Not Used

Schedule of Classes

Not Used

";s:14:"opentreefieldb";s:0:"";s:14:"opentreefieldc";s:0:"

Upcoming Events

Memorial service 

About Cordão de Ouro
Ann Arbor Capoeira

About the Group

CDO Michigan was created in 2004 by Professor Manhoso, under the supervision of Contra-Mestre Denis. 

Cordão de Ouro Capoeira was founded in 1965 by Mestre Suassuna in São Paulo, Brazil. The name, Cordão de Ouro (pronounced core-dow-zshee-or-oh), means Cord of Gold.

The most important aspect about Cordão de Ouro that sets it apart from many other Capoeira groups is the strong sense of family found within. The tight bonds that have formed between the Capoeira players in Cordão de Ouro are what we consider our most important defining characteristic.

Another important part of Cordão de Ouro is Miudinho, a style of Capoeira developed by Mestre Suassuna in the early 80’s. All Cordão de Ouro players learn the fundamentals of Miudinho, but only the people who travel to train with Mestre Suassuna in São Paulo can truly learn the style.

"The game of miudinho is generating controversy because it is being misinterpreted. People are thinking it's a new capoeira, and it's nothing like that. I simply rescued an older capoeira, modernized the manner of playing it, changed the sequences... the name miudinho arose because I was observing that capoeiristas were playing very distant from each other and in our time we played very close; thus, I said to people, 'I want the game more minute, closer, play very tiny.' Then, I created a toque on the berimbau. Miudinho is not a new capoeira, it's a different manner to display capoeira. Just like the games of Iuna and São Bento Grande exist, the game of miudinho exists."
-Mestre Suassuna

About Cordão de Ouro
Ann Arbor Capoeira

About the Group

CDO Michigan was created in 2004 by Professor Manhoso, under the supervision of Contra-Mestre Denis. 

Cordão de Ouro Capoeira was founded in 1965 by Mestre Suassuna in São Paulo, Brazil. The name, Cordão de Ouro (pronounced core-dow-zshee-or-oh), means Cord of Gold.

The most important aspect about Cordão de Ouro that sets it apart from many other Capoeira groups is the strong sense of family found within. The tight bonds that have formed between the Capoeira players in Cordão de Ouro are what we consider our most important defining characteristic.

Another important part of Cordão de Ouro is Miudinho, a style of Capoeira developed by Mestre Suassuna in the early 80’s. All Cordão de Ouro players learn the fundamentals of Miudinho, but only the people who travel to train with Mestre Suassuna in São Paulo can truly learn the style.

"The game of miudinho is generating controversy because it is being misinterpreted. People are thinking it's a new capoeira, and it's nothing like that. I simply rescued an older capoeira, modernized the manner of playing it, changed the sequences... the name miudinho arose because I was observing that capoeiristas were playing very distant from each other and in our time we played very close; thus, I said to people, 'I want the game more minute, closer, play very tiny.' Then, I created a toque on the berimbau. Miudinho is not a new capoeira, it's a different manner to display capoeira. Just like the games of Iuna and São Bento Grande exist, the game of miudinho exists."
-Mestre Suassuna

Professor Manhoso

Professor Manhoso

Detroit native Professor Manhoso, also known as Van Robins outside of the capoeira world, loved capoeira from the moment he first saw a capoerista in action.  He started learning Capoeira in the summer of 1998 along with his brother, Instructor Quiabo, and childhood friends Instructor Show Grande and Instructor Baiano. 

In 2003 Manhoso started training under Contra-Mestre Denis from the well-respected, internationally-reaching capoeira group Cordão de Ouro (CDO).  In 2007, Mestrissimo Suassuna (the founder and president of CDO) personally promoted Manhoso to the rank of Instrutor. In the spring of 2010, Manhoso graduated to the rank of Professor in Champaign, IL.

Many, including Mestre Suassuna himself, know that Professor Manhoso is an exceptional capoeirista who has dedicated his life to the art in order to be both a better student and a more effective teacher.  He constantly strives to perfect his abilities in capoeira - he conditions and trains movements everyday, interacts with other capoeiristas within and without the roda as often as possible, practices Portuguese daily, and plays instruments and sings songs on the regular.

