Capopedia
ENPT

Person

Mestre João Grande

João Oliveira dos Santos

1933 –

Born in Itagi, Bahia, Brazil

8

  • Life
  • Title received
  • Lineage (training, titles granted)
  • Groups
  • Locations
  • decade or uncertain
  • no end date

Dated moments of this life, from the corpus.1 undated moment is listed under Relations

14

3 teachers

  3. Mestre

    Pastinha

    5 April 1889 – 13 November 1981

MestreJoão Grande

11 students

  6. Mestre

    Poloca

    1960 (approx.) –
View lineage →

João Oliveira dos Santos was born on January 15, 1933, in the village of Itagi in southern Bahia. As a child, he worked alongside his family in the fields as a cattle herder. His mother died when he was young, and he never attended school.

At the age of ten, he saw a movement called "corta capim" for the first time—a crouching technique where one leg swings in a circle while hopping over it with the other. Fascinated, he asked what it was called and was told it was "the Dance of the Nagos", a dance of the African descendants in Salvador.

Ten years later, at age twenty, João left his rural life and arrived in Salvador, the birthplace of capoeira. At Roca do Lobo, he witnessed his first proper capoeira roda. Present were mestres Menino Gordo, João Pequeno, Mestre Barbosa, and Cobrinha Verde—one of the most skillful players of that era. João Pequeno sent him to Mestre Pastinha, who had an academy in the Cardeal Pequeno neighborhood of Brotas.

41

16

  1. Granted titles to1

    João Grande granted the title of Contra-Mestre to Virgílio de Ilhéus1950s

    João Grande granted Virgílio the contra-mestre title in the 1950s. João Grande was born in Itagi, near Ilhéus, and was known locally as "João Bate-Estaca".

    Verified
    [1]

  2. Received titles from1

    João Grande received the title of Mestre from Pastinha1968

    João Grande was awarded his diploma of capoeira from Pastinha in 1968, making him a full-fledged mestre of capoeira angola. This was the formal recognition of his mastery after 15 years of training.

    Verified
    [2][3]

  3. Trained under2

    João Grande trained under Cobrinha Verde1953 – 1983

    When João Grande arrived in Salvador in 1953, he witnessed his first roda where Cobrinha Verde was present as "one of the most skillful players of that era". Cobrinha Verde was responsible for introducing the act of touching the floor many times as if making sorcery or asking for protection—this floor-touching mandinga movement was later spread by João Grande, who had learned it from Cobrinha Verde. Cobrinha Verde also "shared the work with Mestre Pastinha, where he passed on his knowledge to his students, which included the future masters, João Grande and João Pequeno".

    Verifiedno source recorded

  4. João Grande trained under Barbosa1953 – 1953

    When João Grande arrived in Salvador at age 20, he met Mestre Barbosa at the roda at Roca do Lobo. He asked Barbosa if he could study capoeira, and Barbosa sent him to João Pequeno, who then sent him to Mestre Pastinha. This was João Grande's first contact with organized capoeira in Salvador.

    Verifiedno source recorded

  5. Student of1

    João Grande student of Pastinha1953 – 13 November 1981

    João Grande joined Pastinha's academy at the Cardeal Pequeno neighborhood of Brotas in 1953 at age 20. João Pequeno had been training with Pastinha for two years prior. Pastinha named him one of "the two most learned students" alongside João Pequeno. In 1970, Pastinha prophesied: "They will be the great capoeiras of the future". Received diploma in 1968. Relationship ended with Pastinha's death Nov 13, 1981.

    Verified
    [2][3][4]

  6. Teacher of3

    João Grande teacher of Moraes1958 –

    Moraes began training at Pastinha's academy around age 8 (~1958). João Grande and João Pequeno ran the classes as Pastinha was blind. Moraes states he considers João Grande his true teacher due to the impression made by the way João Grande played capoeira.

    Verified
    [5][6]

  7. João Grande teacher of Jorge

    Jorge was trained by his father Mestre João Grande from early childhood. João Grande would wake Jorge and his brother Jurandir early in the morning to train together in their backyard, instilling a deep connection to Capoeira Angola as a way of life rooted in discipline, respect, and tradition. This represents organic, immersive transmission before the formalization of academy systems.

    Likely
    [7]

  8. João Grande teacher of Jurandir Santos

    Jurandir was trained by his father João Grande from early childhood. João Grande would wake Jurandir and his brother Jorge early in the morning to train together in their backyard, instilling a deep connection to Capoeira Angola as a way of life rooted in discipline, respect, and tradition. This represents organic, immersive transmission before the formalization of academy systems.

    Verifiedno source recorded

  9. Guided the training of8

  10. João Grande guided the training of Laércio1984 – c. 1990

    Attended João Grande's Sunday classes at Forte Santo Antônio within GCAP space. João Grande left for USA at end of 1990.

    Verified
    [10]

1

  1. Teaches at1

    João Grande teaches at Grupo de Capoeira Angola Pelourinho1980s –

    Moraes and Cobra Mansa brought João Grande out of retirement in the mid-1980s, and he began to teach with GCAP. He later moved to the United States (1989 tour) and opened his own academy in New York City. Start and end dates are left open until further research establishes them; the relation has ended.

