'Kicking' off the new year with a lesson at Decatur’s Capoeira academy

DECATUR, Ga. - Does your New Year's resolution involve improving your physical fitness? Expanding your musical tastes? Learning how to dance?

Well, we have some good news: there’s a place in Decatur that involves all three of the above, and a lengthy list of additional skills and disciplines.

We’re talking about Capoeira Maculelê Decatur, the award-winning martial arts school which was established in metro Atlanta in 2002. Longtime Good Day Atlanta viewers might remember our previous visit to the studio back in 2018, when founders Francisco Antônio Rodrigues da Silva (aka Mestre Fran) and Sara Janneni (Mestra Sara) gave us a high-energy lesson in Afro-Brazilian martial arts form capoeira, which combines martial arts, dance, acrobatics, and live music. 

Not only does Capoeira Maculelê Decatur offer classes for students of all ages and skill levels (including a Tiny Tigers class for kids as young as two-and-a-half!), the school also provides live entertainment for special events and film and TV projects.

Capoeira Maculelê Decatur has only continued to grow since our 2018 visit, and the start of a new year seemed like a great time to revisit the academy for a refresher on the Brazilian martial arts form and to meet some of the dynamic students and teachers. Click the video player in this article to check it out — and click here for more information on Capoeira Maculelê Decatur.