Bira Almeida

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Bira Almeida better known as Mestre Acordeon is a native of Salvador, Bahia, and a recognized master of Capoeira.^{[citation needed]}

He was a student of Manuel dos Reis Machado (Mestre Bimba) and won several Brazilian National championships in the 1970s.^{[citation needed]} Acordeon founded the Grupo Folclorico da Bahia in 1966 which greatly impacted capoeira at the time. He has founded several capoeira schools, including the Associação K-poeira with Mestre Onça in São Paulo (1968).

He was one of the capoeira pioneers in the United States (1978), introducing it on the West Coast, and currently maintains a school in Berkeley, California with Mestre Rã, and Mestra Suelly, the United Capoeira Association.^{[citation needed]} The UCA has several associated schools in the United States. Almeida has recorded seven capoeira CDs and is the author of various magazine articles and books about capoeira, including Agua de Beber, Camará: A bate Papo de Capoeira. His book Capoeira: A Brazilian Art Form, is one of the few capoeira books in English.