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André "Fievel" Carvalho

André “Fievel” Carvalho co-founded Frontline Academy Bergen and was Kjetil Lydvo's first jiu-jitsu coach in Voss.

Biography

André “Fievel” Carvalho is a jiu-jitsu black belt, co-founder and head instructor of Frontline Academy Bergen. His teaching has ranged from regular journeys to Voss, where Kjetil Lydvo began learning from him, to developing a beginner curriculum in Bergen. Alongside jiu-jitsu, he has pursued engineering studies and a career behind the camera, described in his professional biography through his cinematography work and Bergen Video. From Rio to Bergen Carvalho grew up in Rio de Janeiro and started Brazilian jiu-jitsu at thirteen. He moved to Norway in 2010. In a March 2015 interview with Bergen Student-TV, he described learning from Ricardo Liborio and Eduardo “Teta” Rios. He had opened Frontline Academy Bergen in 2013, connected to the Oslo academy run by his friend Rios. The same interview gave a personal account of how his outlook had changed. Carvalho spoke publicly about cancer in his early twenties and uncertainty over whether he would train again. He linked surviving illness and becoming a father to a greater concern with what he could achieve and whose lives he could influence. By 2015, injuries had slowed his training; he emphasized using intelligence rather than strength and hoped to compete again later that year. He described the Bergen academy as something that had grown without a fixed original plan. Other people's encouragement helped him continue when he felt like stopping. His ambitions for students included trusting their abilities, entering competitions and making friends outside their usual circles. Teaching across western Norway Carvalho's work also took him beyond Bergen. BJJ Heroes' biography of Kjetil Lydvo identifies him as Lydvo's first jiu-jitsu coach and describes him traveling to Voss a couple of times a week to teach. Jason Shields led classes when Carvalho was away. Lydvo reached blue belt during that arrangement, then moved to Oslo and received his later belts from Rios. The account places Carvalho in the early, recurring instruction that preceded Lydvo's move to the capital. A visitor to Bergen in September 2016 recorded a more immediate view of Carvalho's classroom. Teaching in English, he explained where to place body weight while working through reverse De La Riva attacks, control in the 50/50 position and ways of passing an opponent's guard. The technical names belonged to different situations; weight placement was the thread running through the visitor's account of the session. That attention to principles also appears in the beginner course Frontline identifies him as having developed and principally taught. Its curriculum uses positioning, angles, distance, leverage, balance and timing to organize standing work and the major ground positions. Students work on both attacks and ways to escape, rather than encountering a sequence of offensive techniques alone. The published curriculum runs over eight months, with students encouraged to follow it for about twelve months in total. It welcomes beginners of different ages and aims and groups them by experience and goals. Repetition is therefore built into the proposed learning period: reaching the end of the sequence is followed by more time working with its material. Helping students become teachers Carvalho's Youth Program links athletic development to work in the academy. Its published model selects committed athletes under twenty-five with leadership potential and a willingness to contribute. Training, competition travel support and equipment come first; paid assistant-teaching experience with children, teenagers or beginners follows. The longer-term aim is for experienced participants to mentor younger ones. Frontline says the initiative operated locally before seeking broader backing and better compensation. Carvalho explained that he had hesitated to publicize it, then came to see that silence as limiting support for his students. The page's 2025 plan proposed four supported competitions, two extra weekly sessions and preparation for the January 2026 Europeans. In a testimonial published by the academy, children's instructor Elena Bianca Balaban described learning to adjust to her training partners and finding purpose in teaching younger students. Her account gives a participant's view of the connection the program seeks to make between learning on the mat and helping someone else learn.

Sources for this profile

  • Frontline Academy Bergen, instructor presentation, undated.(opens in a new tab)

    • Carvalho uses the nickname Fievel.

      Where in the source: Named instructor heading

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    • Carvalho is a jiu-jitsu black belt.

      Where in the source: Instructor biography, rank line

      Accessed:

    • Carvalho is co-founder and head instructor of Frontline Academy Bergen.

      Where in the source: Instructor biography, role statement

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  • Sløyfe & Slør, filmmaker biography of André Carvalho, undated.(opens in a new tab)

    • Carvalho grew up in Rio de Janeiro and began Brazilian jiu-jitsu at thirteen.

      Where in the source: André biography, upbringing and training paragraphs

      Accessed:

    • He moved to Norway in 2010.

