Our history (2001-2020)

 

The Capoeira Canoa Grande Capoeira group was officially founded in January 2001 by Ricardo Vieira do Nascimento in Igarassu, Pernambuco.

 

August 2003 1st BATIZADO 

The first Batizado and event of the group Canoa Grande takes place under the direction of Professor Relampâgo in the Centro de Artes of Igarassu.

 

August 2005 2nd BATIZADO and EVENT

The event took place in the Centro de Artes in Igarassu with cultural presentations by Afoxé, Maracatu, Ciranda, HipHop. With international support, Canoa Grande managed to involve the Afoxé do Olinda dance and music group. Mestre Piraja, one of Pernambuco's best known masters, led the ceremony together with Mestre Renato with the participation of Mestre Pintoza, Mestre Canarinho, Mestre Mudo and Professors Peu, Ratinho and Mia. The international support ensured the participating masters the fees and transport costs as well as the food for everyone. Thanks to the generosity of Mestra Marisa Cordeiro (Gingarte Capoeira in Chicago), 40 students received their first Capoeira uniform. Approximately 150 spectators gathered in the Art Center, where around 30 local artists were represented in various capacities. The Batizado event included Ciranda, Maracatu, Afoxé, HipHop and an experimental band that mixed traditional rhythms with rock and blues. 

 

January 2006 COMPETITION

In January 2006, Canoa Grande funded a Capoeira competition for youth from the city of Igarassu. The young capoeiristas were awarded medals and certificates. Mestre Serpente, Professor Peu and trainer Cento Pé were referees, while boys and girls challenged each other in their age groups

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June 2007 OPENING OF THE CANOA GRANDE ACADEMY

In January 2007 Canoa Grande acquired a small property in Sitio Histórico in Igarassu. In June 2007, Canoa Grande completed the construction of the premises in Rua Santo Antônio. The academy was opened in June 2007 and was intended to serve as a place for young people to get to know the culture and to preserve the African Brazilian heritage. The opening round included Mestre Carrasco, Mestre Rouxinol, Professores Madrugada, Peu and Gordo.

 

June 2008 FUNDRAISER: Film Andre Ninja and play Mulheres: Tasks of Survival, Chicago, USA

In addition to the documentary about capoeirista Andre Ninja, who was killed in Igarassu in 2007, Daniela Göpfert presented her experience and her work in Igarassu. Her solo piece was successfully performed at the University of Illinois at Chicago and accompanied by a presentation by Gingarte Capoeira, Chicago, to generate funds for the Canoa Grande group.

 

January 2009 3rd  BATIZADO and EVENT

This event took place at the group academy in Igarassu. Guests included Mestres Trator, Gordo, Mago, Andre, Indio, Nightingale, Skania and the professors Taturana, Madrugada. At this event Ricardo Vieira Nascimento received the Contra Mestre title.

 

In March 2009, Contra Mestre Relampâgo disappeared and was probably murdered. Since then, the academy has been owned by his family. Graduates of Grupo Capoeira Canoa Grande worked together to continue the work of the group and its master in the community in Igarassu. Under the guidance of trained students, the group continued to teach youngsters in the art of Capoeira on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the Gymnasium Raposo, Igarassu. The group organized monthly rodas in Igarassu to be maintain a presence in the city.

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2009-2011 Documentation collection and creation of the documentary Relampâgo Capoeira

 

November 2011 FUNDRAISER, COLLOQUIUM and FILM RELAMPÂGO CAPOEIRA, USA

In November 2011 Daniela Goepfert completed the documentary about CM Relampâgo and held an event for the Grupo Capoeira Canoa Grande in Chicago, USA. At the same time, she organized a colloquium at the University of Illinois in Chicago: Memory, Roots, Identity with Dania Hückmann, Phd - NYU and Professor Christina West from the University of Mannheim, among others.

 

November 2011 PRESENTATION RELAMPÂGO CAPOEIRA, Brazil

The Canoa Grande group presented the film Relampâgo Capoeira at the cultural center in Igarassu. The group organized a roda to honor Contra Mestre Relampâgo with capoeira friends during the event.

