For me Capoeira is knowing how to unite strength with harmony, respect with courage and song with poetry, creating in this way a big circle called Roda where every Capoerista can best express each one of these characteristics, emphasizing the positive energy of the Roda, balancing strength, courage and poetry.

Mestre Boca Nua

Training

Mestre Boca Nua, Cosme Soares de Oliveira was born on the 27th of September 1963 in Salvador-Bahia Brazil. From the age of ten he attends Capoeira schools and meetings. Soon he becomes passionate about this art and decides to abandon the world of football, in order to dedicate himself wholly to the learning of this mysterious and powerful art. At the age of seventeen he receives the chance to travel to Europe and Canada, to work with various Brazilian folk performance groups. In 1983 Mestre Boca Nua returned to Brazil to complete his studies of capoeira: he considered very important to meet other capoeira schools in different cities across Brazil. He travelled to Rio de Janeiro where he stayed until 1990: during this period he had the opportunity to visit various rodas of many gruops, as well as participating to batizados and seminars. After these experiences he returned to Salvador de Bahia to receive his diploma of Mestre of Capoeira. In 1992 Mestre Boca Nua left Brazil to represent his country at Spain’s Expo exhibition in Seville. In 1993 he returned to Salvador de Bahia where he stayed for two years working with children and adolescents, developing through the teachings of capoeira a very rewarding work with the society of Bahia. During these two years he started to write a project involved with the development of capoeira in the periphery, primary schools and institutes for disadvantaged children in Bahia. At the same time he also visited academies as the Academia de Mestre King Kong, Academia Mestre Bimba under the supervision of Mestre Bamba, Mestre Dinho, Mestre Romeu and various street rodas across the city.

In Italy

Thank to these experiences when he arrived in Florence in 1995 he knew how to start the development of the art of capoeira. Mestre Boca Nua founded the Axé Capoeira Association in Florence, maintaining the same symbol he had in Brazil. He made contact with the organizations responsible for sport and culture in the city of Florence and presented to the authorities a project to reintegrate disadvantaged minors in the society through the art of capoeira. After some time he had the opportunity to put at work his project by working with adolescents in the area of Le Piagge, Il Carcere Minorile di Firenze, Pestalozzi’s school, Nardiaci garden, and Pettini area. At this moment he is developing a project with children from ages 8 to 11 who are enrolled in the primary school Rossini in Florence. Along with these projects, from 1996 Mestre Boca Nua realized annual meetings inviting Mestres and students from Brazil and various European countries, giving to the Italian people, especially the Florentines, the opportunity to appreciate the art of capoeira and its traditions. Every year the most spectacular squares of Florence as Piazza della Signoria, Piazza Santa Croce, Piazza Duomo and Piazza della Repubblica transform into beautiful theatres where the Axé Capoeira Association realizes great events. Mestre Boca Nua always believed in capoeira and has always battled to make sure it was respected as a serious sport as all other traditional sports.