About Us
Our Team, Our Story, Our Values
Capoeira Australis is a family-run Perth based Capoeira Martial School based in Osborne Park. Our mission is to change people’s lives through the joy of Capoeira. Capoeira has deeply impacted our lives and changed it for the better. We’re on a mission to helps kids and adults to experience and feel the Capoeira difference.
Our Story
Capoeira Australis, previously known as Capoeira CDO Perth, started back in 2011 when Lee 'Ouriço' Coumbe decided to share with a couple of friends his passion for Capoeira. Together with wife Mariana 'Estrela' they started training every Sunday morning. With their endless passion and energy more and more friends joined them and later that year official classes began.
Since those humble beginnings Capoeira Australis has changed venues a number of times to cater for expanding student numbers. In 2016, Mariana and Lee had opened their very own studio in Hutton St, Osborne Park. Then in 2019, due to the further expansion of the school, they opened a larger space on Selby St in Osborne Park.
They are very proud to have been able to create a little Brazil outside Brazil in their studio. It is there that they have 10 kids classes and 3 adults classes to cater for the ever growing interest in Capoeira. You can come and visit their Capoeira tree, that has photos of the whole Capoeira family.
COMMUNITY
We strive to create a space where students and their families feel a sense of belonging to a community that is diverse & inclusive where they are cared for and feel comfortable in being themselves.
CONNECTION
Through Capoeira people create connections through movement, music and culture; but most importantly, they create deep connections within themselves, with other members and with the world around them.
INCLUSION
The purpose of Capoeira is to provide a positive and nurturing space for all to seek their potential and be supported by a community of kind hearted individuals.
JOY
We strive to create an environment that fosters positive attitudes and positive thinking which leads to joyous practice where happiness and well-being are paramount.
FREEDOM
We strive to create a space where the pursuit of Freedom is kept alive. Capoeira can trace its roots to its pursuit of freedom and we encourage our community to strive for freedom in all aspects of their life.
PROFESSOR OURIÇO
Lee Coumbe, known in Capoeira as Professor Ouriço, learned Capoeira in Osasco, São Paulo in Brazil from his first teacher, Mestre Kuata.
From his very first class, Ouriço fell in love with Capoeira and convinced his wife, Mariana, to train with him. Ouriço trained as much as he could after work and attended as many events as he could along with Mestre Kuata.
While living in Brazil, Instrutor Ouriço, worked as an English teacher and this is where he found his passion for teaching.
When he and Mariana came back to Australia, he not only decided to pursue a career as a High School Science teacher, but also decided to teach the amazing art of Capoeira to his close friends.
ESTRELLA DO MAR
Mariana Coumbe, known in Capoeira as Estrela do Mar, learned Capoeira alongside her husband Ouriço pretty soon after they got married.
The main factor that attracted Mariana to Capoeira were a very friendly couple, Juliana and Thiago, that were training with Mestre Kuata when she and Ouriço joined. They are are good friends of Mariana and Ouriço to this day.
It was the friendships and community that they had in the first days of starting Capoeira that Mariana loved the most about her experience. It has always been this factor that has motivated Mariana to reproduce and improve here in Australia.
She has always believed in the power of Capoeira to bring people together, break down barriers and make people even better human beings.
INSTRUTORA FRANJA MARIA
Alexa Wilkins, known in Capoeira as Instrutora Franja Maria, first joined Capoeira Australis in 2013. She received her Instrutora cord in 2022 and has been leading our adult classes alongside Professor Ouriço and Instrutor Bigodinho ever since.
Her Capoeira journey began back in 2010, when she happened to see Capoeira being performed on the street in Perth city. She had no idea what it was at the time — only that it was captivating. “I have to try this!” she thought. She found a class, gave it a go, and never looked back.
What Alexa loves most about Capoeira is how holistic it is — blending martial arts, dance, acrobatics, music, culture, purpose and connection. “It just makes me feel happy,” she says. “It’s fun, dynamic and joyful.” Over the years, Capoeira has also given her lasting friendships and a strong sense of community.
In her classes, Alexa aims to share all the richness Capoeira has to offer. Her goal is for students to leave feeling energised, positive, and with a bit more flow in their game. As a female instructor, she also hopes to be a role model for girls and women, showing that we can kick ass at Capoeira just as much as the guys!
Outside of Capoeira, Alexa works in child safeguarding and social policy. Her day job involves helping organisations and communities strengthen their child safe practices and culture to protect children from harm and abuse.
INSTRUTOR BIGODINHO
Oliver Pratt, known in Capoeira as Instrutor Bigodinho, joined Capoeira Australis in 2013 after being invited to a class by Mari, the co-owner of the school — and, at the time, his Portuguese teacher. Having recently moved to Australia from the UK, he was looking for a way to improve his language skills, meet new people, and get active. Capoeira delivered all of that and much more..
Bigodinho received his Instrutor cord in 2022 and has been leading our adult classes alongside Professor Ouriço and Instrutora Franja Maria ever since.
What he loves most about Capoeira is how holistic it is — a unique blend of strength, flexibility, rhythm, self-expression and community. It’s fun, dynamic and endlessly varied. In his classes, Bigodinho aims to incorporate all the richness Capoeira has to offer, with a particular focus on building flow into each student’s game.
He enjoys mixing strength and conditioning work with fun games and technical skills that challenge both beginners and more experienced Capoeiristas.
More than anything, he strives to create a friendly, inclusive and engaging environment where everyone can learn, grow, and have fun.
Outside the roda, Oliver works as a freshwater ecologist. He studies how seasonal flooding shapes fish communities and ecological processes in floodplain pools.