Professor Gaivota: 
(David Morgan), has been practicing martial arts since the age of six. After training Tai Kwon Do as a child he took up Shotokan as a teenager. In college he began learning Enshin which is a full contact style of karate. As a Black Belt in Enshin he competed in several bare-knuckle, knock down tournaments and placed in all of them. He was first introduced to Capoeira in 1999 and began teaching classes at the NJ Capoeira Arts Center in 2003.
Gaivota graduated to the level of Instructor in 2005 with Grupo Liberdade de Capoeira and was graduated to Professor in 2007 by Contramestre George Palmares of Capoeira Guerreiros. In 2006 Professor Gaivota opened the Afro Brazilian Cultural Center of New Jersey in Montclair, New Jersey. During his career in Capoeira, Gaivota has traveled to many countries as well as states sharing his love of the game at Batizados, workshops and events. The Afro Brazilian Cultural Center of New Jersey is dedicated to promoting and teaching Capoeira as a living example of Brazilian folklore and culture.
Instructor Macaco:
Saman Dashti is a New Yorker who went out to California for college and found Capoeira in Berkeley with Mestre Acordeon. After 6 months of training Capoeira with UCA he moved back to the east coast and spent 8 years with Mestre Cigano and Grupo Liberdade de Capoeira. For the past 2 years he has taught a credit course on Capoeira Class for the Fine Arts Department of St. Peter's College in Jersey City. Macaco enjoys all the games of Capoeira.
Still in his physical prime, he pushes the extreme physical aspects of speed and acrobatics. Producing Mestre Itapoan's book, The Saga of Mestre Bimba, has created a profound appreciation for Mestre Bimba's gift to Capoeira and the world. The richness of the great Capoeira Angola rodas is a warm soul soup. He always looks for the game, and plans to play forever.
Professora Papaya:
Jennifer Otner, Professora Papaya, began capoeira in Seattle in 1997 with Contra-Mestre Perere of Capoeira Angola Palmares. In 2002 she was graduated to Instructor and became a student of Mestre No, Grand Master of Capoeira Angola Palmares with whom she has traveled and trained with extensively in Brazil. She has been teaching in the NY/NJ area since moving here in 2003 and was graduated to Professora in 2005
Sambista Carla Christina de Oliveira:
Carla comes to the Afro Brazilian Cultural Center only one-year removed from her birthplace of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. As a lifelong dancer, she embodies the spirit of the ginga and brings true joy and enthusiasm to her Samba classroom. As a child and young adult she studied ballet for 11 years at Rio’s esteemed Escola Estadual de Dança Maria Olenewa. Her passion and knowledge of dance extends to a host of other forms including Pagode, Merengue, Bachata, Forró and Salsa.
