Mestre Camisa

José Tadeu Carneiro Cardoso, known as Grão-Mestre Camisa, was born on October 28, 1955, at Fazenda Estiva near Itapeipu, in the municipality of Jacobina, Bahia. He was the youngest of four brothers who would all become capoeiristas, growing up with nine siblings on the family farm. His eldest brother, Edvaldo Carneiro e Silva, would become the legendary Grão-Mestre Camisa Roxa, considered the best student of Mestre Bimba.

At around seven years old, Camisa began learning capoeira from his brother Camisa Roxa, who had trained under Mestre Bimba. "In the beginning they called me Camisinha", Camisa later recalled, "because I was the youngest and I had a brother—Camisa Roxa—graduated by Mestre Bimba". Around 1963, Camisa Roxa began teaching his younger siblings the lessons he learned at Bimba's academy in Salvador. The training attracted neighborhood youth—brothers, cousins, even vaqueiros (cowboys)—and they would practice on the farm's terreiro, on the grass, in the corral, on riverbanks, and even in the water.

At age 12, Camisa moved to Salvador to continue his education and joined Mestre Bimba's academy directly. His evolution was rapid: he graduated as an aluno formado at just 14 years old in 1969. His graduation companions were Macarrão, Onça Negra, and Torpedo; his sister Noemilde served as his madrinha (godmother). The formatura was a grand celebration in Amaralina featuring traditional stories told by Mestre Bimba, rituals, the prova de fogo (trial by fire), demonstrations of cintura desprezada, benguela games, matches with renowned capoeiristas and old graduates, and samba de roda until dawn.

In the early 1970s, Camisa toured Brazil with the folkloric dance company Olodum Maré alongside his brother Camisa Roxa. In late 1972, at age 16, he arrived in Rio de Janeiro during a tour. When his mother died shortly after, he decided to remain in Rio rather than return to his studies in Salvador. He began teaching capoeira at local academies and participating in the city's weekend rodas.

In Rio, Camisa joined Grupo Senzala and quickly became a leading figure among its masters. He taught classes at the Civil Servants Association near Canecão playhouse and continued developing his methodology. In 1977, he appeared in the landmark capoeira film "Cordão de Ouro", directed by Antonio Carlos da Fontoura, alongside Mestres Nestor Capoeira, Leopoldina, Peixinho, and others.

In 1984, Camisa organized a major event at Circo Voador featuring Bahian masters and Brazilian capoeiristas from across the country—a watershed moment in Rio's capoeira scene. However, by 1988, he felt the need for a new structure. "I began to consider the need to design a formal structure for classes, to draw up a basic lesson plan, to create a place to study and teach", he explained. Beyond pedagogy, he wanted to provide family-like support for practitioners who had left behind their homes to dedicate themselves to capoeira.

In 1988, Camisa founded Abadá-Capoeira (Associação Brasileira de Apoio e Desenvolvimento da Arte-Capoeira). His daughter Tatiana suggested the name, which cleverly abbreviates the organization's mission. Drawing from Mestre Bimba's innovative concepts, Camisa developed a distinctive teaching methodology emphasizing technical efficiency, proper body mechanics, and structured progression.

Abadá-Capoeira grew to become one of the largest capoeira organizations in the world, with over 40,000 members across more than 50 countries on five continents. Camisa established the Centro Educacional Mestre Bimba (CEMB) in Itaboraí, Rio de Janeiro—a training facility with sleeping quarters for 60 people and camping for 100 tents, honoring his mentor's legacy.

Throughout his career, Camisa has composed numerous capoeira songs including "Cuidado Moço", "Laia Loio", and "Lavadeira". During the COVID-19 pandemic, he developed new berimbau rhythms for capoeira training—São Bento da Abadá, Gingalopante, Jogo Cruzado, Siriúna, Silvestre, Capoxadama, and Capopasso—expanding the musical vocabulary beyond the characteristic banguela already used within Abadá.

"Capoeira gave me the flexibility to overcome everyday difficulties", Camisa has said. He continues to lead Abadá-Capoeira from Rio de Janeiro, having lived for over a decade in the Mangueira samba school community. He has elevated two women to the rank of Mestranda, and his organization maintains social projects in disadvantaged communities throughout Brazil.