I started capoeira in 1996, when I was sixteen, with the pioneering capoeira teacher Simon Fantasma in Shoreditch, East London. I clearly remember my first lesson. The required coordination really challenging, and I felt completely unable to do anything. However, when I saw the capoeira being played at the end of the class I was captivated by the pulse of the music, grace of movement and the excitement of the fast kicks and acrobatics of the game. Slowly, through regular training I gained a bit of coordination and confidence to play capoeira myself. Since then I have not stopped doing capoeira, I continued practising, and following numerous visits to Brazil to learn capoeira I find myself living and working in Rio de Janeiro. In Rio I train capoeira with Marrom, who awarded me with the title of contramestre in 2009.  Practising capoeira equipped me with a positive and playful outlook on life that I carry with me everywhere. It has enabled me to meet a diverse range of people, experience true friendship and camaraderie and become closer to the pulse of life itself. Contribution I directly contribute to the development of capoeira within Simon’s group through annual workshops when I am in London. I provide a continous link between Simon’s teachings and Mestre Marrom’s here in Rio.