Capoeira Mission

 

Capoeira Mission was founded in the Mission district of San Francisco, Ca. Making the group's main goal to establish a Capoeira group that opened its doors to all of those interested in learning this beautiful Martial Art.

Capoeira Mission bases their ideals on the 5 main ideals of life. Ideals that have helped this group grow and keep them unified.

1.   RESPEITE (RESPECT) - respect the art; respect others as well as you would like to be respected.

2.  HUMILDADE (HUMILITY) - Stay humble. Humility it's the key to staying focused and concentrated.

3.  Dedicação (DEDICATION)-Dedicate your time to learn and apply the principles of Capoeira into your everyday life.

4.  PACIÉNCIA (PATIENCE) - Become a patient person and wait for the right moment to act. Don't rush life or life will rush you.

5.  ORGULHO (PRIDE)-Be proud of the person you are, take pride on the Capoeirista image that you represent. Give the best example that you want people around you to follow thru your actions.

 

Established in 2009 by Capoeirista,Ignacio "Lombriga" Maldonado who enjoys and has devoted his time to training Capoeira. Soon his views regarding Capoeira changed and he started a movement to unify all Capoeristas, hence the formation of

Capoeira Mission.

Shortly thereafter he was offered an opportunity to start a class at the ValenciaStreet Muscle gym. People joined from around the neighborhood, some of whom hadn’t trained for years; others had no idea what Capoeira was but fell in love with the art.

Capoeira Mission opened its doors in January 2009 to beginners and advanced Capoeiristas from all groups to join them in their classes and enjoy the energy and feeling that Capoeira offers.

Capoeira Mission focuses on the fundamentals of the Capoeira Regional, which is currently the most famous form of Capoeira. They teach beginners not only equilibrium and strength and flexibility but also learn self defense techniques that can be applied into other martial arts.  

Other than the physical part of Capoeira, we encourage people to belive in themselves and thrive in everything that they set their minds to do.

like Mestre Pastinha said "Capoeira é para homen, menino e mulher, só não

aprende quem não quiser." (capoeira is for men child and women, whoever doesn't learn it its because they dont want to.) 

Mestre Preguiça


Wandenkolk Manoel De Oliveira, known around the world as Mestre Preguiça, studied under the legendary Mestre Bimba in Bahia, Brazil, from whom he graduated in 1963. Two years later, he moved to Rio de Janeiro and along Rafael Flores Viana and Fernando Cavalcante Albuquerque (Mestre Gato), founded Grupo Senzala, which in time would become arguably the world's most famous Capoeira group in existence.

In the late 60's there were very few competitions open to Capoeiristas. The premier of these being the Berimbau de Ouro (Golden Berimbau). With the help of other capoeiristas, the group was able to enter the competition. On their first attempt at the tournament, to everybody's surprise, the Senzala team featuring Gato and Preguiça won! And then did so again the following year.

On their third attempt, the Capoeira Association prevented Gato and Preguiça from entering claiming that no masters may participate, only students. Gato and Preguiça protested that they were only students, to which the Capoeira Association stated that due to their record over the past two years they were being recognised as Master grades.

As Gato and Preguiça were unable to enter the Berimbau de Ouro, they began to train another team to enter into the tournament. This new team under the technical direction of Mestre Preguiça featured Mosquito (means the same in English) and Borracha (rubber), which won for the third year in succession, definitively capturing the trophy. News of this spread throughout the Brazilian Capoeira community. Many people traveled to see, train and try out this new group of capoeiristas, and the Senzala style of Capoeira soon became the predominant style all over Brazil.

In the 20 years he spent in Rio, Mestre Preguiça graduated 10 Mestres. After touring 23 countries with a Brazilian Dance Company and receiving degrees in physical education in Brazil and Europe, Mestre Preguiça came to the San Francisco Bay Area to expand the art in the United States. In 1986, he founded Omulu Capoeira Group of San Francisco.

Mestre Preguiça has been on the faculty of the Department of Dance at San Francisco State University since 1989, and is a Recreation Director with the San Francisco Department of Recreation and Parks. He has directed performances at venues including the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Zellerbach Auditorium, Dance Mission, Roccapulco, the Stern Grove Festival, the Mayor's Commission for youth, and San Francisco Juvenile Hall.

In 1995 Mestre Preguiça began the Omulu Community Action Project (CAP). He has taught youth classes and workshops at numerous community centers and public schools including Harvey Milk and Mission Recreation Centers, Mission Dolores Gym, Horizons Unlimited, St. Mary's, Mission High and Everett Middle School. Mestre Preguiça's passion for the art and his commitment to helping people improve their lives through Capoeira is admirable and incomparable. In addition to his impressive trajectory, in 2000 Mestre Preguiça also became the first person to graduate a capoeirista to a Master level outside of Brazil, with the formatura of Mestre Carlos Aceituno. Mestre Preguiça's work and dedication has now spread throughout the U.S., with branches in Wisconsin, Illinois, New York, Massachusetts and Minneapolis, besides the numerous academies throughout the state of California.

Jimmy jarquin, professor camundongo 

 

believes strongly in the Bushido code and instills its deep rooted beliefs in the academy and its classes.

Jimmy has trained under Mestre preguiça.  He now is a professional fighter with the PFC league.  He has faught in Guam, lived and trained in Brazil and Thailand and has finally found a home in San Francisco to share, teach, learn and encourage all of his training and knowledge, both physical and spiritual to all the warriors of the bay area.

 

"strength, honor and discipline." 

 

 

Ignacio “Lombriga” Maldonado

founder, assistant instructor

Born in Yucatan, Mexico, Ignacio came to the United States as a teenager and soon felt the pressure of inner city life. Gangs, guns and drugs was all he saw while walking up and down the streets of his neighborhood. Luckily he found Capoeira in an after school program. Ignacio joined Omulu Capoeira in 2001 under the teachings of Mestre Preguiça and Professor Camundongo. Due to his small stature and squirmy movement while escaping kicks, takedowns and other dangerous situations, Ignacio soon earned the nickname “Lombriga”, which means worm in Portuguese. Nine years later he is still in love with the discipline that taught him about respect, hard work and the rewards that life brings when one dedicates heart and soul to a martial art. To this day, Ignacio likes to incorporate Capoeira into his everyday life.

"Capoeira is something you live, not something you do."- Ignacio "Lombriga" Maldonado