Capoeira, samba, and forró in Spain: where to practice by city

Capoeira, forró, and samba have active communities in Spain. Where to practice in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Sevilla, and more cities, including groups and academies.

Capoeira has already become a cultural heritage of Brazil. Forró is intangible heritage. Samba is a national symbol. In Spain, all three have a much larger presence than most Brazilians imagine upon arrival — with academies, groups, regular parties, and active communities in the main cities.

Capoeira in Spain

Capoeira is probably the Brazilian cultural manifestation with the largest organized presence in Spain. There are groups and academies in dozens of cities, from the two best-known groups in the country:

Capoeira Abadá

The Capoeira Abadá España has more than fifteen locations throughout the Spanish territory. Some of the main ones:

• Madrid — Directed by Profesor Tico and Profesor Gato
• Barcelona — Mestrando Teco and Instrutor Calado
• Valencia — Instrutor Carioca
• Málaga — Associação Cultural Artes de Brasil (Instructor Pingo)
• Cartagena — Mestrando Davisão and Instructora Sereia
• Tarragona — Professor Bacurau

Other capoeira groups

Besides Abadá, there are groups from other traditions in the main cities:

• Barcelona: Matumbé (Contramestre Felipe "Fofinho"), Capoeira Nagô Barcelona
• Madrid: various regional and independent groups
• Sevilla and Andalusia: an active capoeirista community, with occasional festivals

To find the group closest to your city, the website goandance.com has an updated directory of capoeira schools in Spain.

What to expect from classes

Classes in Spanish academies follow the same format as in Brazil: roda at the end, berimbau, atabaque, and ladainha. Many groups have open training sessions for visitors — a great way to get to know the local community before committing to an academy.

The level of English or Spanish of the teachers varies. Some groups are formed mostly by Brazilians, others by Spaniards curious about Brazilian culture. Both have their charm.

Forró in Spain

Forró has grown a lot in Europe in recent years, and Spain has an active scene — especially in the larger cities.

Forró parties

Madrid and Barcelona have regular forró parties, usually biweekly or monthly, organized by local groups. The format usually involves: an introductory class for beginners (30–45 min) followed by free forró dancing.

• Madrid: look for the groups "Forro Madrid" and "Forró Xote Madrid" on social media and Facebook — events are announced weeks in advance
• Barcelona: an active community with monthly parties; groups on Facebook and Telegram
• Sevilla: there are teachers who give private and group classes in capoeira, samba, and forró — check ads on tusclasesparticulares.com
• Valencia and Bilbao: smaller but present communities

Forró festivals

Throughout the year, there are forró festivals in Europe with the participation of Spanish groups: Forro in the Dark (a nomadic event), and summer festivals in France and Portugal with the participation of Spanish dancers. Keep an eye on local groups' social media to learn about larger events.

Samba in Spain

Samba has a more diffuse presence than capoeira and forró — there are no samba schools in the "carioca" (Rio) style, but there are classes and cultural groups.

Where to learn samba

• Dance academies: in Madrid and Barcelona, several Latin dance academies include samba in their repertoire of Brazilian rhythms. Search for "samba brasileiro" on your city's dance academy platforms
• Brazilian cultural centers: some Brazilian associations and cultural centers in Madrid and Barcelona organize occasional samba classes
• Private teachers: there are Brazilian teachers in Madrid, Barcelona, and Sevilla who teach samba, forró, and other rhythms — tusclasesparticulares.com and Wallapop are good platforms to find them

Carnival and parades

Several Spanish cities have carnival groups with Brazilian influence: colorful costumes and adapted samba-enredo (theme songs). It is not the Sambadrome, but it is festive. Cádiz, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and San Sebastián (Donostia) have carnivals with a presence of groups with a Brazilian aesthetic.

How to find the right community for you

WhatsApp and Telegram groups

Many capoeira, forró, and Brazilian culture groups have communities on Telegram and WhatsApp that announce open training sessions, parties, and events. After your first class or visit, ask to join.

Facebook and Instagram

Facebook is still widely used by the forró and capoeira community in Spain to promote events. Search for "forró [city]", "capoeira [city]", or "brasileiros em [city]" to find the most active groups.

Brazilian cultural centers

Some cities have associations of Brazilians that organize periodic cultural events: capoeira, samba, cuisine, and São João. Look for the "Associação de Brasileiros" or "Casa do Brasil" in your city.

Practical tips

• Clothing: for capoeira, white pants and abadá are mandatory in many groups. For forró, wear comfortable clothing and shoes with smooth soles (or socks)
• Cost: capoeira classes in a Spanish academy usually cost between 30 and 60 € per month — check with each group, as prices vary significantly
• Language: most capoeira groups use Portuguese in songs and some commands. Spanish is sufficient to communicate in the academies

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Want to explore more of Spain beyond the classes? Check out our guide to tours in Almería or the Alcazaba de Almería, two unmissable destinations in the south of the country.