• Capoeira Angola. Socio-etnographical Study
     W. Rego about M Gato Preto 
    1968

    Quotes

    Gato (José Gabriel Goes) was born in Santo Amaro da Purificação, on 19th March 1929 [1930 - velhosmestres.com, see year 1930]. As a child he learned capoeira with his father Eutíquio Lúcio Chagas [probable mistake here, should be Góes], a famous capoeirista in Santo Amaro da Purificação. Gato is an excellent capoeirista. He plays admirably well and with incredible agility. But what distinguishes his among all is the cat-like skill, as he sets up and makes the kicks, so that during the whole game he leaves an impression of a great ballet spectacle. Being a virtuoso of the game, he is also very good at playing rhythms. He was one of the capoeira mestres to go join the brazilian delegation in the First International Black Arts Festival in Dakar [in 1966, see year 1966]. On the capoeira recording made by Editôra Xauã [in 1963, see year 1963], he participates as a berimbau player.

    [The rhythms of M] Gato (José Gabriel Goes):
    Angola
    São Bento Grande
    Jogo de Dentro
    São Bento Pequeno
    São Bento Grande de Compasso
    São Bento de Dentro
    Angolinha
    Iuna
    Cavalaria
    Benguela
    Santa Maria
    Santa Maria Dobrada
    Samba de Angola
    Ijexá
    Panhe a laranja no chão tico-tico
    Samongo
    Benguela Sustenida
    Assalva ou Hino

    When it comes to the Ijexá rhythm, in Gato's (José Gabriel Goes) capoeira, the name is just a lable, because the rhythm itself is an alteration of other known ones.

    [The kicks of M] Gato (José Gabriel Goes):
    Bananeira
    Meia lua
    Chapa-pé
    Tesoura
    Chibata armada
    Cabeçada

    Rabo de arraia
    Rasteira
    Plantar bananeira
    Leque ou boca de sirí

    The Academia Baiana de Capoeira Angola, is situated on Christiani Ottoni street, the old Mirante do Calabar [see the map below], with exhibitions on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 8 to 10 PM and on Sundays from 9 to 12 AM, is led by Mestre Gato (José Gabriel Goes). Although it is a relatively new academy, since it was founded in 1962, the Academia Baiana de Capoeira Angola [we know that M Gato already founded his academy in 1955, see year 1955, probably only moved to the Christiano Ottoni street in 1962] is of great importance among the rest. It has excellent students and berimbau players, besides presenting a different characteristics from others, which is teaching the women and being preferred by the students of the Dance School of the Federal University of Bahia, for learning capoeira, thanks to the merit of the Mestre's teaching capabilities which he's using to transmit his knowledge.

    M Gato's school » Mirante do Calabar (today Jardim Apipema), dona Pompilha's little school

    Escola Baiana de Capoeira Angola in the old Mirante do Calabar


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