The martial art of Capoeira is not as familiar in North America as some other martial arts. But this traditional Brazilian martial art involving dance, music, play, physical discipline, and competition has been gaining recognition as a practice from which people of all ages benefit. Woodstock resident Wilkison Nascimento da Silva began teaching Capoeira this summer to young people on Saturday mornings in Woodstock Park. Before that, he taught in the Roseway neighborhood at Jason Lee Elementary School. He will teach at Woodstock Community Center now that school is back in session. Wilkison Nascimento da Silva is the founder of "Bridgetown Capoeira", and has been practicing Capoeira for 32 years — teaching it for 22.
He says his Capoeira name is CM Tiziu, and CM is a title meaning Contramestre — or "Before Master". To acquire the CM level, one has to have many years of practice — which his 22 years of teaching qualifies him for.
On the second day of fall — Saturday, September 24th, Wilkison was in Woodstock Park with three five-year-old students. Two of them have been practicing the art with Bridgetown Capoeira for a year.
Virginia Weeks, who had come to the class from Northeast Portland with her son Charlie, told THE BEE, "We have tried every other Capoeira teacher, and he [Wilkison] is by far the best. He's the epitome of the masculine model I want for my son — strong, gentle, and kind. And he is really in tune with kids' needs, and meets them where they are."
As Charlie ran off a short distance into the park for a few minutes, Wilkison continued teaching the others. Elwood, whose son Elias also transferred to Woodstock Park this summer, remarked: "He [Wilkison] is really good with the kids, teaching them to control their bodies. I'm surprised that more people are not coming here, but I think [the Bridgetown class in the park] is not well advertised."
However, it should be pointed out that the Portland Parks & Recreation class by Wilkison at the Woodstock Community Center — listed online, and in the PP&R catalogue — is limited to ten participants, and is currently full — with a waiting list.
Roberta, who began bringing her son to Woodstock Park from the St. Johns neighborhood this summer, after a year at Jason Lee, confirmed the others' opinions about CM Tiziu being "good with kids": "He has patience with wild energy. He teaches the kids to be respectful of each other and each other's bodies."
Wilkison was born in Brazil, and moved to the U.S. to New York City in 2016 from Denmark, where he taught Capoeira for six years and gave workshops in Austria, Italy, and Germany.
Portland Parks & Recreation's Capoeira classes by CM Tiziu are taught at the Woodstock Community Center, 5905 S.E. 43rd Avenue, on Mondays at 4 p.m. To register call: (503) 823-3163 — call between 9 and 1 every weekday, except Wednesday.
For a schedule of Wilkison's Bridgetown Capoiera classes, look for Bridgetown Capoeira on Instagram, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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