Professor Manhoso currently teaches several classes in the Ann Arbor area. He also participates in workshops, promotional ceremonies, demonstrations, and summer camps.  Professor Manhoso challenges and encourages his students to seek and cultivate their own unique talents, bringing out the special gifts that each person has to offer in capoeira, and in life.

Because he believes so strongly in the value of the dynamic art form of capoeira, Manhoso has dedicated himself to working with local organizations in efforts to bring Capoeira to the community at large.  One of the main goals of Cordão de Ouro Michigan is to provide a local foundation to support Capoeira classes and workshops for adults and children of all ages and abilities.

Professor Manhoso

Professor Manhoso

Detroit native Professor Manhoso, also known as Van Robins outside of the capoeira world, loved capoeira from the moment he first saw a capoerista in action.  He started learning Capoeira in the summer of 1998 along with his brother, Instructor Quiabo, and childhood friends Instructor Show Grande and Instructor Baiano. 

In 2003 Manhoso started training under Contra-Mestre Denis from the well-respected, internationally-reaching capoeira group Cordão de Ouro (CDO).  In 2007, Mestrissimo Suassuna (the founder and president of CDO) personally promoted Manhoso to the rank of Instrutor. In the spring of 2010, Manhoso graduated to the rank of Professor in Champaign, IL.

Many, including Mestre Suassuna himself, know that Professor Manhoso is an exceptional capoeirista who has dedicated his life to the art in order to be both a better student and a more effective teacher.  He constantly strives to perfect his abilities in capoeira - he conditions and trains movements everyday, interacts with other capoeiristas within and without the roda as often as possible, practices Portuguese daily, and plays instruments and sings songs on the regular.

Professor Manhoso currently teaches several classes in the Ann Arbor area. He also participates in workshops, promotional ceremonies, demonstrations, and summer camps.  Professor Manhoso challenges and encourages his students to seek and cultivate their own unique talents, bringing out the special gifts that each person has to offer in capoeira, and in life.

Because he believes so strongly in the value of the dynamic art form of capoeira, Manhoso has dedicated himself to working with local organizations in efforts to bring Capoeira to the community at large.  One of the main goals of Cordão de Ouro Michigan is to provide a local foundation to support Capoeira classes and workshops for adults and children of all ages and abilities.

Grande Mestre Suassuna

Mestre Suassuna

(the following is paraphrased from wikipedia.org)

Reinaldo Ramos Suassuna, also known as Mestre Suassuna, is one of the foremost figures in modern capoeira. Born in Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil in 1938 and raised in Itabuna, he began to practice Capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian martial art (developed initially by African slaves in Brazil) in his young teens. Due to a physical handicap in his legs, his doctor recommended that he involve himself in a sport that was not soccer. With the encouragement of two friends that trained Capoeira, Suassuna started to practice this Brazilian art.

Suassuna states that in the beginning he did not like Capoeira because he had difficulty learning the ginga and its unique sway and he lacked rhythm to sing, but with time he started to enjoy the taste of Capoeira so much that he began to take his training seriously.

When Suassuna started Capoeira he did not belong to any particular group, but rather he learned to love capoeira as a whole, independent of whether it was Angola or Regional style. He met people from the academies of Mestre Bimba and Mestre Pastinha. He participated in presentations in Salvador, Brazil with Mestres Canjiquinha, Gato, and Caicara.  All of these experiences served as an excellent base for developing his work and arriving to where he is today: international recognition as one of the most important living capoeira Mestres.

At the beginning of the 1960s, Suassuna shone in Bahia with his Capoeira presentations and consequently received invitations to perform both across Brazil and abroad. In 1965, after two of his friends kept on insisting that he to come to São Paulo, he left Bahia and went to the land of the rain with the intention of opening an academy and succeeding in life with Capoeira. His mission was to develop Capoeira both as folklore and as sport. At the beginning it was very hard; he was far from his friends, he worked at various jobs, and went through financial difficulties. After a lot of struggle, he met some people from Itabuna that took him to Ze Freita’s Academy, in São Paulo, Brazil. That is where he met Mestre Brasilia. In 1967, together with Brasilia, he founded the “Associacao de Capoeira Cordão de Ouro”.

