come meet us.
The best introduction is a class. Choose the right age group, book your free trial, and experience the school for yourself.
Book one free trial class