[2] Founded in 1988 by Mestre Camisa, José Tadeu Carneiro Cardoso, ABADÁ is based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

[5] As this last suggests, ABADÁ-Capoeira expresses itself not only as an athletic endeavor but also as a holistic practice that helps individuals develop as members of society at large.

[7] Training provides a solid foundation in the art’s movements and principles, promoting discipline as well as physical and mental awareness.

Ongoing training recognizes the transformation of the student into a teacher as she or he progresses through various stages of development and returns his or her learned experience to the group.

This process helps maintain the original value systems of the early capoeira masters, their culture and their life experiences, as the cycle of learning continues.

A holistic approach to all aspects of the art and its traditions, in particular the songs and instruments, helps maintain a firm connection to its Brazilian heritage.

It hopes to accomplish these goals by spreading the art of capoeira in and through universities, schools, clubs, associations, and diverse communities.

It also hopes to emphasize the cultural lessons inherent in its Brazilian roots, and by doing so, promote social integration between people of different backgrounds and classes.

While keeping sight of its social goals, ABADÁ-Capoeira also seeks to instill good character, dignity, and strong personal values in its students.

Mestre Camisa’s intention was to develop a group formally dedicated to the practice of the art which would also build a strong sense of family and community for the numerous capoeiristas.

[citation needed] Mestre Camisa, born José Tadeu Carneiro Cardoso, grew up on a farm known as Fazenda Estiva in northeast of Brazil, in the state of Bahia.

[9] In the early 70’s, Camisa joined his brother in a year-long tour of Brazil with the folkloric dance company Olodum Maré, also known as the Grupo Folclórico de Bahia,[10] which performed traditional arts including capoeira.

[8][9] Mestre Camisa stayed in Brazil, as he was supposed to return to Salvador to complete his studies;[9] instead, he remained in Rio and began earning his living by teaching capoeira.

In addition, he felt the need to give a family-like structure to so many people who had left behind their cities and their friends and families and moved to Rio to dedicate themselves to capoeira.

Since he does not have a massive physique, Camisa developed a technique to neutralize his opponent with slips, takedowns, speed, and efficiency in the application of the moves, blows, and kicks.

In Capoeira: A Brazilian Art Form, Bira Almeida, "Mestre Acordeon," notes, "Camisa [is] one of the best contemporary teachers and a very accomplished capoeirista, who has been training ceaselessly since he was twelve.

"[11] Grão-Mestre Camisa Roxa was born Edvaldo Carneiro da Silva in 1944 and spent his childhood on the Fazenda Estiva, a farm in the interior of Salvador, Bahia.

He was the eldest of ten children, and he was greatly respected by his younger siblings, a number of whom followed in his footsteps in life and in capoeira.

Though the art remains firmly rooted in Brazil, it has been planted in 40 countries around the world, largely as a result of the travels and the work of Grão-Mestre Camisa Roxa.

Capoeiristas noticed his interest in the art and invited him to train at the local capoeira school where he met Mestre Carlão.

Cobra trained in the city of Amparo for six years, hearing stories of great capoeiristas and about capoeira in Rio de Janeiro.

Mestre Carlão spoke about Camisa not only as a great capoeirista, but also in reference to his personality, the work he was doing, and his preoccupation with the direction in which capoeira was heading.

When he arrived at the class, he was told that Mestre Camisa was at the Circo Voador (The Flying Circus), organizing the First National Capoeira Encounter.

Mestre Rodolfo paid for Cobra's hotel and meals for a week, which he remembers today as the greatest gift of his life.

The elite group of Mestrandas and Mestrandos in ABADÁ-Capoeira’s forty-thousand-member organization contains 25 individuals who have made life-long commitments to the art of capoeira.

Led by the Mestres, these Mestrandos/as oversee ABADÁ-Capoeira throughout the world to ensure that its style, technique, and philosophy are preserved, and, above all, that the art of capoeira continues to expand without jeopardizing its essence.

[20] Francisco Alves Filho[21] Luiz Fernando Pereira Monteiro[22] Cassius Vinicius Caetano Guimarães[23] Lucio Oliveira Joel Benedito dos Santos Mestrando Leão, André Marcio Feliz de Albuquerque |1988 |2024 |Brasil |João Pessoa PB |} ABADÁ has a graduated cord system using colors that refer symbolically to nature and reflect the level of practice.

[24] The cord system does not so much reflect the practitioner’s level of skill as much as their progress on their individual path as a member of the ABADÁ community.

At this level, the capoeirista acquires an understanding of responsibility; he or she is expected to strive for justice in conducting his work and making her decisions.

It is through the wisdom, patience, humility, loyalty, and firm beliefs of the Grão-Mestre that ABADÁ can maintain its philosophy, tradition, and principles.