No. People can begin Capoeira at any age. Your young person does not need previous experience in martial arts, dance, gymnastics or acrobatics. Those abilities are developed and practised as part of regular Capoeira  training.

New students learn the foundations step by step, while those with experience continue developing their skills. Progress is individual, so a beginner is not expected to match someone who has trained for years.

Your young person does not need to already be flexible, strong or coordinated. These abilities develop through regular practice.

The Free Intro Class gives them an opportunity to try Capoeira, meet the teachers and experience the class before deciding whether they would like to continue

That is completely okay. Your child does not need to be outgoing or already confident to belong in Saplings. We focus on helping new students feel welcome and encourage them to take part without putting them on the spot.

Some young people settle in quickly, while others take longer to become comfortable in a new group. Their participation can grow naturally as the class becomes more familiar.

Absolutely. Capoeira is practised together, but there are no teams or scores, and children are not measured by comparing them with one another. They move, play and make music together, while progress is personal and every child’s achievements are celebrated.

Professor Ouriço’s philosophy is simple: the goal in Capoeira is to be better today than you were yesterday, not better than the person next to you.

Capoeira is a martial art, and its kicks, dodges and takedowns have a real martial purpose. In the roda, players learn to read one another, control distance and timing, and move out of the path of kicks rather than simply blocking them.

Playing well requires control and judgement. A player may extend a kick towards their partner, then stop before contact to show that it could have reached.

In Saplings, controlled contact forms part of the training, including sweeps and takedowns. Young people learn both how to apply these techniques with control and how to respond, fall and recover safely. They also learn to control their kicks, including stopping them before contact.

Saplings training uses age-appropriate versions of activities taught in adult classes, helping young people develop the skills, awareness and control they will need when they are ready to transition. Teachers supervise closely and emphasise good judgement and treating training partners with care.

Yes. Young people with disability already train across Capoeira Australis. As parents of a child with disability ourselves, we understand how much it matters for a child to be welcomed as they are and given genuine opportunities to participate. That is why Inclusion is one of our core values.

When booking the Free Intro Class, please tell us about your child’s disability, how they communicate, what supports them best and anything else you think is important for us to know. The more we understand, the better we can prepare and discuss helpful adjustments with you.

Together, we can use the Intro Class to see how your child responds and what support will be possible within the group.

During the Free Intro Class, parents are invited to sit inside the training area. We want you to see for yourself who will teach your child, how we run the class and how our teachers interact with them.

From the first regular class onwards, parents watch through the viewing window from reception rather than sitting inside the training area. This gives young people space to focus on their training and become more independent while still allowing you to see the class.

Capoeira uses cords, called cordões, rather than belts. Every beginner receives a grey cord within their first few weeks, symbolically marking the beginning of their Capoeira journey.

Students who train regularly receive a new cord each year at Maré Cheia, our annual Capoeira festival. Their first official graduation is to a light green cord, with later colours following those of the Brazilian flag. Maré Cheia involves a separate registration fee.

When your child turns 15, they transition into our adult program and continue developing their Capoeira within the same community.

Saplings includes age-appropriate versions of the training used in adult classes, so the movements, partner work, music and roda will already feel familiar. This is designed to make moving into the adult program a natural next step in their Capoeira journey.