Instrutora Toninha began training Capoeira under Mestra Márcia “Cigarra” in 2008. She was immediately drawn in by the athleticism, the playfulness, and the grace of the unique art form and by the strong sense of community it created. She has been a member of the ACSF performance troupe since 2010 and has joined them in performances at the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival, Cuba Caribe, “The Spirit of Brazil” and “CIGARRA & Guerreiras Nessa Arte”. She has also participated in countless educational performances at schools and youth programs around the San Francisco Bay Area. She has represented the United States at the 2019 Jogos Norte Americanos in Mexico City (Best Corda Verde), 2021 Jogos Mundiais Online, 2023 Capital Games (4th Place, Graduadas), 2024 Capital Games and 2025 Jogos Mundiais (Campeã Categoria Baoba Graduadas, Best Jogo de Benguela, Best Jogo de Siriuna, Best Jogo São Bento da ABADÁ ).

Instrutora Toninha has traveled to Brazil five times to participate in the Jogos Mundiais and Mestre Camisa’s ZUMBIMBA. She has also trained at ABADÁ schools in Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. In 2017, she partnered with the city of Visalia California’s Parks and Recreations Department to teach Capoeira to youth and adults as part of their city’s Fall and Winter/Spring semesters after school programs. She has been participating in teaching ACSF’s youth classes since 2021.

Instrutora Toninha’s latest accomplishment was in 2025, when she received her purple (Instrutora) cord at the ABADÁ-Capoeira Jogos Mundiais in Brazil, marking an important milestone in her Capoeira journey.