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
Aú
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.