. >> capoeira, right?reporter: capoeira is a combination of many things. >> it's artform incorporates every art possible. it's a martial art, acrobatic, dance, music. >> reporter: and mestra "cigarra" marcia treidler, slaves from africa mingled with portugese colonized the country. >> they now the slaves after hours practice music, drumming, singing, dance. so they found this amazing way to preserve the culture and create this artform that today is respected all over the world series. >> reporter: marcia has been teaching for 35 years. the past 25 at her nonprofit studio called abada-capoiera in san francisco's mission district. in order to teach more than 20,000 students each year, she also takes classes into schools all over the bay area. >> all over the place, san jose, santa clara, oakland, berkeley. so we us will have a performance group who go to the schools and do that type of work. >> reporter: reaching students like alazan flores who was not quite three years old when she was introduced to capoeir