Capoeira in the heart of the Alps

The first classes started in 1996 at the old Venthône football field. After several years of informal classes, the group was structured into an association thanks to a group of motivated young people by Lake Géronde in the year 2000. Since then, with about forty members, Capoeira dos Alpes has shared its classes with over 1,200 children, teens, and adults (workshops, training, extracurricular and school classes...). The Capoeira dos Alpes group has managed to bring a bit of Brazilian culture to the heart of the Alps and introduce this art to the people of Valais. The group's goal is to promote capoeira in our Valaisan culture! Our group is an active part of the cantonal association landscape and performs regularly at events, both in Upper and Lower Valais: Foire du Valais - Slow Up - Open Air Gampel Festival - Caprices Festival - Fête des cinq continents - Feu au Lac de Géronde - Oberwalliser Sport Award - Montreux Jazz Festival, etc. We offer institutions and various schools in the canton the opportunity to discover our values.

Our capoeira teacher was born in 1976 in Venthône, Switzerland. Since childhood, he has always been very active in sports, both in individual and team sports. During his teenage years, Gérard Chardon practiced Karate and Kickboxing. As the kickboxing champion of Romandy in 1994, he won the prestigious Post Tenebra Cup in Geneva in the light full-contact category that same year. During this successful year, on a trip to Brazil, Gérard discovered Capoeira. He was thrilled by this physical activity. He therefore approached "capoeiristas" and regularly stayed in Brazil (1994-2000), where he attended Capoeira Academies. Contacts with several great masters, including Nestor Capoeira, allowed him to practice and study the different facets of this sport. Back home, he decided to form a group of "capoeiristas" in order to make this activity known and practiced in Valais. Gérard, known as Gerralino, has over 20 years of experience in the art of Capoeira.