Mestre Cigano, Founder

Robson A.V. Ribeiro (03/27/62) is a native Brazilian, born in the Botafogo district of Rio de Janeiro. He was first introduced to Capoeira in 1972 in Bahia at a roda overseen by his first Mestre, Pedrinho Fio do Ouro. Cigano went on to study with several other Mestres, graduating to Mestre at the age of 21 from Mestre Sardi of Rio. While in Rio de Janeiro,he worked with and taught the omnipresent street children from the Favelas (slums) of the city. He worked in conjunction with Centro Arquediocese of Rio de Janeiro, forming courses of social integration, using Capoeira masters. He founded Grupo Liberdade de Capoeira in 1987 and emigrated to the USA the following year.

In 1996, Mestre Cigano opened the New Jersey Capoeira Arts Center, in the East Ward of Newark, NJ. He has dedicated himself to teaching students of all ages and backgrounds, not only the fundamentals of capoeira, but his philosophy of respect and integrity. Although he returned to Brazil in late 2008 to Porto Seguro, his influence is evident to the enormous success of capoeira in New Jersey. Mestre Cigano continued to persevere through the pandemic and share the riches of the arts through Zoom.  Mestre Cigano was honored with his Doutor Honoris Causa (honorary doctorate) in August 2024 by Faculdade Febraica e a Ordem do Capelaes do Brasil.

Our Story

Today, Grupo Liberdade has aspiring students at various levels of proficiency in this complex art. The Group performs for private and public organizations, showing the joyous nature of the Brazilian spirit. The group comprises of a diverse number of individuals who share a common heart. They are musically and physically competent, with vitality and genuine desire to learn.

Meet the Team

Grupo Liberdade De Capoeira’s teaching staff comes from a wide of array of backgrounds. One thing we share in common is our passion for the art. We are teachers, artists, dancers, musicians, warriors, and above all students.

Contramestra Amazonas

Curriculum and Program Director

Contramestra Amazonas (Jana M. Burton) is a proud member of the World Karate Union (2013), United Martial Artists Fellowship Hall of Famer (2017), Women’s Martial Arts Network (2018), the Society of Black Belts of America (2019) and a recent feature of this Martial Sports Magazine (2020).  She was promoted in 2020 to one of the highest ranking African American females in the United States in capoeira during a belt promotion ceremony with participants from North & South America, Africa and St. Maarten.  She serves as the Curriculum Developer for the Afro Brazilian Arts & Education Academy as well as the Artistic Director for Grupo Liberdade de Capoeira, the first capoeira group formed in New Jersey by her teacher.   Upholding the flag and legacy built by her teacher, Mestre Cigano (Robson Ribeiro), she works tirelessly and has been a featured artist to teach Capoeira philosophy, movement and song across the US as well has 14 times internationally in the Caribbean, South America and Africa  providing quality engaging workshops for adults and at risk youth. As a youth growing up in Queens, New York, she trained Jujitsu and Judo.  She vividly remembers beginning her martial arts career in our childhood living room with her father, Leonard D. Burton, introducing her to his knowledge and appreciation for fitness, focus, self-preservation, and protecting those in need through the guise of judo. He would often tell her stories about his friends who would struggle to “get work” and still come back to try again. Growing up as a young girl in Queens, New York, playtime with her father always included hugs turned hip tosses. They would travel and train in basements turned dojos, often as the only female, but she never realized it.  She is even featured in the book The Sheroes Who Look Like Us, a compilation of black belt women of the martial arts by Valencia D. Robinson (2021). Candidate for Honorary Doctorate (2025) Amazonas is also currently part of the coaching and teaching staff at Elijah Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Union, NJ teaching self defense, drill, foundations and fitness classes. Concurrently, she coaches mathematics educators in the Newark Public Schools system, and is a dedicated freelance teaching artist and performer in several prominent West African dance and drum companies including Umoja Dance Company.

Teaching Staff

Graduado Dromedario

Many moons ago, Dromedário was captivated by the opportunity of the physical demands of capoeira and the cognitive load of multitasking while learning a culture of care and community. He received formal training from Mestranda Edna Lima (Grupo Abada) and later moved to live near Mestre Foca (Raízes do Brasil). As life brought him back to capoeira after the birth of his son, they have grown and trained together as an exemplary family. They support the children’s classes as a team, as they have learned to share lessons together and to excel. As a consistent member for over 7 years, Dromedário regularly embraces our pedagogy and assists in shows and demonstrations to spread awareness of capoeira and its positivity. Dromedário also supports the group by covering classes and co-teaching with fellow graduates.

Graduada Jaguar

In May 2014, a young and curious girl walked through the doors of the academy and has never stopped training. She is the first teenager under the guidance of Contramestra Amazonas to be given such a responsibility. She has received formal training to assist in youth and adult classes at the academy and also at camps. She performs regularly with the group and travels to capoeira events in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New York City, and Washington, DC. Jaguar excels at Bard High School in her academics and with her traveling softball team.

Graduado Oito Vidas

In November 2014, after excelling in Taekwondo, Capoeira captured the heart of a young Jamaican. He began his studies under the guidance of Contramestra Simpson and Grupo Cativeiro. After moving to the United States, Oito Vidas reconnected with his soul’s calling to train with Contramestra Amazonas. He began to adopt the Grupo Liberdade lineage as his own. Thus, he traveled to New York, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., Las Vegas, Nevada in pursuit of the art. Oito Vidas lends his time and good spirit and partners with the other trainees to provide rich learning environments for the family in Contramestra Amazonas’ absence.

Professor Macaco

Curriculum and Program Director Charlottesville, Virginia

Saman Dashti was born in Manhattan and raised in Jamaica Queens. In California in 1995, he witnessed a street performance that he later find out was Capoeira. He found a school and started training Capoeira with Mestre Acordeon.

Saman moved to New Jersey in 1997 and joined Grupo Liberdade de Capoeira. He teaches capoeira classes in the Newark YMCA and Grace Community and works as a teaching artist in the public schools.

He is currently teaching capoeira in Charlottesville, VA.

Professor Viajante

Curriculum and Program Director

Las Vegas, Nevada

Adam Kaswiner has trained extensively his entire life. Tae Kwon Do as a kid, Wrestling in high school and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in college. Yoga & Pilates in Atlanta, India, and Hawaii. His capoeira nickname is traveler, with eight years of Capoeira in Amsterdam, Brazil, New Jersey, and Las Vegas.

After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, Adam moved to Las Vegas and has been teaching capoeira for several years.

Next Steps…

Call (347) 228-5593 for your first class!
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