Our Teachers
Mestre Pintor
Paulo Cesar Leite dos Santos, or Mestre Pintor, as he is known in Capoeira circles, is the founder, master, and director of the Grupo Bantus Capoeira organization worldwide.
He began practicing Capoeira as a teenager. Later, he trained in Belo Horizonte and then in Bahia, seeking knowledge of Capoeira, before settling at Mestre João Pequeno de Pastinha’s academy in Salvador, Bahia. He graduated as a master in 1989 with Grupo Ginga at the School of Physical Education in Belo Horizonte and, after a few more years, graduated as a master of Capoeira Angola.
Mestre Pintor regularly visits our school in Perth every year to support our students and enrich the culture and authenticity of our group. He has taught all over the world, in Brazil, South America, Australia, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, dedicating more than 20 years of experience as a Capoeira Master to the improvement of the martial art worldwide. His presence in our classes brings enthusiasm, positivity, great knowledge, and skill in the game to our students.
Contramestre Grão
Our main teacher is Contramestre Grão.
Born Fabiano França in a community in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, in the 1980s. Like most children born in communities, Grão experienced Capoeira as part of his neighborhood culture, just like soccer and samba.
A local teacher showed him the true nature of Capoeira, giving hope and inspiration to the children of the community and cultivating respect for peers, elders, and himself.
As a teenager, Grão excelled at his first school and began training with renowned masters from Rio and Belo Horizonte.
In search of Capoeira circles, Grão traveled through neighborhoods and squares of Belo Horizonte where he realized that the Capoeira community offered his generation an escape from crime.
At 18, Grão began teaching classes to young people and teenagers throughout Belo Horizonte, teaching self-discipline, respect, and determination through Capoeira.
He began dedicating his time to improving his knowledge of Afro-Brazilian culture by learning batucada, carnival percussion, and maracatu, a traditional rhythm from Northeast Brazil; as well as Afro dance, a rich combination of steps and rituals that Africans performed to celebrate their beliefs.
Grão chose to join the Bantus Capoeira Group in Belo Horizonte after being encouraged by friends, and it was there that he experienced the quality, wisdom, and dedication of the group’s founder, Mestre Pintor. It was in Bantus Capoeira that Grão cultivated new movements and complexity in his game.
In September 2007, Grão participated in the world capoeira meeting in Perth, and his new journey with capoeira began.
Since then, Contramestre Grão has become a solid and inspiring figure in the performing arts and youth outreach programs throughout Western Australia, recognized for his professionalism, enthusiasm, and passion for helping others through Capoeira.
He ensured that Bantus is and continues to be the most welcoming academy, promoting not only quality teaching of culture and Capoeira, but also a strong community and social bonds within the group.
Bantus Moments
Special moments with special people from Bantus capoeira
