​Info about Mestre Efraim​​
Efraim Silva, Executive Director
Efraim Silva was born on the 10th of August 1964, in Guaruja, Sao Paulo, Brazil, the third youngest among thirteen children. He started to practice Capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian martial art / dance form, at age 13, from one of his older brothers, and later under Mestre Trindade and Mestre Humberto. At age 17 he became instructor. He also studied Brazilian folk dance and music (Maculele, Puxada de Rede and Samba de Roda), and was awarded state certification as a professional musician and rhythmist by the Federation of Capoeira in Sao Paulo.

In 1985, after serving two years in the Brazilian Air Force, he started his own Capoeira group Raca em Movimento and opened his own academy in Braganca Paulista, Sao Paulo. He participated in all major Capoeira competitions in Brazil and became state champion of Sao Paulo, then in 1988 the national champion of Capoeira in group.
He moved to the United States in 1989, went through extensive training with the Connecticut Commission on the Culture and Tourism on how to integrate arts into the schools curriculum, and became Master Teaching Artist in 1993. He was awarded Master of Capoeira certificate by the Sao Paulo Federation of Capoeira in 1994. He is the artistic director of the 

Connecticut Capoeira Center and performs with his dance company, Ginga Brasileira, in theaters, schools, universities and festivals all over the United States. He also teaches Capoeira at Yale University, and taught at Norwalk Community College, Southern State Connecticut University, University of Connecticut, Fairfield University, at his own studio, and at several other locations throughout the state of Connecticut.
He was also awarded the 2009 artist of the year from Young Audiences of CT and Latino de Oro 2010 and was a 2011 Connecticut Masters of Martial Arts honoree at Naugatuck Valley Community College.

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About Thelma  Ladeira
Thelma is a Brazilian professional dancer and instructor with a back ground in classic ballet, jazz, Brazilian Dances and Belly Dance. Thelma has performed for the past 3 years for Brazils national TV show, SBT, in addition Thelma performed and taught around the world including Brazil, U.S.A, Egypt, Japan, China, Spain, and France.  Now, she performs with Mestre Efraim Silva and his Dance Company  Ginga Brasileira and also teaches at the Connecticut Capoeira Center