Register for Classes 

Classes consist of a warm-up, cumulative skill-based practice, cool down and music practice. After your first trial class, we require a two month commitment (2x/week) in order to set the foundation of basics that will allow you to accompany our ongoing classes.

All levels are welcome. Please wear comfortable pants, a t-shirt that you can tuck in and low-soled sneakers (i.e., not too much padding/traction).

Tuesday 6:30-8:30pm Movement & Music
Thursday 6:30-8:30pm Movement & Music
Solar Yoga Ashram, 373 9th St, Brooklyn, NY
Two month introduction $180 | Monthly Discounted Rate $120 | Drop-in: $25

We offer a sliding scale for monthly subscribers with financial need.

 
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Rouxinol

Our Teachers

Professora Rouxinol

Ana Costa entered into the world of capoeira over 25 years ago and her life changed course. Ana, who is known as Rouxinol — nightingale — in the world of Capoeira, found her passion in the physical, cultural, musical and linguistic facets of this rich African-Brazilian art form. She brings two and a half decades of trial and error as capoeira teacher and student to her system of instruction for both kids and adults, as well as her personal training with non-capoeiristas. 

Ana received her BA in architecture from Columbia University, and her certification in personal training through the National Academy of Sports Medicine. She continues to hone her craft, studying the teachings and traditions of Mestre João Grande and Mestre Cabello. She’s often found standing on her hands (where she is happiest), or playing her berimbau & singing. A cross-cultural upbringing in rural Liberia, urban Kenya, and upstate New York, in addition to her diverse athletic training, inspire her dynamic, challenging, and creative classes. Her holistic approach to movement and fitness provide you with the ability to better understand your body’s potential; the tools to properly train it; and the skills to apply it in the context of the roda (circle) of Capoeira Angola.

Portrait of Mestre Cabello

Our Teachers


Mestre Cabello

Mestre Cabello is an experienced master of Capoeira Angola & disciple of the great Mestre João Grande, ethnomusicologist Professora Emilia Biancardi and master drummer Jorge Alabé. Originally from Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil, Mestre Cabello has dedicated the last 20 of his 40 years in the art to cultivating Capoeira Angola in Serra Grande, Brazil and around the world. He casts an attentive and respectful look at the codes and the rich repository of musicality, tuning, ritual and movement left by the old masters from the 1940's, 50's and 60’s via audio recordings, texts, photos and drawings. Seen through these lenses, the study of Afro-Brazilian culture is of vital importance to the recognition, understanding and appreciation of a complete capoeirista. Mestre Cabello approaches Capoeira Angola as a sustainable and nourishing practice for our whole selves: body, mind and spirit.  

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Rouxinol demonstrating a tuck

The Practice

Physicality

“Don’t do what you can do — try what you can’t do.” — William Faulkner

Capoeira Angola creates strong, agile and healthy bodies. Classes consist of a full-body workout and development of skills that balance challenge and growth. In this playful folkloric practice, we explore handstands, cartwheels, bridges, kicks, dance, and ritual calls or chamadas. Through a series of attacks and defenses, questions and answers, trickery, playfulness and exchanges driven by live music and call & response singing, the “game” of Capoeira Angola unfolds. The vast creativity of our minds — our software, so to speak — is often limited to how well and how intelligently we train our physical bodies. For this reason, Capoeira Angola trains our physical bodies, or hardware, to meet the technology of our minds with a unique blend of strength, mobility, grace, rhythm, explosiveness and acrobatics. Come play, train, develop a practice and trust the process!

Berimbau

The Practice


Musicality

Our bateria, or band of musical percussive instruments, consists of three berimbaus (musical bow), two pandeiros (tambourines), one conga drum, one agogô (cow bell) and a reco-reco (scraper of African origin). We study the basics of each instrument and its place in creating a harmonious, repetitive and hypnotic baseline for call and response singing and the physical game of Capoeira Angola. 

In our accompanying study of musicality we embrace the concept of sankofa, an African proverb that calls on us to fetch that which has been forgotten. In contemporary language — you can’t know where you’re going unless you know where you came from. For this reason, we pay special attention to the tuning, tonality and style of the musical recordings of Mestres from the 1940s, 50s and 60s as we learn to sing in harmony with one another, memorize songs in Portuguese and collect rhythms to add to our repertoire. We draw on the recordings of os antigos — Mestre Cabecinha, Mestre Traira, Mestre Waldemar, Mestre Juvenal, Mestre Gato Preto, etc.—as a leaping-off place from which to practice, grow and eventually improvise.

Events

Rodas, Workshops & Community

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Quotes - TESTIMONIAL CAROUSEL - CAPOEIRA

“Rouxinol’s capoeira classes will not only improve your strength, balance and focus, but help you connect to your spirit and a community practice. Whether on zoom or in person, she takes the time and care to study your technique and movement truly seeing you and helping you develop your skills and style. Class closes with everyone singing together and practicing playing capoeira instruments. You can feel a depth and seriousness of study in how Rouxinol approaches all aspects of capoeira.”

— Ellen B., Adult Literacy Specialist

“Ana is an incredibly attuned teacher – she knows how to communicate complicated movements in a way that even a novice can absorb and she understands both the body and our learning patterns. She also has a deep knowledge of and love for the music and history of capoeira. I have learned so much from her that has given me a deeper appreciation for capoeira as a socially and culturally profound artform.”

— Gaya S., Climate Activist

“Since the first time I saw Rouxinol play capoeira, I knew I wanted to learn from her. It’s not only her skill in movement, but the way she speaks about the art, how passionate she is, and the deep respect she has for the many aspects of capoeira. She’s a natural leader who pushes you to uncover what you’re capable of, in a safe and welcoming environment, where community is created. Maybe most importantly, she reminds us to train, and train with joy.”

— Kimberly T., Web Designer

“I love doing Ana’s classes! She pays such attention to detail, no matter how many students are in the class. Her classes helped me immensely during the pandemic, a source of routine and family during these times, in which I felt I was improving both my Capoeira and my mobility, and always with a sense of humor. I have never laughed so much while trying such hard moves, and still felt totally safe trying them! Ana is a great teacher, on and off screen.”

— Danielle B.

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