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Rodrigo Carvalho
Rodrigo Carvalho
Black Belt 2 degrees instructor Rodrigo Carvalho Silva is a great promoter of jiu-jitsu in Western Canada and throughout the Pacific Northwest, both as the Gracie Barra Western Canada Regional Director, and as owner and operator of Gracie Barra Vancouver, one of Canada’s largest martial arts gyms with +600 members and Gracie Barra Burnaby opened in July 2017.
Rodrigo Carvalho was raised in the heart of the Amazon in the state of Roraima in Boa Vista, located in the north of Brazil. He moved to Canada in 2009 and has run Gracie Barra Vancouver as Head Instructor since October of 2011.
Rodrigo started studying Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in 1994 and has won many notable competitions, including the Worlds in 2001 and 2005 the Nationals in South Brazil, along with being the five-time Roraima Champion and three-time Amazon Champion. He has also trained numerous World, Brazilian Nationals and MMA champions. He has utilized his knowledge of self-defence to train soldiers in the Brazilian Army in Brasilia, Brazil from 2006 to 2007. In 2008 to 2009, he taught self-defence to the Police Force in Boa Vista State, Roraima, Brazil. He is also a certified CBJJ referee.
Professor Rodrigo started a social project in Brasilia capital of Brazil in 2004 teaching BJJ for free for 300 kids from a poor neighbourhood called Varjao. The project still in operation and some of the students left Brazil to teach BJJ in US and Canada.
His Master’s degree in Physiotherapy from Uniceub and has specialist in intensive care for premature. The University in Brazil has proven essential to his understanding of the physical needs of athletes. Following a holistic approach, Rodrigo is fascinated with the formation of character and behavior in athletes, and strives to address both the athlete’s physical and mental health.
Dan Slobodin
Dan Slobodin | Muay Thai Instructor
Dan has been training in the Martial Arts for well over 10 years. He first started in Tae Kwon Do at 7 years old. Dan started resumed training again in Jeet Kune Do, at the Creative Fighters Guild. After developing a taste for the striking arts, he trained briefly at Kel Lee’s Academy before moving to Montreal to learn Savate, as well as train Muay Thai at the well known Gelinas Academy of Martial Arts (GAMMA).
In 2005, he moved to the West Kootenay region of BC, where he trained and fought Muay Thai under Brent Russel (Dam City Thaiboxing) until the closing of that gym in 2007. Since then he has continued to learn and train in the art of Muay Thai both in Vancouver and more recently, Thailand where he had the opportunity to train with some excellent instructors, such as Lumpini Champion Chinnarach chor. Watcharin.
He has also earned his certification as a Specialist in Sports Conditioning and continues to train at Gracie Barra Vancouver as a Blue Belt in BJJ.
Veteran of:
KB-1 Fight Night (Vancouver)
Rage in the Ring (Lethbridge)
Kootenay Fight Challenge (Castlegar)
BC BJJ Championships (Bronze – White Belt Div.)
Black Belt under Duke Roufus
Certified Sports Conditioning Specialist – International Sports Science Association (2012).
Leonard Henrique Oliveira da Silva
Leonard Henrique Oliveira da Silva
Professor Da Silva started doing BJJ back in 1993 under his friend and Professor Flavio Ferreira in Angra dos Reis, Rio de Janeiro. After moving to Salvador he continued training with his good friend and Professor Carlos Zuqueto Boa Morte. He has been active on and off the mats during the last 20 years due to injuries and his passion and love for water sports, namely surfing. Before moving to Canada, he was uncertain of what a new country would have in store for him and that’s when Professor Boa Morte told him to believe in Jiu-Jitsu. He began training under Professor Carvalho at GBV in 2011. Professor Da Silva can be found training and teaching the early morning classes at Gracie Barra Vancouver, where he continues to make a lasting impression on all those who train with him. He is the 2013 Worlds Master and Seniors Bronze medallist as a purple belt, and a great asset to the coaching staff at Gracie Barra Vancouver.
