Our History

Professor Carcaju

Carcaju (he/him) grew up in Central New York and began taking capoeira classes in 2003 under Gorila, a student of Mestre Ombrinho and Capoeira Angola Quintal (CAQ). He was drawn to capoeira by the music and the effortless movements through which its practitioners could learn to defend themselves. Always one to look for the comedy in things, Carcaju greatly appreciates the playfulness through which capoeira's serious lessons are learned.

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He began assistant-teaching for CAQ in Ithaca in 2011, and in 2016 was promoted to the rank of "Instrutor." In 2017, Mestre Ombrinho appointed Carcaju as the leader of the Ithaca branch of CAQ's nationwide group, and in 2022 he promoted Carcaju to the rank of "Professor" while Mestre Nô cheered on from Brazil via Zoom.

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In early 2024, Carcaju reimagined "Ithaca Capoeira" as a simple union of humans who have an interest in the supportive and accessible practice of the art, rather than a group with a singular leader or style. As members of Ithaca Capoeira explore the art, they may individually affiliate with any group or teachers they choose-- or none at all! This new direction is better aligned with our mission to promote inclusion, learning, and collaboration.

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Carcaju is passionate about helping those who face adversity, seeking to make capoeira available to anyone who may find empowerment in its practice. Our mission.