Jelon Vieira

[4] His early supporters included choreographer Alvin Ailey,[5] off-Broadway theater pioneer Ellen Stewart,[6] and Brooklyn schoolteacher and martial artist Robert Cooper.

The company has also toured in Europe, Asia and Brazil and has been featured on the PBS documentary series, EGG, the Arts Show and Alive from Off-Center.

In addition to his solo performances and works for DanceBrazil, his choreographic credits include the films Brenda Starr, Rooftops, and Boomerang.

For Times Square 2000, the globally televised, multinational 24-hour dance marathon in New York City, Vieira was chosen to create the only Brazilian performance.

[11] Upon returning to Brazil, in his home community of Boca do Rio, a bairro of the nation's third-largest city, Salvador, Vieira continues to teach children and young adults the art of Capoeira to build self-esteem, instill self-discipline and raise social consciousness while at the same time becoming a vital part of their own community.