Salve!

My name is David Payne, Cenoura from Axé Capoeira Kansas City. I began training Axé Capoeira in 1999 under Graduado Relógio's supervision, and it was one of the best things of which I have ever been a part. The passion, the energy and the sense of family one experiences with Axé Capoeira are unrivaled, and I am glad to call myself an Axé Capoeirista.

Back in 2002 some thugs broke into the Vancouver academy. They broke through an unknown window hidden in the front wall. Even though it was my first visit to Vancouver, I felt like that it was my academy. I belonged there. I was proud to help clean up the broken glass and close up that window. It showed me how strong grupo Axé Capoeira really is.

Several years ago, school and work took me away from Kansas City and away from my grupo. To this day, I have found no substitute, nothing that can compare to what I felt and learned from not just Capoeira, but Axé Capoeira. Even though I am 240 miles away from my grupo, I still practice Mestre Barrão's teachings. Distance can take one out of the game, but it can never take one out of Capoeira.