According to the UCLA recreation schedule, there is an
internationally famous recreational instructor teaching at
UCLA.
Mestre Boneco is one of the founders of Grupo Capoeira Brasil,
the largest renowned Capoeira group in the world, and director of
the Benção Brasil Cultural Center, a non-profit Brazilian
cultural center. Boneco is considered a living legend in the unique
martial art of Capoeira.
Boneco oversees countless after-school Capoeira programs,
supervises over 50 instructors worldwide, and performs at various
Brazilian festivals and activities throughout the year.
Oh yeah, and add to that list famous national jiu jitsu
champion, model and actor.
He has inspired questions from pupils around the world. But
ultimately, none stack up to the most important question of all:
Where is he?
One place not to look is in his Monday and Wednesday night
recreational Capoeira class in the Wooden Center.
African in its origin and Brazilian in its evolution, Capoeira
“fuses flexibility, agility, strength, balance,
self-confidence, self-defense, coordination and rhythm; creating a
workout like no other,” according to the official Web
site.
Boneco is listed as the instructor for the class, which meets
from 4-5:30 p.m. in the Gold Room of the John Wooden Center, and
has been for three years. Boneco’s name is even printed on
shirts worn by several students in the class.
Anyone who has attended the class this spring, however, has
barely seen him.
This spring, Boneco hand-picked a replacement instructor,
Axé. A blue cord in Capoeira, Axé trained under Boneco
and considers him to be his master. He mentioned Boneco could
“not often” be found at the class, but added that
“he does come for special events and situations.”
“He is our master,” said Pãvao, manager of the
Benção Brasil Cultural Center and trainee of Boneco.
“He teaches us.”
Why does Boneco continue to earn recognition as the instructor
in the UCLA Recreational Guide while others teach his class?
According to Pãvao, instructors rotate under Boneco, who
technically oversees the program. He is considered the director of
UCLA’s Capoeira program, deciding what curriculum is taught
and who will teach it. Instructors don’t get credit because
they aren’t the ones being paid.
The twist is that neither is Boneco.
According to Pãvao, UCLA has not paid the group in two
years despite a $40 enrollment fee charged for the class. Whether
he is teaching the UCLA class or not, the printed recognition of
Boneco in the Recreational Guide will continue because of
Boneco’s title as head of Grupo Capoeira Brasil.
The assistant manager to the director of the fitness,
instruction and training unit of UCLA Recreation Rudy Figueroa said
that Boneco, or anyone in Grupo Capoeira Brasil, not getting paid
is a simple matter of Boneco not turning in time sheets.
Meanwhile, the $40 student fee is redistributed to cover free
recreation classes such as acting, photography and taiko
drumming.
When Boneco is not at UCLA, he spends most of the year traveling
the world, overseeing his Capoeira empire.
Either that or he’s in Brazil, acting under his real name,
Beto Simas. Boneco has acted in Brazilian soap operas, four
Brazilian movies and has also had a short modeling career.
“But that’s not really his focus,” Pãvao
said. “Capoeira is his focus, the center is his focus and his
students are his focus.”
Speaking from his cell phone Wednesday night before a meeting in
Chicago, Boneco took time to explain his philosophy.
“I want to share this wonderful art form ““ that
incorporates dance, martial arts and culture ““ and try to
share the little bit I know to the other people and give them a
taste of Brazil,” he said.
Boneco’s other main concern is the community. “I
want to teach kids who need motivation to grow and follow
something,” he said. “I try to help them get off drugs
and stay off the streets.”
Typical weekday activities for Boneco include overseeing
instructors and, according to Pãvao, “top secret”
Capoeira business.
She explained that this business is not of the undercover
mission sort ““ it’s more along the lines of business
deals that can’t be discussed until they’re
completed.
The UCLA Capoeira program serves as a filter to encourage
advanced students to enroll in more difficult classes at the
cultural center. According to Boneco, that is his current
headquarters and where he spends most of his time. A flier for the
center adds that the Mestre is available for private monthly
instruction. But this quarter at least, his busy schedule
hasn’t left him much time for the Capoeira class at UCLA.
Despite Boneco’s sparse availability, his students and
those around him have nothing but praise for the master.
“He is the most motivated, friendly artist I have ever
met,” Pãvao said. “We are really lucky to have him
in Los Angeles.”
Sonny Ganaden, a fourth-year political science student, took
Boneco’s class in the fall. Boneco made “four to
five” appearances that quarter but was continuously late.
Despite that, Ganaden described Boneco as “talented,
charismatic and buff” and enjoyed Boneco “breaking out
into dance in the middle of fighting.”
Boneco’s advanced group has performed on campus, at a
football game, a gymnastics meet and the health fair. The group is
scheduled to perform May 13 outside Jonathan Grasse’s 10 a.m.
ethnomusicology class.
Boneco said he may or may not be there.