Rilene de Sousa
Born: Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
Date of Birth: 12 November 1969
Date of Birth: 12 November 1969
I started Capoeira in 1985. We discovered it in our village with a group of street kids. Like many of us growing up in a shantytown, we were at risk, living with violence and crime right on our doorstep. When Capoeira came into our lives, everything changed — it gave us direction, strength, and a sense of belonging.
In 1988, I was invited to join a performing arts company from southern Brazil called Brazil Ginga Show. The group brought 18 Capoeira masters and teachers to London to promote Brazilian culture and the arts for one year. At the end of that year, most members returned to Brazil, but my sister and I decided to stay.
In 1993, my sister and I founded our own Capoeira school, Amazonas Capoeira, in London. For 18 years, we developed the school by running weekly classes, organizing social gatherings and international Capoeira events, and teaching in both primary and secondary schools.
In 2008, we were invited to Uganda to work in a refugee camp for former child soldiers. This humanitarian project, like many others, reflected one of our key missions with Amazonas Capoeira: to use Capoeira as a tool for community support and transformation.
In 2010, we discovered another style of Capoeira called Capoeira Angola. We were fascinated by its physical, spiritual, and communal aspects. Soon after, we decided to close Amazonas Capoeira and began a journey to reconnect with the ancestral teachings of Capoeira Angola in Brazil.
Today, I am part of the Capoeira family Os Angoleiros de Kanaga, based in South London, which I co-founded with Professor Eon. Our work focuses on introducing Capoeira Angola to the wider London community — preserving the essence and teachings of our past and present masters through classes in schools, community centres, social gatherings, and cultural events.
Eon Rasta
Eon Rasta has over 20 years in Capoeira Angola. He was first introduced to Capoeira Angola by Mestre Carlao who came to London in the early 2000s, a practitioner & historian for the preservation of Capoeira Angola from group “Kabula”.
During these 20 years Eon Rasta took a hiatus from Capoeira for 5 years then returned with Rilene, spending 4 years under CM Xandao's group “Angoleiros Do Interior” in Brazil. Thereafter forming Grupo Angoleiros de Kanaga with Rilene.
Eon Rasta has over 20 years in Capoeira Angola. He was first introduced to Capoeira Angola by Mestre Carlao who came to London in the early 2000s, a practitioner & historian for the preservation of Capoeira Angola from group “Kabula”.
During these 20 years Eon Rasta took a hiatus from Capoeira for 5 years then returned with Rilene, spending 4 years under CM Xandao's group “Angoleiros Do Interior” in Brazil. Thereafter forming Grupo Angoleiros de Kanaga with Rilene.
Our message from our
first Afro Brazilian Cultural celebration 2022
We aim to share the arts of “Capoeira Angola” with the wider community of London. In the preservation of the essence and teaching of our past and present masters.