Our History

Founded in the year 2000 in Sierre, with the first classes starting in 1996, Capoeira dos Alpes is today one of the oldest capoeira groups founded in Switzerland. For more than 25 years, we have been transmitting this discipline with consistency, passion, and openness, through classes, rodas, meetings, and events in Valais.

🌍 A capoeira rooted here, open to the world

Born from a deep fusion between Afro-Brazilian culture and the soul of Valais, Capoeira dos Alpes offers a living, inclusive, non-competitive capoeira, centered on the body, music, and human connection.

Our capoeira is, at the same time:
- musical and martial,
- traditional and local,
- rigorous and joyful.

We manufacture part of our instruments — especially the berimbaus and other elements of the bateria — from materials sourced from the forests and gardens of Valais 🌲. This artisanal approach strengthens our bond with nature, the earth, and the act of creation.

🎶 A capoeira that sings in several languages

Our songs are performed by the group members in a collective and authentic spirit. During the Covid period, an album was born, the fruit of this shared energy:
👉 https://capoeiradosalpes.ch/galerie/musique

Several tracks are sung in French, in addition to Portuguese, illustrating the plural identity of our practice.

🎓 A school affiliated with the Escola Nestor Capoeira

Capoeira dos Alpes is proud to be affiliated with the Escola Nestor Capoeira, an international reference founded by Mestre Nestor Capoeira. This connection was established through Mestre de Gerralino, Wagner, known as Mestre Lagartixa. This bond embodies a bridge between tradition and adaptation, between respect for roots and local expression.

🤝 A history of deep friendships

Since its beginnings, Capoeira dos Alpes has developed in a spirit of brotherhood and loyalty. Mestre Tartaruga, founder of the Capoeira Tartaruga group in Geneva, as well as Contramestre Gerralino, are close long-time friends, companions of the roda and the path.

👣 More than 2,000 people initiated

Over the years, more than 2,000 people have discovered capoeira with us: children, adults, seniors, artists, the curious or the passionate — each and every one has contributed to making our group a living, welcoming, and respectful space.

🌟 Our Mestre's maxim

“Capoeira is a musical gymnastics of the body and mind.”
— Contramestre Gerralino