It’s known for soccer, it’s known for its beauty; Brazil’s heart and soul is slowly but surely seeping its
way into North America. The lively and infectious Brazilian culture is catching on and undoubtedly becoming
trendy. For the touring dance group Aché Brasil, every move and shake seems to have audiences everywhere
excitedly moving and shaking along as well.
Aché Brasil specializes in the performance of traditional Afro-Brazilian music. Amazingly fun and theatrical
performances are presented using only the finest Brazilian and Canadian musicians. The sounds of samba,
maracatu, coco de roda and capoeira echo that of the Brazilian homeland. Led by Mestre Eclilson de Jesus,
founder of the Capoeira Aché Brasil academies and the Aché Brasil dance group, musicians and performers come
together for an electrifying show that spotlights a growing movement on the world music and performance
scene.
Each member has had extensive experience, whether in the musical, technical or dance field, and have come
together to bring out the heart of Brazilian culture. Many have studied the popular Brazilian martial art of
capoeira for extensive periods of time, evident in their incredible acrobatics and finesse.
In a 1993 story in The World of Martial Arts magazine, writer Bruce Fontane mused that to say
capoeira is just another martial art “would be incorrect, because Capoeira is much more than just a Martial
Art. It is culture, it is history, and it is dance and music. A true visual feast, watching Capoeira can
evoke feelings of sheer exhilaration. It is an experience that must be seen and heard, to be truly
appreciated and understood.”
Encompassing the true and valuable nature of capoeira has become a mastered feat for Aché Brasil, their shows
often melding martial arts, music and dance for an electrifying display.
Master of Capoeira
Behind every great organization is a strong leader. For Aché Brasil, its founding father de Jesus is
the reason Brazilian culture has had such a strong effect in Canada.
Since the age of 10, the love of capoeira has had a major influence on de Jesus. Even as a young boy in
Brazil, practising capoeira on the beach became a very important process. De Jesus had a capoerian master (or
Mestre), Mestre Tete, guiding him. Soon after, de Jesus began to teach and assist others, and in the process
mastered his own skill.
He received his first-degree Mestre belt in 1995, and in 2007 was awarded his second-degree belt in
recognition of all of his years of promoting, teaching and training in capoeira.
De Jesus’ belief is that capoeira can bring people together to create a healthy community respecting the
individual nature of every person who becomes a part of it.
The story of Aché Brasil begins, fittingly, in Brazil. In 1988, after returning to his hometown of Recife,
Pernambuco from Rio de Janeiro, de Jesus formed a capoeira group and began teaching it locally as well. Soon
he was receiving invitations from Canada and the U.S to demonstrate capoeira in various festivals.
It was during his trip to Canada in 1990 that he realized the western world had little knowledge of Brazilian
culture. Being passionate about capoeira, he decided to move to Vancouver to teach. Since then, capoeira has
become internationally known and de Jesus is undoubtedly recognized as the father of capoeira in Canada.
In 1999, the official Capoeira Aché Brasil Academy opened on Broadway in Vancouver, where de Jesus began
teaching in addition to offering classes at the University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University.
The name Aché (pronounced ah-shay) derives from the Yoruba language meaning “everything positive in the
universe,” a philosophy de Jesus encourages his students to adopt through the learning of the Brazilian
culture and capoeria techniques.
This academy has become the leading capoeira academy in British Columbia. Capoeira Aché Brasil also has
academies in Calgary, Brazil, Japan, Malaysia, France and China, making capoeira a worldwide phenomenon. This
has made way for the popularity of the Aché Brasil dance group to grow tremendously.
As noted in Aché Brasil’s mission statement, this dance group provides audiences of all ages, races and
backgrounds a better understanding of the beautiful nature of Brazilian dance, music and culture, something
de Jesus has been striving for since the beginning of his career.
The group has now grown to have international acclaim, performing for hundreds of festivals and special
events such as the International Vancouver Jazz Festival for four consecutive years, the West Coast Music
Awards, the World Figure Skating Championships, the Frostbite Festival in Whitehorse, the Mission Folk Music
Festival and The Vicki Gabereau Show, always exceeding viewer expectations.
Aché Brasil has become one of the most critically acclaimed capoeira dance groups of our time. Encompassing
the beauty and intensity of an entire culture, this dance group has shown the western world that the essence
of Brazilian martial arts, dance and music is one that is unifying and electrifying, not to mention timeless
and utterly enthralling. •
Photo courtesy Ache Brasil
