Mestre Grilo comes from Rio de Janeiro, where he got introduced to Capoeira through his sister Fernanda at the age of 13. His teachers were Mestre Garrincha and Mestre Sorriso. They are co-founders of Escola Senzala, one of the largest and most renowned Capoeira schools in the world.
After studying physical education, Grilo went to Europe in 1989 to participate in international Capoeira gatherings and perform in shows and demonstrations. In 1991, he founded Grilocapoeira in Bremen. In the following years, more groups were established in Holland and Portugal. In the summer of 2009, Grilo was awarded the title of Capoeira master (Mestre) by his teachers in Rio de Janeiro. He currently resides in Amsterdam but continues to regularly teach masterclasses in Bremen.
Grilocapoeira Bremen has been led by Contramestre Quase since 1999. Quase was one of Grilo's earliest students and achieved the Contramestre title in 2020, which is the rank before becoming a Mestre. Additionally, Contramestre Los Andes, Graduada Seda, and Vassourinha teach Capoeira for children and adolescents. Quase, Los Andes, and Seda are also certified instructors by the German Olympic Sports Confederation.
