Hello Capoeiristas and Community Supporters,
As we enter August, we are filled with gratitude and excitement. We are thrilled to announce that Mestra Márcia Cigarra has been awarded the prestigious San Francisco Arts Commission’s Artistic Legacy Grant. This significant recognition celebrates her over 43 years of dedication to the art of capoeira and her commitment to building community in the SF Bay Area through culture, movement, and music. As Mestra Cigarra turns 60 this year, this grant not only honors her past contributions but also inspires her ongoing commitment to sharing capoeira and evolving as an artist and leader. The funding will support an archival project that showcases her remarkable 40+ year legacy at a two-day festival in 2027.
Additionally, this award comes in the same month that we will travel to Brazil for the Jogos Mundiais event in Rio de Janeiro. Once students reach the green/purple cord level, they must go to Brazil to earn any higher graduation levels. This August, eight ACSF students will receive new graduations, including the first-ever American to receive a brown/red cord (Professora Sereia), along with two new brown cord Professora graduates (Instrutoras Ciranda and Sucuri). This marks the largest number of above purple cords granted at a single event for our school, and further establishes our school as a global leader in capoeira with the highest concentration of top-level women worldwide. This achievement is a testament to Mestra Cigarra’s enduring legacy.
Reflecting on these moments has prompted us to consider what it means to stay committed to practice—day after day, year after year, and decade after decade. Capoeira has always served as a mirror: revealing our limits, expanding our creativity, and reminding us that mastery is not a destination, but rather a relationship with our practice. Through teaching, training, performing, and mentoring, we learn that growth is a continuous journey. There is always more to explore, learn, offer, and receive.
This recognition of Mestra’s legacy is not a finish line; it is a renewal. The energy and insight gained from a life dedicated to capoeira fuel our classes, performances, rodas, workshops, and outreach. Whether you are just starting your journey in the studio or have been with us for many years, you are an important part of this ever-evolving story.
Thank you for being part of our legacy and for continuing to learn and grow with us.
Warmly,
Mestra Márcia Cigarra & Professora Sereia