The Brazilian Capoeira Academy

I have been to many different capoeira academies and events. Every time I step foot in this academy I am amazed at the dedication to the art by the Instructor (Mestrando Advogado) Nathan Sparrow. He is very intuitive and insightful. You can tell he has studied his craft and gives all he can to his students. The students are a great example of leadership and are positive role models to the younger children who attend the kids classes. The facility is always very clean and welcoming and when I leave I feel very inspired. I am very much looking forward to visiting many more times in the future.

Fantastic academy and great Capoeira

Ok, so I tried out the Capoeira class, and I enjoyed it and signed up. I then was activated through military service and had to leave the area. I reached out to the Nathan (the man in charge) about my situation and he understood. I am then away at training and see that I am still being charged for classes I am no longer able to attend. I attempted to contact Nathan by text and email since I am unable to actually go there. He stopped responding to me entirely. I have am still being charged and he refuses to stop. I am now forced to take legal action to both stop the charges and recoup my money. It is funny he would text you about get meeting and social events once a week, but as soon as you have a problem he disappears.
This is unfortunate because as a martial art and lifestyle Capoeira is great. It is this school and this man who is giving it a bad name and robbing people. I will also be filing a complaint with the BBB of San Antonio, as I can now see in the other reviews this is not the first time he has done this.
Please do not use this school or demand that your tuition be paid by anything but direct debit!

TL;DR version: the teaching is good, but they might steal $ 400 from you
Longer version:
The teaching is good, but when I was no longer able to attend regularly I sent my 90 day cancelation notice, to the person in charge. 90 days later the monthly fee was still being held out. I spoke with the person in charge multiple times over text and in person over the course of the next several months, and, after a second 90 days (180 days after canceling), the monthly fees stopped being held out. I spoke with the person in charge about the fact that I was owed $ 417 (3 months of fees that should have never been taken from my account), and was told that there was an issue with the company that they use for student fees and that he’d get it taken care of. Then he stopped responding to my texts. It’s been several months, and I have still have not received the $ 417 that was literally stolen from me by this company.

I was looking for something active for my youngest daughter (age 11) to do, and we had tried a Taekwondo school and Shaolin-​do school. My daughter was unimpressed with Shaolin-​do and I was thoroughly disgusted by the teachers at the Taekwondo money-​pit. I called Brazilian Capoeira and set up a free trial class. I spoke with then-​Monitor Advogado (his rank has since increased to Professor) at length about his program, and he answered every question with complete professionalism.
When we got to the class, Professor Advogado noticed that my oldest daughter (age 12) wasn’t doing the trial class, so he told her to get some shorts on and try it out. She did, and by the end of the class, she wanted to sign up! My youngest was as yet unconvinced, so Professor Advogado suggested that she and I (age 44 and out of shape) come back for another free trial class. We did, and all three of us are now signed up for the program!
Capoeira is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, and easily one of the most rewarding. Don’t listen to people who tell you it’s just Zumba with a twist or «sexy dance fighting.» It’s not. It’s a coherent martial art that has practical use in real life, but it is also an immersion into an entirely different culture. The music is every bit as important as the movements, and this gives the student a greater appreciation of how much people had to endure to get us to the point where we can learn this beautiful art at our leisure. If you’re looking for a great workout while having a great time with great people, contact Professor Advogado immediately. It will change your life.
Something else that is noteworthy: the advanced students in the school take part in teaching you as well. These are people who have been doing this for years, and who understand that teaching patiently is one of the best ways of learning. The «graduados» and other higher-​cord students are patient, kind, and funny, and always go out of their way to help you. Furthermore, Brazilian Capoeira is a part of Capuraginga, founded by Mestre Loka, and there are schools in several locations around the country. I recently met other capoeiristas from Dallas, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Brownsville, Colorado Springs, and Uvalde during our batizado (a semi-​annual gathering where students advance in rank after testing). My girls and I received our first cords (like belts in this system) at the batizado, and a great time was had by all.
I am 44 years old, overweight, out of shape (I won’t be for long at this rate), and I am having the time of my life. I come away from class tired, but energized. My kids and I think about capoeira all the time, and we are constantly singing songs in Portuguese. For the first time in maybe EVER, I look forward to working out, because I know that with the help of my teacher and fellow students, I can (eventually) do anything put before me.
Do it; you won’t be sorry.

I started training with Brazilian Capoeira in January 2011 as something to supplement my running. I’ve never been one for working out in gyms and weight lifting. For me, Capoeira has great core workout. Think Tae Bo, Power Yoga and music rolled into one workout. Over the past 9 months, I’ve noticed increased strength, flexibility, balance and endurance. Also since joining, I’ve lost inches on my waist, while maintaining the same weight.
Monitor Advogado has been a great instructor. He often instructs with a smile and has a good sense of humor. He’s been patient with my uncoordinated, mid-​thirty and often broken self. I’ve sat in on the kid classes a few times and can tell he’s great with kids.
The class room environment has been great. Everyone who trains here has a friendly, welcome to the family attitude that I’ve not experienced with other martial art studios. Senior students are ways willing to help out the junior students on technique.

I love this place I have been playing Capoeira for the last 9 years and loved every second of it. The instructor, Advogado is very well versed in Capoeira history. He is a great instructor and teach anyone who is willing to try. I highly recommend everyone try capoeira at least once. If it’s not for you at least you can say you tried. The students are friendly and willing to help anyone trying to learn.

i took this class. it was best thing in the world. Great class. highly recommend to anyone and everyone!!!