Capoeira Fundo da Mata (Capoeira deep in the woods) was founded in 2005 by Mestre Avestruz (he was Contra-mestre then). Instructors Bode and Odisseu were there at the very beginning and are now teaching the classes every week under his supervision. Instructors Sapateador and Turbulencia joined early on as well and are teaching classes as part of Fundo da Mata in Atlanta and Whitesville respectively.
For the first 14 years we trained at the Emporium in downtown Knoxville. However that space flooded right before the Covid epidemic hit, leaving us homeless for a couple years during which we trained outdoors at the World’s Fair Park. Finally in the face of a looming second winter we found the Sustainable Future Center, and that has been our home since 2021.
We are one of the schools under the UCA, which was founded by Mestre Acordéon and Mestre Rã and later Mestra Suelly. You can read more about them here.
Mestre Avestruz
Mestre Avestruz began training with Mestre Acordeon in the Bay Area in 1981. He founded Capoeira Girassol in 1984, based in Santa Fe, and was teaching there for ten years. Since leaving New Mexico, he has taught in Athens, GA and Boulder, CO (Canto do Galo), and then founded Fundo da Mata in Knoxville, TN.