Meet Our Teachers
Mestre Cocada
Rogerio Valencio da Silva, better known as Mestre Cocada in the capoeira world, has trained, taught, and lived capoeira for more than 30 years. He began training at the age of 13 in his city of Goioerê, Paraná, Brazil. In 1999, at the age of 18, Mestre Cocada opened his own academy. In conjunction with the local government, he implemented a social project in ten schools of Goioerê.
In 2006, Mestre Cocada came to New Orleans alongside Professora Rosa to open the first capoeira regional academy in the region. Mestre Cocada appeared in the Sergio Mendes and Black Eyed Peas video “Mas Que Nada.” He also appeared in the video “Miracles” with the group Arrested Development, which features him in a one-handed handstand. He has traveled all over the US and Brazil as a guest teacher to share his knowledge in movements and music alike.
In September 2019, in the presence of Mestre João Grande, Mestre Jelon Vieira, and many renowned capoeiristas, Mestre Cocada was promoted to the level of Mestre.
In April 2023, the New Orleans City Council issued a proclamation to Arte Reviver and CBCAC, honoring the contributions of Mestre Cocada and Professora Rosa to the city of New Orleans. Mestre Cocada and Professora Rosa returned to Goioerê, Paraná, Brazil, in the summer of 2023 to resume the work they began more than 20 years prior.
Instrutora Maratona
Porsche Jackson, known in the capoeira community as Instrutora Maratona, began training capoeira in New Orleans in 2011 with her son under the leadership of Mestre Cocada. Since then she has been able to travel domestically and internationally to train, learn more about capoeira, and participate in competitions. In 2021, she successfully defended her doctoral dissertation in Business Administration.
In 2023, she took on the role of lead instructor for the kids and adult programs at the Arte Reviver New Orleans academy and is the Executive Director of our nonprofit, the Capoeira & Brazilian Cultural Arts Center. Her latest initiative is the “Distinctive Warriors” program, a class for youth of different abilities. She is currently also working on building partnerships with other nonprofits, foundations, and local businesses to spread the art of Capoeira in the greater New Orleans area.
Maratona’s mission is to continue to spread and share the Afro-Brazilian art of capoeira with everyone, especially the youth, of Orleans and surrounding parishes.
Instrutora Orquídea
A Louisiana native, Instrutora Orquídea (Julie Burke), began training capoeira in 2009 in Miami, FL. She returned to New Orleans in 2016 and began training under the leadership of Mestre Cocada with Arte Reviver Capoeira. She leads the weekly music class at the Arte Reviver New Orleans academy and also teaches capoeira classes at Tulane University. Instrutora Orquídea is the current President of the Capoeira & Brazilian Cultural Arts Center (CBCAC), the non-profit branch of Arte Reviver Capoeira. Her goal is to elevate CBCAC within the greater New Orleans area as the go-to organization for Brazilian cultural arts and youth engagement for youth of all ages and abilities. Outside of capoeira, Instrutora Orquídea holds a Master of Public Health in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention and is a Master Certified Health Education Specialist. She has worked in wellness, health education, and nonprofit advocacy for more than two decades.
Instrutora Leoa
Instrutora Leoa (Sho'leh Geula) began her Capoeira journey in 2008 while studying abroad in Salvador, Bahia. Since 2010, she has trained under the guidance of Mestre Cocada and continues to deepen her practice through movement, music, and the rich history of Capoeira.
In her classes, Leoa emphasizes strong fundamentals while encouraging students to develop their own unique style. She strives to give students practical skills they can immediately apply in the roda, while helping them understand that Capoeira is both disciplined and creative.
Outside the academy, Leoa is a Registered Dietitian who is passionate about helping people build healthy, sustainable relationships with food. Whether teaching nutrition or Capoeira, she believes in empowering others to grow with confidence, curiosity, and lifelong learning.
Graduada Golfinha
Graduada Golfinha has been playing capoeira on and off since 2005 and has been under the supervision of Mestre Cocada since 2016. She is passionate about teaching movement and music to students of all ages, helping them find their flow and express themselves in the game.
Graduada Golfinha is the current Vice-President of the Capoeira & Brazilian Cultural Arts Center.
Graduada Barbi
Graduada Barbi (Annie Flanagan) began her Capoeira journey in 2011 under the guidance of Mestre Cocada and Professora Rosa. A lifelong athlete, she grew up competing in gymnastics and went on to earn All-American honors as a collegiate diver. Her passion for movement, discipline, and community has made Capoeira a natural extension of her athletic background. Outside the academy, she serves as a Public Defender in New Orleans, where she is dedicated to advocating for members of her community.
Graduado Arcanjo
Graduado Arcanjo began training Capoeira in 2015 in New York. In 2019, he joined Arte Reviver Capoeira New Orleans while completing his doctoral studies at Tulane University. He loves to encourage his students to be more confident in their bodies and connect more closely with their own flow.