      Where in the source: André biography, opening paragraph

      Accessed:

    • His professional biography describes engineering studies and a parallel career in cinematography, including running Bergen Video.

      Where in the source: André biography, professional work paragraph

      Accessed:

  • Elise Angell, Bergen Student-TV, interview with Andre Fievel, 23 March 2015.(opens in a new tab)

    • In a 2015 interview, Carvalho described training under Ricardo Liborio and Eduardo “Teta” Rios.

      Where in the source: Opening biographical paragraph

      Accessed:

    • He publicly discussed cancer in his early twenties and uncertainty about returning to training.

      Where in the source: Final section, illness and return

      Accessed:

    • Carvalho linked surviving illness and becoming a father with a shift toward valuing achievement and the lives he could influence.

      Where in the source: Final section, changed outlook

      Accessed:

    • By March 2015, injuries had slowed his training. He emphasized intelligence over strength and hoped to return to competition later that year.

      Where in the source: Interview, injuries and competition paragraphs

      Accessed:

    • Carvalho opened Frontline Academy Bergen in 2013, connected to the Oslo academy led by his friend Rios.

      Where in the source: Middle section, academy origins

      Accessed:

    • He said the academy had developed without a fixed original plan, sustained by people who encouraged him when he felt like stopping.

      Where in the source: Middle section, recollection of academy creation

      Accessed:

    • His stated teaching ambition was to help students trust their abilities, compete and build friendships beyond their usual social circles.

      Where in the source: Middle section, hopes for students

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  • BJJ Heroes, Kjetil Lydvo biography, undated.(opens in a new tab)

    • BJJ Heroes identifies Carvalho as Kjetil Lydvo’s first jiu-jitsu coach. It describes him travelling from Bergen to teach in Voss a couple of times a week, with Jason Shields leading classes in his absence.

      Where in the source: Biography, early Voss instruction

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    • Lydvo reached blue belt during that teaching arrangement, then moved to Oslo and received his subsequent belts from Rios.

      Where in the source: Biography, move from Voss to Oslo

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  • Kelpie Bjj, firsthand visit to Frontline Academy Bergen, 17 September 2016.(opens in a new tab)

    • A visitor’s September 2016 account describes Carvalho teaching in English, explaining body-weight placement through reverse De La Riva attacks, 50/50 control and guard passing.

      Where in the source: Visit account, class description

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  • Frontline Academy Bergen, beginner curriculum and named course instructor, undated.(opens in a new tab)

    • Frontline names Carvalho as the developer and principal instructor of its beginner BJJ course.

      Where in the source: Teacher section

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    • The curriculum explains positioning, angles, distance, leverage, balance and timing through standing work and major ground positions, with both attacks and escapes.

      Where in the source: Principles list and curriculum sections

      Accessed:

    • The course has an eight-month curriculum and encourages students to follow it for approximately twelve months in total. It welcomes beginners with different ages and aims, grouping participants by level and goals.

      Where in the source: Audience and duration sections

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  • Frontline Academy Bergen, Youth Program, page containing its 2025 plan.(opens in a new tab)

    • Carvalho founded Frontline Bergen’s Youth Program to combine athletic development with teaching and community roles.

      Where in the source: Founder message and program introduction

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    • Its selection criteria prioritize committed athletes under twenty-five who show leadership potential and willingness to contribute. The first phase offers targeted training, competition travel support and equipment.

      Where in the source: Program structure, first phase

      Accessed:

    • The next phase gives athletes paid assistant-teaching experience with children, teenagers or beginners. The intended longer-term cycle has experienced athletes mentoring younger participants.

      Where in the source: Program structure, second and third phases

      Accessed:

    • The academy says the initiative had already operated locally before seeking wider backing and better compensation for participants.

      Where in the source: Third phase, expansion statement

      Accessed:

    • Its 2025 plan proposed four supported competitions, two additional training sessions each week and preparation for the January 2026 Europeans.

      Where in the source: 2025 scope

      Accessed:

    • In a testimonial published by the academy, children’s instructor Elena Bianca Balaban describes learning to adjust to training partners and finding purpose in teaching younger students.

      Where in the source: Named testimonial near page beginning

      Accessed:

    • Carvalho explains that he had avoided publicizing the program, but came to feel that remaining quiet restricted support for his students. He presents wider sponsorship as a way to back their effort and discipline.

      Where in the source: Closing founder message, explanation for seeking support

      Accessed:

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