Aruanda - Capoeira Apeldoorn

Aruanda - Capoeira Apeldoorn was officially created by HSM (Highly Skilled Migrant) Formado Maré, Rodrigo Valentim, on August 3, 2024 and to be registered in 2026 with the KvK as soon as legally possible (after passing the integration exam - Inburgeringsexamen), with a focus on social inclusion and dissemination of Capoeira as a Brazilian martial art and culture, without limiting itself to teaching a specific style, in search of its authenticity and adaptation to the regional culture of the city of Apeldoorn.

Year	Responsible	Summary
1989	Mestre Valtinho	I started capoeira at 8 years old, but after a few months I lost interest and decided to stop.
1994	Mestre Beck	After several invitations from a friend, I decided to try capoeira again, liked it, and returned permanently.
1995 to 1997	Professor André	Due to Mestre Beck's move to the United States, Professor André took over the group.
1998 to 2001	Mestre Cícero Tatu	By coincidence or destiny, Mestre Tatu was the one who baptized me, gave me my first cord, and defined my capoeira name; over time I ended up identifying with him and the capoeira he taught.
2002 to 2018	Various	With 4 to 6 hours of daily work travel in different locations, I had to continue capoeira whenever possible and with a group close to my routine, so I was never officially affiliated with any group or school and ended up learning various styles.
2019 to 2022	Professor Zuzu	A few weeks after moving to Apeldoorn, I returned to practicing capoeira in just one school.
2023	Professor Andorinha	After Professor Zuzu moved and stopped teaching in Apeldoorn.
2024	Mestre Americano	After Andorinha's promotion to Contra-Mestre, in the summer of this year, we talked and concluded that the most appropriate thing would be for me to open my own school, since I prioritize capoeira as a whole, unlike his style. From that moment on, Mestre Americano, with whom I already trained regularly during my trips to Salvador, became my mestre.
2025	Mestre Americano	I received authorization from the mestre to teach classes.

In capoeira, setting dates has always been controversial and the same can be said in Apeldoorn, since in capoeira learning and teaching are so intrinsic that it is common in various places for people to claim to be teachers, even without proper formation or authorization. This information is important to understand how capoeira emerged in Apeldoorn, as there are two different pieces of information about it.

One comes from the official website (as of November 2025) of the CS Capoeira group, which states that Contra-Mestre Andorinha has been teaching capoeira since 2002, thus being the pioneer of capoeira in Apeldoorn, but without evidence.

The other began with Professor Zuzu in 2008, formed by Mestre Marrom, with the Contemporary Capoeira style and focus on martiality coming from Fortaleza, Brazil. This trajectory is well documented since the beginning of the 21st century by videos, photos, and government documents.

Both are valid and will have their defenders and opponents; it is a personal matter whom to believe, but taking into account government data from the KvK, União Capoeira was created on June 23, 2008 and Stichting Cinco Seixos Capoeira (CS Capoeira) on July 15, 2008.

What is certain is that the third capoeira school in the city is ours, Aruanda - Capoeira Apeldoorn, officially created on August 3, 2024 and to be registered with the KvK as soon as legally possible.

Personally, I consider that in Apeldoorn União Capoeira was the first Contemporary Capoeira school, CS Capoeira the first Dutch-style Capoeira school, and our school, Aruanda - Capoeira Apeldoorn, the first Multi-style Capoeira school, an unofficial style for encompassing all others. In other words, each school is a pioneer in a particular capoeira style.