Julio first came across capoeira at the age of 13. But he didn’t stay for long, put off by the crowded classes, opting instead to study karate and pass the rest of his time on the football field, surfing on the beach and playing guitar with his band, Nova Semente. However the rhythm of capoeira stayed with him, and six years later he was drawn back to capoeira to learn its music especially the berimbau. He then joined the classes of Professor Adriano in Angra dos Reis, south of Rio de Janeiro.

In 1996, Adriano moved to São Paulo and Julio began to train directly with the master of Centro Cultural Senzala de Capoeira - Mestre Peixinho - and other masters and teachers in the Senzala group. Spending time in Germany in 1999, Julio began to teach. Returning to Brazil, Julio established a capoeira school on the island of Ilha Grande. Over the subsequent years the school became an important recreational and cultural resource for children and adults of the community and a focus of interchange with visiting capoeiristas from Brazil, Europe and the US.

Julio moved to the UK in 2004 and now teaches in London, travelling around Europe when he is invited to undertake workshops. Julio returns to Brazil a few times a year to maintain continuity in his work on the island and to make links between his students in the UK with those in Brazil.

Contact Julio at info@senzala-london.co.uk or call 07717 013578.