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Emanuela D’Annibale

Founder - Yoga and BJJ Coach

Brown Belt 1st Degree

Emanuela D’Annibale, the sole and managing director of Arte Suave, is a driven entrepreneur who has successfully built and managed a promotions and marketing business for over 13 years. Her unwavering passion for martial arts, fitness, personal development, and motivating others to achieve their best is what inspired her to create Arte Suave – an inclusive and safe environment where everyone can train.

Martial Arts Journey:

Emanuela’s martial arts journey began in 2002 with Xing Yi (Kung Fu) under the guidance of Dr. Fei Wang. She also extensively trained in Qi Gong (moving meditation) and Tai Chi during this time. In addition to her training with Fei, she explored various martial arts disciplines, including Muay Thai, Kickboxing, Boxing, and Wishu (acrobatic Kung Fu) during her stay in Canberra. Her goal was to experience a wide range of martial arts and absorb knowledge from each.

Yoga and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu:

Emanuela’s background is yoga, which she started in 2000 under Deborah Carey-Burrows in Canberra, played a significant role in shaping her approach to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Her unique infusion of yoga and martial arts experience creates a distinctive style of yoga focused on enhancing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu performance. This integration incorporates her knowledge of postural work from Karen Chapman, who teaches the Alexander technique.

The Birth of Arte Suave:

In 2012, Emanuela relocated to Brisbane and initially viewed Jiu Jitsu as just another martial art to explore. However, after her first lesson, she fell in love with the art. Six months later, as a white belt, Emanuela made the bold decision to start her own academy – Arte Suave. She sought a career change and a path that would fulfill her soul, leading her to embark on this challenging endeavour.

In October 2014, during the opening weekend of Arte Suave, Emanuela was awarded her blue belt under her then coach and the affiliation of Atos. However, in early 2016, she made the difficult choice to continue Arte Suave without an affiliation, parting ways with Atos.

Brown Belt Jeremy Juhas was the first teacher to assist in the rebuilding of the academy, which had faced some challenges at the time. Shortly after, Black Belt Anker Fuglsang joined the team, along with other dedicated instructors such as Steven Wade and Justin Bennets. Together, they played a vital role in the growth and development of Arte Suave during this period. In December 2017, Emanuela’s dedication and hard work were recognized when she was awarded her purple belt by Anker Fuglsang.

In 2016, after Jeremy’s departure, Emanuela sought a complementary instructor to Anker Fuglsang and eventually found black belt Uroš Čulić, who came from Serbia to teach at Arte Suave. This decision proved to be one of the most significant and rewarding risks she had taken for the academy. In 2022, after years of hard work and dedication, Uroš Čulić finally awarded Emanuela her brown belt, marking another milestone in her Jiu Jitsu journey.

Emanuela’s approach to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a fusion of teachings from all her instructors, with her own unique twist. She believes in helping her students connect techniques, providing them with both submission and escape options, while emphasizing attention to detail. Her teaching style is geared towards nurturing and growth, ensuring that Arte Suave remains the best home for their students.

Passions and Hobbies:

Beyond her martial arts journey, Emanuela nurtures a diverse range of passions and hobbies. She finds joy in gardening, expressing her creativity through various artistic endeavours like painting with oils, sewing, and exploring craft projects. Connecting with nature, Emanuela often seeks solace in outdoor activities such as hiking and basking in the serenity of the beach. An insatiable reader, she delves into a wide range of subjects, with a keen interest in psychology, physics, and human development, occasionally taking delightful detours into the realm of fiction. Emanuela’s home is shared with three cherished feline companions, and while tempted, she remains resolute in her determination not to expand her beloved feline family to include a fourth member.

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I was lucky enough to walk into Arte Suave when I moved up from Sydney as a Purple Belt. I realised very quickly that the coaching is at the highest level, the cleanest gym I’ve attended and the coach’s care about your improvement using technical expertise I seldomly experienced previously. The training partners are very respectful and will push you to the levels that you want to achieve.The vibe in the gym is always positive and friendly (which you don’t get at other gyms if you’re not a white belt starting out).I’ve also have my two daughters training their now and it’s exciting for me to watch their progression knowing that someday not too far from now I’ll be getting tapped out by them.

Chris M.

03:38 27 Jul 24

Amazing Academy!Thank you Emanuela for you warm welcoming.The coaches are patient and pedagogical.The mat is super clean. I will come back for sure !

Oriane LE F.

02:02 27 Jul 24

Great academy, great coaches and facility! I have been training here since over 1 year and I really like the quality of training provided and the welcoming culture

Sagar K.

01:39 27 Jul 24

Amazing gym. Fantastic professors. Great rolling partners.

Vitaly D.

13:07 26 Jul 24

It was a time that felt both short and long. My experience at Arte Suave was an excellent choice with no regrets! There's a reason they have a perfect 5-star rating on Google. Honestly, I love it so much that if I were to talk about everything, it would sound like an advertisement, so I won't! 🤭 However, I strongly recommend this place to anyone in Brisbane thinking of starting Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The instructors at Arte are all incredibly cute, fantastic,kindly and professional. If you're considering learning BJJ, this is a decision you won't regret!

Only Y.

12:49 23 Jul 24

Arte Suave's fantastic gym for anyone into Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, from newcomers to the advanced. The coaching is great, and I really liked the mixture of new and old teaching styles. Emanuela's kindness and welcoming attitude made me feel at home right away, creating a positive and inclusive atmosphere. The space is also well-maintained, and the sense of community is very strong. I'd highly recommend it if you're looking to train in Brisbane!

Daniel L.

22:09 15 Jul 24

The best gym I've trained at in my BJJ journey. A welcoming environment made by dedicated teachers and passionate students. Anyone lucky enough to find themselves here will fast track their training and have the best time while doing it!

Nathan K.

07:27 15 Jul 24

Arte Suave is a truly an amazing Brazilian Jiu jitsu gym for everyone from the average person looking to learn BJJ, to the competitor looking to receive high level coaching in a good gym culture.The best aspect about this is first and foremost the culture and ethics of the gym, unlike a lot of other BJJ gyms there isn't any lock in contracts, hidden (or hidden increasing) fees, pressure to buy gym specific gear, or other dodgy behavior. The culture is positive and supportive of everyone's individual goals whether that's competing or not.I have had a few personal instances where the gym owner has acted with integrity and proactively identified and addressed problems affecting my billing or other smaller issues.I would strongly recommend this gym to anyone looking for a BJJ gym whether you're new or coming from an experienced background.

Riley H.

03:29 01 Jun 24

I’ve been training at Arte Suave for a little over a year now and can honestly say it’s amazing. The standard of teaching is incredible, with 3 high level black belts, supported by multiple competition coloured belts and visiting coaches. I learn something new every day and enjoy the mental and physical workout I get from each class. For me though, the culture is the main draw. Emanuela has done a fantastic job of building a welcoming and inclusive community, full of people from all walks of life, coming together to share their love of jiu jitsu. I can’t recommend this place enough.

James B.

07:59 19 May 24

Love this place! My son adores his coaches - they’re very patient and great with encouraging each individual student to do their best. Emmanuela has built a beautiful community that we feel lucky to be a part of.

Lauren A.

11:09 14 May 24