joão grande returned when mestre moraes and mestre cobra mansa persuaded him to come out of retirement in the mid-1980s. he began to teach with their organization grupo capoeira angola pelourinho. in 1989 he was invited by jelon vieira to tour the united states. the tour was a tremendous success. in 1990 he returned to present capoeira at the national black arts festival in atlanta, georgia and at the schomberg center for research for black culture in new york city. joão grande decided he liked the us and has been teaching in new york city ever since.