    Likely
    [4]

22

  1. Associated with21

    João Grande was associated with Evanir1953 –

    Multiple documented encounters: Evanir injured João Grande's face at Conceição da Praia (Dec 8); estranged for one year; reconciled after exhausting two-hour Carnival battle; "we became friends"

    Verified
    [14]

  2. João Grande was associated with João Pequeno1953 –

    João Pequeno had been training with Pastinha for two years when João Grande arrived. João Pequeno directed João Grande to Pastinha's academy. Together they became Pastinha's "two most learned students". In 1970, Pastinha declared: "They will be the great capoeiras of the future and for this I worked and fought with them and for them. They will be true masters, not improvised teachers". Both traveled to Dakar 1966 with Pastinha. When Pastinha grew blind, the two Joãos ran the academy together. João Grande was nicknamed to distinguish him from the shorter João Pequeno.

    Verified
    [2][3]

  4. João Grande was associated with Gildo Alfinete1959 – 12 October 2015

    Fellow students at CECA under Mestre Pastinha. Both were members of the historic 1966 Dakar delegation. Performed capoeira together at the First World Festival of Black Arts. Close personal and professional relationship documented through photographs spanning decades, including visits to João Grande's academy and home. Relationship ended with Gildo's death in 2015.

    Verified
    [17]

  5. João Grande was associated with Cabelo Bom1950s –

    João Grande described playing against Cabelo Bom at Conceição da Praia on December 8th: "I gave him a meia lua and he gave me a meia lua and I retreated and then gave him a cabeçada and he lightly gave a knee strike to my jaw". João Grande listed Cabelo Bom among the elite at Waldemar's: "There were only snakes, experts".

    Verified
    [15]

  6. João Grande was associated with Roberto Satanás1960 – April 1966

    Fellow students of Mestre Pastinha at CECA; both part of the delegation to Dakar 1966

    Verified
    [18]

  7. João Grande was associated with Gato PretoApril 1966 –

    João Grande and Gato Preto traveled together as part of the six-person Brazilian capoeira delegation to the First World Festival of Black Arts in Dakar, Senegal, April 1-24, 1966. The delegation included Pastinha, João Grande, Gato Preto, Gildo Alfinete, Roberto Satanás, and Camafeu de Oxossi. Photos show them performing together at Daniel Soreno Theatre.

    Verified
    [3]

  8. João Grande was associated with Camafeu de OxóssiApril 1966 –

    Both traveled as part of the Brazilian delegation to the First World Festival of Black Arts in Dakar, Senegal, April 1966.

    Verified
    [18]

2

6

  • Lived in: Salvador, Bahia, Brazil

    1953 –

  • Trained in: Brotas, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil

    1953 –

  • Taught in: New York, New York, United States

    1990 –

    [33]

  • Taught in: Harlem, Manhattan, New York, United States

    period not recorded

    [34]

  • Visited: Salvador, Bahia, Brazil

    1953 –

  • Visited: East Orange, New Jersey, United States

    1995 –

41
statements
32
· 78%
with a source
9
without a source
0
disputed

Relations by confidence

  • Verified: 34
  • Likely: 6
  • Unverified: 1

Sources cited

  1. [1]velhosmestres.com: featured 48 cited 1 time
  2. [2]NEA cited 3 times
  3. [3]Smithsonian cited 4 times
  4. [4]João Grande, Wikipedia cited 4 times
  5. [5]capoeira.online: mestre moraes cited 1 time
  6. [6]lalaue.com: mestre moraes cited 1 time
  7. [7]capoeirahub.net: mestres cited 2 times
  8. [8]mandingueira.ca: ie viva meu mestra part 5 mestra janja cited 1 time
  9. [9]nossa-tribo.com: mestra janja cited 1 time
  10. [10]filhosdeangola.eu: biografie cited 1 time
  11. [11]nzinga-marburg.com: mestras e mestres cited 2 times
  12. [12]helloasso.com: mestre marrom contra mestre tatiana en france cited 1 time
  13. [13]taylorsbantus.wordpress.com: mestre pintor cited 1 time
  14. [14]João Grande interview with Poloca, Sept 1, 2004 cited 1 time
  15. [15]Interview with Mestre João Grande, Capoeira Connection cited 2 times
  16. [16]velhosmestres.com: destaques 71 cited 1 time
  17. [17]velhosmestres.com: destaques 22 cited 1 time
  18. [18]Pastinha 1966, velhosmestres.com cited 2 times
  19. [19]Jair Moura - CapoeiraWiki, CapoeiraWiki cited 1 time
  20. [20]SecultBA emite nota de pesar: Mestre Jair Moura (1936-2020), SecultBA, Revista Museu cited 1 time
  21. [21]Mestre Curió, Velhos Mestres cited 1 time
  22. [22]festival.si.edu: smithsonian cited 1 time
  23. [23]velhosmestres.com: featured 22 cited 2 times
  24. [24]I Regional Capoeira Seminar / Festival of Capoeira Rhythms, 4-8 June 1980, Barris, Salvador, Velhos Mestres cited 1 time
  25. [25]dicionariompb.com.br: moa do katende cited 1 time
  26. [26]capoeira.fandom.com: centro cultural senzala cited 1 time
  27. [27]agitaeco.com.br obituary cited 1 time
  28. [28]Caderno de Cultura, Tribuna da Bahia cited 1 time
  29. [29]velhosmestres.com: featured 6 cited 1 time
  30. [30]velhosmestres.com: waldemar 1989 cited 1 time
  31. [31]Mestre João Grande – NEA National Heritage Fellow, National Endowment for the Arts cited 1 time
  32. [32]velhosmestres.com: destaques 27 cited 1 time
  33. [33]joaogrande.org cited 1 time
  34. [34]dendearts.com: honoring mestre joao grande cited 1 time