Today, Suassuna is dearly liked and respected. He is proud to see that his group’s work is well-structured and full of creativity, with members found all over the world. His many doings include various presentations, the recording of four compact discs, the directing of the Show Group of Cordão de Ouro, the creation and development of the “Miudinho Game” and the conducting of workshops and seminars in several states in Brazil and around the world.

Grande Mestre Suassuna

Mestre Suassuna

(the following is paraphrased from wikipedia.org)

Reinaldo Ramos Suassuna, also known as Mestre Suassuna, is one of the foremost figures in modern capoeira. Born in Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil in 1938 and raised in Itabuna, he began to practice Capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian martial art (developed initially by African slaves in Brazil) in his young teens. Due to a physical handicap in his legs, his doctor recommended that he involve himself in a sport that was not soccer. With the encouragement of two friends that trained Capoeira, Suassuna started to practice this Brazilian art.

Suassuna states that in the beginning he did not like Capoeira because he had difficulty learning the ginga and its unique sway and he lacked rhythm to sing, but with time he started to enjoy the taste of Capoeira so much that he began to take his training seriously.

When Suassuna started Capoeira he did not belong to any particular group, but rather he learned to love capoeira as a whole, independent of whether it was Angola or Regional style. He met people from the academies of Mestre Bimba and Mestre Pastinha. He participated in presentations in Salvador, Brazil with Mestres Canjiquinha, Gato, and Caicara.  All of these experiences served as an excellent base for developing his work and arriving to where he is today: international recognition as one of the most important living capoeira Mestres.

At the beginning of the 1960s, Suassuna shone in Bahia with his Capoeira presentations and consequently received invitations to perform both across Brazil and abroad. In 1965, after two of his friends kept on insisting that he to come to São Paulo, he left Bahia and went to the land of the rain with the intention of opening an academy and succeeding in life with Capoeira. His mission was to develop Capoeira both as folklore and as sport. At the beginning it was very hard; he was far from his friends, he worked at various jobs, and went through financial difficulties. After a lot of struggle, he met some people from Itabuna that took him to Ze Freita’s Academy, in São Paulo, Brazil. That is where he met Mestre Brasilia. In 1967, together with Brasilia, he founded the “Associacao de Capoeira Cordão de Ouro”.

Today, Suassuna is dearly liked and respected. He is proud to see that his group’s work is well-structured and full of creativity, with members found all over the world. His many doings include various presentations, the recording of four compact discs, the directing of the Show Group of Cordão de Ouro, the creation and development of the “Miudinho Game” and the conducting of workshops and seminars in several states in Brazil and around the world.

Contra Mestre Denis

Contra Mestre Denis

Denis Chiaramonte hails from Jundiaí, Sao Paulo, Brazil.  He has played capoeira for many years, having begun at the age of 16.  Since then, he has trained with Mestre Galo, Grupo Idalina Cordão de Ouro with Contra-Mestre Febem (also known as Cobrinha) founded by Mestre Ra, and most recently with Cordão de Ouro Capoeira Association, where he studied with Mestre Suassuna.  Mestre Suassuna was a student of Mestre Bimba, the creator of Capoeira Regional, and he is the creator of the style called Miudinho, which was developed in the early 1980s.  He is the founder of Cordão de Ouro Capoeira Association, which is now one of the largest and most important Capoeira organizations in the world.  Contra-Mestre Denis has worked with Mestre Suassuna for five years, both as a student and instructor. He has assisted Suassuna in workshops in Brazil, Israel, and the US, as well as running his own academy in Jundiaí, outside of São Paulo.

Denis received his contra-mestre cord in January at Capoeirando 2004. Contra-Mestre Denis was part of Mestre Suassuna's last graduating class along with Conta-Mestres Chicote, Boca-Rica, Kibe, Coruja, Saroba, Kino, Chiclete, Romoaldo, Barata, Esquilo, Eurico, Habib's, Pintado, Lu Pimenta, Mentirinha, and Muriel. Denis is extemely proud to be part of the Cordao de Ouro family and has contributed a lot to the growth of the Capoeira Club at University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign since his arrival in 2003.

