About Us

• Mestre Pan�o (Robson Alexandre Pedro) began playing Capoeira in 1982 in Sa� Paulo, Brazil when he was just 13 years old. In 1992, he started his own academy Grupo de Capoeira Resist�ncia. With a lot of hard work and dedication, he was able to stand out in the Capoeira community of Sa� Paulo by demonstrating that his students had the ability to truly play Capoeira and not just fight and use brute force.
  
  Mestre Pan�o has participated in many Capoeira events, workshops, and shows within Brazil and throughout the world. He has also appeared on TV and has been featured in magazines and newsprint.
  
  In 1995, Mestre Pan�o came to the United States for the first time and has been in high demand for workshops, batizados, events and encounters ever since. Mestre Pan�o has also traveled to Canada and Mexico to give various workshops and participate in shows.
  
  In November 2005, Mestre Pan�o was invited to Richmond, VA to teach a weekend full of intense workshops. Because of the turn-out and the support of the Richmond Capoeira community, Mestre Pan�o decided to return to Virginia to live and continue teaching. He has now founded Grupo de Capoeira Resist�ncia of Virginia with schools in Richmond and Virginia Beach. Mestre Pan�o is the first Capoeira Master to live and found a Capoeira group in Virginia.
  
  In June 2010, the group has opened the very first Capoeira studio in Virginia.