Mestres & Famous

Mestre Itapoan (Reimundo Cesar Alves de Almeidahas) was born august 13, 1947 in Salvador Bahia Brazil. On September 22, 1964 he began learning Capoeira Regional from Mestre Bimba and remains his disciple to this day. In 1972, Mestre Itapoan founded the Ginga Associação de Capoeira. He is also the founder of the Associação Brasileira dos Professores (Brazilian of teachers of Capoeira) and the Federação Bahiana de Capoeira (Bahia Federation of Capoeira). In 1990, he was awarded the national sports medal of honor from the Brazilian ministry of education....

Born in 1956 in Jacobina, Bahia in a family of five Capoeiristas, José Tadeu Cardoso (Mestre Camisa) began training Capoeira in the 60s with his older brother, Camisa Roxa. He then moved to Salvador and lived in the Lapinha quarters, where he continued practicing Capoeira in street rodas; he particularly participated in the rodas of Mestres Waldemar, Traira in the street Pero Vaz. He later joined Mestre Bimba’s academy to pursue his training. He traveled across Brazil giving Capoeira demonstrations with the group his brother, i.e. Camisa Roxa. In 1972, when he was 16, he decided to live in Rio and began giving classes in Rio’s academies. In Rio de Janeiro, Camisa engaged himself in research concerning Capoeira and developed his own training method, by following the concepts of Mestre Bimba. In 1988, Mestre Camisa created the group Abadá-Capoeira. At present, this school can be found in all the states of Brazil and in more than 53 countries worldwide, thus having more than 50000 Capoeiristas. Mestre Camisa focused on the professional side of Capoeira, from the time of his first employment up to now. He lives doing what he loves the most: teaching Capoeira. Mestre Camisa is also involved in social project...

Rafael Alves Franca, was born in Santo Amaro da Purificação, and grew up playing capoeira on the streets. He became one of the most feared and respected capoeiristas of his time. He claimed Besouro was his first mestre but also his cousin and that he nicknamed him "Cobrinha Verde" because of his agility and dexterity, especially with his legs. Besides Besouro, he also had the opportunity to learn from some of the most famous capoeiristas of that time, Maitá, Licurí, Joité, Dendê, Gasolina, Siri de Mangue, Doze Homens, Espiridião, Juvêncio Grosso, Espinho Remoso, Neco, Canário Pardo and Tonha. He always taught capoeira for free because, as he said, his cousin Besouro made him promise never to charge money to teach the art of capoeira. Alongside the rodas of Mestre Bimba, Mestre Pastinha, and Mestre Waldemar, this mestre's roda was one of the most respected rodas in Brazil. During part of his life, he traveled widely and had interesting adventures, like following the band of outlaws led by Horace de Matos. In one of these adventures, as he told, armed with an 18 inch machete he faced eight policemen who opened fire on him. But he was able to divert all the bullets with his...

Written by Monteiro Lobato Originally published in the collection A Onda Verde. Translated into English by Shayna McHugh The capoeirista nicknamed “22 da Marajó” [22 was likely his registry number, as sailors were often known by them. Marajó is an island in the mouth of the Amazon River] was an imperial sailor and a master troublemaker. He was a good-looking guy, and stories of his exceptional Capoeira abilities spread as legends. He annoyed the government so much that he was sent up north to serve in the Amazon. The change in climate refreshed him, and he became a calmer man. He began an affair with the wife of a ship chandler, who later died. 22 married the widow and inherited a bit of money. The couple went to Europe for two years, then returned to Brazil and settled in Rio de Janeiro. He had changed so much! Transformed into a perfect gentleman, he amazed the whole neighborhood with his fancy clothes, gloves, and cream-colored top hat. Who is that? Who is that? – the people whispered. No one knew. Certainly someone of noble lineage, they said, just look at his refined fashion. And 22, impervious to the chatter, continued on, a monocle perched...

Mestre Pastinha is one of the most famous capoeirista. He is best known for preserving capoeira in its traditional form in reaction to the development of Capoeira Regional. Vicente Ferreira Pastinha (his birth name) was born on April 5th, 1889 to José Señor Pastinha and Eugênia Maria de Carvalho. He started learning capoeira at age 8 from an African named Benedito, who taught Pastinha the art so that he could defend himself from an older boy who was bullying him in the street. From 1902 to 1909, Pastinha taught capoeira to his colleagues at the School of Sailor Apprentices. He stopped teaching in 1912 and spent nearly thirty years away from capoeira. In 1941, at the request of other mestres of the era, Mestre Pastinha opened a center for the teaching and practice of traditional capoeira. His students wore black and yellow, the colors of Ypiranga, his favorite soccer team. Many of Pastinha’s students went on to become great names in capoeira angola, such as Aberrê (mestre of Canjiquinha), João Pequeno, João Grande, Gato, Bola Sete, Curió, Gildo Alfinete, and Boca Rica. In 1966, Mestre Pastinha and his students presented capoeira angola at the First Festival of Black Arts in Senegal. Mestre Pastinha is known as...