Contra-Mestre Denis teaches a variety of classes, in capoeira as well as other Brazilian dances.  He can teach multiple styles of capoeira, such as Angola, Regional, and miudinho. Denis teaches other, related Afro-Brazilian dances such as Maculelê, Dança Guerreira, Samba de Roda, Puxada de Rede, and Dança do Fogo . He can teach students of any skill level, from the complete beginner to the advanced student.  Contra-Mestre Denis can also teach the music of capoeira.  He is an expert berimbau player and highly skilled on all of the other instruments used in capoeira.

Contra Mestre Denis

Contra Mestre Denis

Denis Chiaramonte hails from Jundiaí, Sao Paulo, Brazil.  He has played capoeira for many years, having begun at the age of 16.  Since then, he has trained with Mestre Galo, Grupo Idalina Cordão de Ouro with Contra-Mestre Febem (also known as Cobrinha) founded by Mestre Ra, and most recently with Cordão de Ouro Capoeira Association, where he studied with Mestre Suassuna.  Mestre Suassuna was a student of Mestre Bimba, the creator of Capoeira Regional, and he is the creator of the style called Miudinho, which was developed in the early 1980s.  He is the founder of Cordão de Ouro Capoeira Association, which is now one of the largest and most important Capoeira organizations in the world.  Contra-Mestre Denis has worked with Mestre Suassuna for five years, both as a student and instructor. He has assisted Suassuna in workshops in Brazil, Israel, and the US, as well as running his own academy in Jundiaí, outside of São Paulo.

Denis received his contra-mestre cord in January at Capoeirando 2004. Contra-Mestre Denis was part of Mestre Suassuna's last graduating class along with Conta-Mestres Chicote, Boca-Rica, Kibe, Coruja, Saroba, Kino, Chiclete, Romoaldo, Barata, Esquilo, Eurico, Habib's, Pintado, Lu Pimenta, Mentirinha, and Muriel. Denis is extemely proud to be part of the Cordao de Ouro family and has contributed a lot to the growth of the Capoeira Club at University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign since his arrival in 2003.

Contra-Mestre Denis teaches a variety of classes, in capoeira as well as other Brazilian dances.  He can teach multiple styles of capoeira, such as Angola, Regional, and miudinho. Denis teaches other, related Afro-Brazilian dances such as Maculelê, Dança Guerreira, Samba de Roda, Puxada de Rede, and Dança do Fogo . He can teach students of any skill level, from the complete beginner to the advanced student.  Contra-Mestre Denis can also teach the music of capoeira.  He is an expert berimbau player and highly skilled on all of the other instruments used in capoeira.

Cordão de Ouro
Ann Arbor Capoeira Classes

Classes

(Note: to view schedule, please roll over Classes in the nav-bar below) 

Classes welcome all who are interested in learning the art of capoeira. There is absolutely no discrimination based upon age, gender, physical ability, or any other factor. Bring your parents, bring your children, bring your friends. Capoeira is for everyone.

Classes can consist of a combination of: cardiovascular warm ups, stretching, strength building movements, sequencias, music, singing, instruments, and Samba.

 Every student is also taught the music and songs of the Capoeira, as well as the culture, traditions, and history behind it.

Cordão de Ouro
Ann Arbor Capoeira Classes

Classes

(Note: to view schedule, please roll over Classes in the nav-bar below) 

Classes welcome all who are interested in learning the art of capoeira. There is absolutely no discrimination based upon age, gender, physical ability, or any other factor. Bring your parents, bring your children, bring your friends. Capoeira is for everyone.

Classes can consist of a combination of: cardiovascular warm ups, stretching, strength building movements, sequencias, music, singing, instruments, and Samba.

 Every student is also taught the music and songs of the Capoeira, as well as the culture, traditions, and history behind it.

Cordão de Ouro
Adult Class Schedule

Schedule - Adult Classes

Class Schedule - Adult Classes

Tree of Life Studio - Chelsea, MI
Location: 6065 Sibley Rd, Chelsea, MI (734) 433-0697
http://treeoflifestudio.org/

Thursday: 6pm-7pm

If possible, please preregister for this class.

Get ready for the Fall! Classes will soon be all over Ann Arbor, Chelsea, and Ypsilanti.

Cordão de Ouro
Adult Class Schedule

Schedule - Adult Classes

Class Schedule - Adult Classes

Tree of Life Studio - Chelsea, MI
Location: 6065 Sibley Rd, Chelsea, MI (734) 433-0697
http://treeoflifestudio.org/

Thursday: 6pm-7pm

If possible, please preregister for this class.

