Capoeira is a unique blend of acrobatic dance, combat, music and improvised play which originated in Brazil. Capoeira was invented by African slaves to protect themselves and their culture against the Portuguese slave-masters and Oppressors. Today Capoeira is practiced by people of all ages and cultures around the world. The most dynamic and technically complete style of Capoeira, traditional Capoeira Regional, is famous for its speed, jumps, kicks, takedowns, projections and general dynamism. The Grupo de Capoeira Porto da Barra was founded by Mestre Cabeludo in Salvador da Bahia (the capital of Capoeira) in 1994 to preserve and spread the traditional Capoeira Regional of Mestre Bimba / Mestre Vermelho 27.

The history of Capoeira Regional began with the birth of its founder, Manuel dos Reis Machado on November 23, 1899. His father, Luis Candido Machado, taught his son the art of Batuque, an extinct martial art, which, like Capoeira, occurs inside a ring of musicians and spectators (roda). The younger Machado, who is today known as the world-famous Mestre Bimba, gained his strength the honest way, working as a stevedor in the rough and tough port of Salvador. From the ages of 18-28 he taught Capoeira and was a well known figure in the street rodas of the day. In 1928 he invented Capoeira Regional to improve the fighting efficiency of Capoeira. With over 50 movements and 8 training sequences, Capoeira was for the first time an organized, efficient cultural expression and martial art. Bimba opened the first Academy of Capoeira in 1930. Shortly after, thanks to Bimba, Capoeira, which had always been repressed, became legal. Even more important than the legalization of Capoeira was the legalization of all Brazilian folkloric expressions (street processions, festivals etc) in 1953 after Bimba and his students performed for the president of Brazil, Getulio Vargas.

One of the other innovations of Mestre Bimba was the inclusion of projections (throws) in his Capoeira Regional. These beautiful cinturas desprezadas train a Capoeirista in confidence and to always fall on his feet. Many Capoeiristas did not approve of Mestre Bimba's innovations and growing fame, and claimed that he had mixed Capoeira with martial arts from Asia and Europe. In response, Bimba explained that he had preserved elements of Batuque in his Capoeira Regional and offered to fight all doubters in the ring. All who accepted his challenge were defeated and the fame of Bimba spread. In the 1940's and 50's, students of Bimba fought in no-holds-barred combats in Rio de Janeiro and Sau Paulo with impressive results. After the death of Mestre Bimba in 1974, and despite the efforts of Mestre Vermelho 27 (José) Carlos Bittencourt), the traditions, rhythms, and training practices of Capoeira Regional began to erode. In 1994 Mestre Cabeludo (formado by Mestre Bamba and Mestre Vermelho 27) created the Grupo de Capoeira Porto da Barra in Bahia, Brazil, to continue the spectacular history of Mestre Bimba into the new millennium. The Group has affiliates in Brasil,Argentina, Australia, Belgica, Canada, Spain, Portugal, Norway, Sweden, Italy,England. The group is affiliated with the Associação Brasileira dos Professores de Capoeira-Bahia, President Mestre Cesar Itapoan.