Mestre Bomba was born in Bahia, Brazil, and has practiced capoeira since 1980.  He became interested in capoeira at the age of ten after he saw his father, a well-known capoeirista, fighting in a roda.

Because his mother prohibited him from practicing capoeira, which at the time was seen as an outlaw fringe activity, and his father also did not want him to play capoeira, Mestre Bomba initially trained in secret under Mestre Buguelo of Grupo Cativeiro in Bahia in 1980.

He later moved to Grupo Esquiva where he trained under Mestre Coentro, and in 1985 started training with his current Mestre, Mestre Benivaldo, who founded Capoeira Barro Vermelho in 1993.  Bomba attained the rank of Professor, was later promoted to Contra Mestre, and in May 2014 attained the highest rank of Mestre.

Prior to his 2008 arrival in Washington, D.C., Mestre Bomba taught capoeira in Bahia, Brazil for seventeen years to both Brazilians and non-Brazilians.

In addition to teaching adults, he was actively involved in his community teaching capoeira to young children. In Brazil he has worked with Projeto Axé and Projeto IBG and most recently trained youth at the community organization, Clube Amazonas.

Since 2008, he has been teaching capoeira classes and workshops throughout Washington, D.C., New York City, and other cities in the Northeast for both adults and children.

Capoeira Barro Vermelho USA was founded in January 2010 in Washington, DC by Mestre Bomba, and was officially recognized as a U.S, tax-exempt organization in February 2018. In June 2019 Capoeira Barro Vermelho USA opened its first official headquarters in Washington, DC as the Brazilian-American Cultural Center, located at 3001 Sherman Avenue, NW.

If you would like Mestre Bomba to teach a workshop for your group, inquire about private lessons, or simply ask a highly experienced practitioner your questions about capoeira, please contact him here or email bombabahia@gmail.com.

MESTRE BOMBA’S STORY: LIFE OF CAPOEIRA