Get ready for the Fall! Classes will soon be all over Ann Arbor, Chelsea, and Ypsilanti.

Cordão de Ouro
Kids Class Schedule

Schedule - Kids Class

Ages 4-12-

Tree of Life Studio - Chelsea, MI
Location: 6065 Sibley Rd, Chelsea, MI (734) 433-0697
http://treeoflifestudio.org/

Thursday: 6pm-7pm

If possible, please preregister for this class. 

Get ready for the Fall! Classes will soon be all over Ann Arbor, Chelsea, and Ypsilanti.

Capoeira Class Fees

Fees

Tree of Life Studio classes - Fees:

Drop-in: $12
5-class card: $55
Full Session $130
please visit their website at http://treeoflifestudio.org

For more information, please contact Professor Manhoso at 734-272-8341 

What to Wear
When Training Capoeira

What to Wear

What to Wear: Cordãos

CDO group members who have practiced more than 6 months and have earned cords are referred to as Cordãos. Cordãos should always wear their white uniform pants and cords to class.

What to Wear: New Students

For new students we recommend wearing sweat pants, yoga pants, or any other sort of flexible, comfortable pants as well as a comfortable shirt. Please refrain from wearing shorts to class if possible, as it is discouraged in the culture of capoeira.

Capoeria is traditionally played barefoot, however shoes are allowed. If you need to wear shoes, a light form fitting shoe with a thin sole is optimal. Puma often makes shoes that are capoeira-friendly. Athletic tape is also widely used among capoeiristas to protect their feet.

Contact

Contact

Contact Cordão de Ouro Michigan

E-mail: info@cdomichigan.com

Instructor Manhoso: 734-272-8341, prof.manhoso@gmail.com
Monitor Charuto: 734-389-5544, gabrielgibbons@gmail.com

CDO Michiagn CDO Michigan Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=32785764007&ref=share#/group.php?gid=32785764007&ref=share

Ann Arbor Capoeira

Home

 "A good capoeirista of course likes everything of capoeira: the beats, the berimbau, the game; everything else is secondary. Today a lot of capoeiristas are very arrogant, vain and these are negative aspects. A good capoeirista is humble, polite and he knows that all the other capoeiristas are brothers and human beings."

-Grande Mestre Suassuna, founder of CDO Capoeira

What is Capoeira?

What is Capoeira?

Capoeira is...

Capoeira (pronounced ka-pu-air-ah) is an Afro-Brazilian art form that combines dance, martial arts techniques, and acrobatics. The flow of kicks, sweeps, cartwheels, flips, and handstands set to the powerful rhythm of Afro-Brazilian percussion and vocals creates a beautiful spectacle requiring strength, agility, and communication between players.

The foundation of Capoeira is based on continuous, rhythmic movements that increase strength, endurance, balance, flexibility, and coordination while encouraging self-expression.  In addition to physical training, all students learn how to play instruments and sing songs for Capoeira and related Afro-Brazilian art forms such as samba and maculele.

As a multi-faceted art form, Capoeira fosters the development of self-discipline, confidence, creativity, cooperation, communication, challenging each student both physically and mentally.

More than a martial art, more than a dance, Capoeira is also a social event filled with tradition and history.

Capoeira is a way of life.

Welcome to Cordão de Ouro

Events

Events

CDO Michigan is available for many different events, including public presentations, school-related presentations, summer camps, self defense workshops, and other fun group activities for organizations, including University groups, sororities, and fraternities.

Events

Events

CDO Michigan is available for many different events, including public presentations, school-related presentations, summer camps, self defense workshops, and other fun group activities for organizations, including University groups, sororities, and fraternities.

Multimedia
Images and Videos

Multimedia

Enjoy our image and video gallery to get a glimpse into CDO Michigan and our friends and family from around the world.

Multimedia
Images and Videos

Multimedia

Enjoy our image and video gallery to get a glimpse into CDO Michigan and our friends and family from around the world.

Links

Links

Visit and support our friends and families online.

Links

Links

Visit and support our friends and families online.

Image Gallery

Image Gallery

Image Gallery

Image Gallery

Video Gallery

Video Gallery

Video Gallery

Video Gallery