The Capoeira group Cordão de Ouro is the life work of Reinaldo Ramos Suassuna – commonly known as Mestre Suassuana. Mestre Suassuana trained capoeira for many years in Bahia and, as a graduated student of Mestre Bimba, moved to São Paulo in the 1960's. It was in São Paulo where he, along with Mestre Brasilia, created our Capoeira group in 1967. The name Cordao de Ouro (cord of gold) is taken from a song of Elis Regina: Adeus Bahia zum zum zum Cordão de Ouro. It celebrates an ancient capoeirista, Besouro Cordão de Ouro, who used to wear a golden cord around his neck.

Since that day, Mestre Suassuna has endeavored to use capoeira to enrich the lives of those around him and create long lasting bonds of fellowship that have stretched across the entire world.

Cordao de Ouro is one of the most ancient and traditional capoeira groups in Brazil. The Cordao de Ouro style is characterized by a powerful, beautiful fluid game, that enhances personal expression. For this reason, it became very apperciated around the World where it started spreading extensively, since its creation in 1967. Currently, there are Cordão de Ouro capoeira academies all over Brazil, North America, Israel, Europe, Japan, Mexico, and South Africa. Though these academies (and the students who train in them) may be far apart, we all share a common bond - which is the love for capoeira that Mestre Suassuna has instilled in us all, as well as the fundamental values of Capoeira Cordão de Ouro: