Like all great and important stories, the story of capoeira in Serbia began quite by accident. Capoeira made its way here through an unexpected turn of events, brought unintentionally by an Irishman who was part of a foreign theater troupe. Today, no one quite remembers how it happened, but a few young men from Belgrade stumbled upon this Irishman, and they formed a group to practice capoeira independently. This skill was virtually unknown in Serbia at the time. The only impression these young men had of capoeira was from the movie “Only the Strong.” They knew that capoeira was something powerful. What they didn’t realize was that in 1998, they had unknowingly started a story that, over the next two decades, would inspire many people to move to the rhythm of Brazil, learn Portuguese, play percussion instruments, walk on their hands… and change their lives in ways they could never have imagined.
A turning point
We could say that what they were practicing back then was Capoeira Angola. As they practiced and refined the movements that the Irishman had shown them, they realized they needed direction. The members of this group were eager to learn more, and they soon organized for a contramestre from an Angola group to come to Belgrade. This was the first capoeira seminar ever held in Serbia. Realizing then how complex capoeira truly is and how limited their knowledge is, the capoeiristas from Serbia decided they needed the guidance of someone more experienced. One of these pioneers traveled to Denmark, where the teacher—mestre of the contramestre who had led their seminar—lived. During his stay, he encountered another capoeira group led by a Dane named Professor Steen. Seeing something entirely new, this capoeirista was fascinated by this, for him, a completely new style of capoeira. This was what we now know as modern capoeira.
Completely captivated by this way of practicing capoeira, he returned to Serbia with one goal—to convince the members of his group that THIS was the capoeira they should train from now on. Professor Steen was open to collaboration and, by 2001, had come to Belgrade to hold a seminar and introduce his style of capoeira. Under the influence and with the help of this small group from Belgrade, a group soon formed in Novi Sad as well. Sharing the same enthusiasm, these two cities supported each other in their development, visiting and training together. In a time before fast internet and access to information, as there is today, this friendship and cooperation were crucial. Many friendships were formed, and it was the beginning of a collaboration that continues to this day.
Two currents
Shortly before Professor Steen’s arrival, our group split into two parts—one side wanted to continue learning Capoeira Angola, while the other chose the path of modern capoeira. Despite this division, capoeira in Serbia remained united. Following their own paths and developing different strategies, Serbian capoeiristas, whether Angoleiros or practitioners of the new style, have always formed two close-knit communities that support each other and foster friendship—visiting one another, learning from each other, and participating together in numerous events. The two streams have found their balance.
Senzala and Mestre Peixinho
One of the most significant moments in the history of capoeira in Serbia occurred in 2002, when the first Batizado—a belt-grading ceremony—was organized in Belgrade. It was led by Professor Steen and his master, who came all the way from Rio de Janeiro. As it turned out, then a professor and now a capoeira master—Mestre Steen—was part of a large, well-known, and respected capoeira group and a student of the legendary Mestre Peixinho. From that moment on, capoeiristas from Novi Sad and Belgrade officially gained mentorship and became part of one of the most prominent capoeira groups in the world—the Senzala group—a connection that continues today.
Capoeira Senzala Novi Sad
In 2009, Siniša Cvetković and Bojan Jung decided to open their own capoeira club. The two of them, now contramestres in the world of capoeira, were at that time newly awarded blue instructor belts but already had years of experience leading training sessions. Inspired by their love for capoeira and the idea of sharing this passion with others, they founded a club called Capoeira Senzala Novi Sad. At the first training session, held on March 1, 2009, there were six people, including Bojan and Siniša.
What followed is a history of its own, filled with stories eagerly retold over drinks after training sessions and during joint trips to capoeira seminars. Our family has grown, and over the years, it has become a second home for so many people that today, we wouldn’t be able to fit into our training hall. We decided to commemorate March 1, the date of a new beginning for capoeira in Novi Sad, as our anniversary, and every year around this time, we organize a capoeira seminar. Since 2001, together with other clubs under Mestre Steen in Serbia, we have organized the annual belt-grading ceremony for all students and an international capoeira seminar known as the Balkan Capoeira Fest.
For ten years, we organized the Brazil Days Festival—Novi Sad Samba Carnival. During this festival, together with our friends from the samba percussion school and the samba dance school, we painted Novi Sad in the colors of Brazil for an entire weekend in August, organizing workshops, promoting Brazilian culture, and creating a carnival in which the whole city participated.
Today
Today, our club has about 30 adults and 60 children (and dozens of those who keep saying they’ll return to training “next Monday!”). We are proud to be the largest capoeira club in Serbia. But we’re not surprised—because we live capoeira! Every morning, we wake up with new ideas and every night, we go to bed with new plans. We travel, explore, and learn. We especially enjoy working with the youngest members, who are our greatest inspiration. We believe that capoeira is an art form in which everyone can find themselves, and with this motto, we generously share it with all who want to learn more. That’s why we accept new members throughout the year. If you liked the story you’ve just read, we’ll see you at the next training session!
