Our Teachers
Contra-Mestre Michael ‘Puck’ Kranz was first introduced to Capoeira at Oberlin College, in Ohio. When he moved to Oakland, California to work with a literacy program. His old friend, Bessa Kautz, brought him to the International Capoeira Angola Foundation group in Oakland, under Contra Mestre Rogerio. For 4 years, he studied in Oakland under CM Rogerio and Mestre Jurandir, as well as the other mestres of FICA, which transformed his life for the better. Upon moving back to his native New York in 2004, Puck sought to continue studying, playing and living Capoeira Angola, which eventually led to co-founding the group in New York. In both Oakland and New York, Puck has worked with various programs for children, youth and people struggling with addiction, realizing the power of Capoeira Angola to heal, empower and build community.
Treinel Jennifer began practicing Capoeira Angola in 2000 and became a member of FICA (NY chapter) in 2005. As a licensed Social Worker she began incorporating Capoeira into her group work with at-risk youth in 2006. She later went on to found Youth Rising NYC, a youth development program utilizing Capoeira to support youth in building social-emotional skills, and has taught youth of different ages across the boroughs of NYC. She has trained extensively in Salvador Bahia with Mestre Valmir (FICA Bahia) and is under the leadership of Mestre Jurandir (FICA Belorizonte). She continues to travel to Brazil and has participated in events in the US, Mexico, South America, and Australia in order to continue growing and developing her abilities to practice and transmit the art of Capoeira.