Grupo de Capoeira Molejo Brasil

Contra Mestre Molejo (Diogo Rodrigues da Costa Oliveira) began practicing capoeira at age 14 in Brazil with the Grupo de Capoeira Resistência under Mestre Panão, and today, he has more than ten years experience. In the past, he has worked and taught in several academies, businesses, schools, and clubs, and has been invited to participate in television programs, concerts and various events. In 2004, he completed a Physical Education program at the Uni de San't Anna in order to combine the theories of physical education with the basics of Capoeira and improve the content of his classes. In 2006, Contra Mestre Molejo took over his group in Saõ Paulo. In 2011, he moved to Dallas, Texas, where he now teaches the Grupo de Capoeira Molejo Brasil.

Contra Mestre Molejo

Diogo Rodrigues da Costa Oliveira (Contra Mestre Molejo), began practicing Capoeira at age 14 in the Group of Capoeira Resistência with Mestre Panão, and today he has more than 10 years of experience. During this period, he worked in academies, businesses, schools, clubs and was invited to participate on television programs, concerts and various events.
In 2004 he joined the Physical Education course in order to increase knowledge, combining the theories of physical education to the basics of Capoeira improving the content of their classes. In 2005 he began working with deaf people in Project Life (Derdic – PUC). In 2007 he was invited by Professor Denise Serio to go to the University Gama Filho in the postgraduate course in adapted physical education to speak about their experiences with deaf people and share his work with the adapted physical education students that helped to develop Project Life.

History of Capoeira

Capoeira is approximately 400 years old with its roots in Africa. It came to Brazil by way of the slave trade in the 16th century. In the slave quarters on plantations in Brazil, various cultures were forced together. As a result of this fusion many Afro-Brazilian folkloric arts and traditions were created.
One of these traditions was Capoeira. This form of martial art was used by the slaves to free themselves and to flee from the plantations into the Quilombos (free African Societies), in the neighboring jungle that existed on the fringes of the cities, towns, and plantations.

During slavery, in order to be practiced, Capoeira had to be disguised and completely kept secret for fear of persecution or penalty of death. Capoeira was prohibited in Brazil until 1930. At that time the government eased up on the repression of popular cultural expression, including Capoeira.

In 1932, Mestre Bimba (the creator of modern Capoeira) opened the first formal school of Capoeira. In doing so, he took Capoeira off the streets, where it was looked down upon by the upper class Brazilian society, who considered it a pastime of cutthroats, thieves and con men. Mestre Bimba began teaching doctors, lawyers, and business men. In time, the art of Capoeira gained great respect in Brazil.

Cord System of Graduation

The cord system is based on the Capoeira Regional system developed by Mestre Bimba. Each year students are selected to receive a new cord in our annual batizado. Capoeiristas receive their new cord based on training, knowledge and dedication to the art.

System of graduation

- Green

- Green with one point* yellow

- Yellow

- Yellow with one point* blue

- Green & blue

- Yellow & blue

- Blue with one point* yellow

- Blue

- Green, yellow, and blue

- Green, yellow, blue, and white

- White