Macaco Nova Yolk (born Saman Dashti) is an expressive arts facilitator helping people experience warrior arts culture. He is a Contramestre in the Afro-Brazilian art of Capoeira. Saman received his Capoeira artist name Macaco (meaning monkey) because of the style of his physical prowess. He is one of the lead members of Grupo Liberdade de Capoeira of Mestre Cigano.
Saman was raised in Jamaica, Queens and studied Environmental Sciences at UC Berkeley. He learned Capoeira in Newark, NJ. He spent 12 years as a teaching artist residencies in New York City area schools. His students cross diverse socioeconomic groups including children with special needs, autism and in behavioral health communities. As Macaco, he travels often to Bahia, Brazil to visit with elders in the arts. These sabbaticals provide in-depth experiences
of the cultural context of the arts that are the foundation of his teaching.
Since moving to Virginia, he has taught in homeschool communities in Charlottesville and Louisa, The University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University and the Communities Conference at Twin Oaks Community.
Macaco is currently an arts educator and art circle celebrant in the intentional communities of central Virginia and a member of the Louisa NAACP.