 

March 2012 CAPOEIRA and CAIXIXI WORKSHOPS Capoeira Youth workshops took place with the participation of Contra Mestre Borracha in the Gymnasium in Igarassu.

 

May 2012 PRESENTATION IN THE MARKET

The Grupo Capoeira Canoa Grande was invited to present its work in the Igarassu market - a program sponsored by the governor.

 

January 2013 STREET ART

Organized by Coletivo Bagaço, local artists from Igarassu sponsored an independent event with graffiti artists, poets, capoeira, coco, cirando, hip hop and rock bands in front of the Jota de Raposo Gymnasium. Canoa Grande invited CM Borracha from Recife to attend the presentation of Capoeira and Maculelê.

 

October 2013 REORGANIZATION

Instrutora Bamba and Instrutor Betinho lead the group and conduct Capoeira classes in the space of the Boy Scouts of Igarassu. 

 

January / March 2014 INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE Brazil / USA

 

April 2015 1st WOMEN RODA IN IGARASSU Instrutora Bamba (Danielle Göpfert) organized the first women Roda in Igarassu with the participation of Mestre Shirley Guerreira and Instrutora Paula and other female capoeiristas from the area. Also present were: Mestre Rouxinol, Mestre Pequena, Professor Andre Moleque, Professor Chocolate.

 

May 2015 4th BATIZADO and EVENT CANOA GUERREIRA

The group held the fourth baptism at the cultural center in Igarassu on May 31, 2015. The guests and attendees were: Mestre Ulisses, Mestre Juarez, Mestre Azeitona, Mestra Shirley, Mestre Boca Roxa, Mestre Gordo, Mestre Pequena, Mestre Rouxinal, Mestre Mago, Mestre Gilson, Contra Mestre Cobrinha, Contra Mestre Leber, Contra Mestre Malung Mestre Marcos Cangaia, Professor Moleque, Professor Pantera, Professor Tornado. The Canoa Guerreira event was organized by the Coletivo Bagaço and Capoeira Canoa Grande groups. The program included an East African percussion workshop, a presentation of berimbau, African dance, Maculelê, etc. Also musical groups played coco, a rhythm and dance of the region (masters: Lia, Ulisses, Juarez, Zé Negão, Katuka and more).

 

August 2015 CANOA GRANDE in GERMANY Professor Betinho and Instrutora Bamba performed with Capoeira and Maculelê at the Auerworld Festival. On July 21, the pupils of the Hugo von Trimberg School in Schweinfurt had the unique opportunity for a “Capoeira workshop” with Betinho and Bamba.

 

December 2015 CAPOEIRA EVENT A small event at the end of the year that gave the opportunity to give some students the first cordão.

 

2015-2019 Capoeira classes for children and teenagers in the chapel of São Jorge and in the club house of the neighborhood Tropical in Igarassu

 

July 2016 CANOA GRANDE in GERMANY

Professor Betinho and Instrutora Bamba performed with Capoeira and Maculelê at the event of the Associação Salve Capoeira group in Berlin.

 

August 2016 CANOA and OLYMPIC TORCH

The group performed very successfully at the Olympic Torch Event in Igarassu and led a roda in the historical part of Igarassu.

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April 2017 2nd WOMEN RODA

with the participation of the first mestra in Pernambuco Shirley Guerreira (Grupo Mãe Arte) and internationally known Mestras Bel and Dani (São Salomão Capoeira)

 

May 2017 5th BATIZADO and EVENT

With the presence of Mestres Ulisses and Juarez (group Lua de São Jorge), Mestre Pequena (group Disciplos de Zumbi Bahia), Mestra Shirley (group Mãe Arte), Mestre Azeitona (group Pernambuco, Igarassu) and many other and other masters and teachers from the Recife area. At the center of the group Maracatú Estrela Brilhante, Ponto da Cultura, Igarassu there were presentations by Maculelê, Afoxê, Capoeira, Samba de Roda and Sambada de Coco. Betinho received the title of Contra Mestre and Bamba the title Professora with the approval of the Federation Unicalen.

 

January-February 2018 CHILDREN'S PROJECT PITANGA

Together with Senhora Lurdinha in the municipality of Pitanga, Igarassu, they bring food, football and capoeira to local youth. 

 

May 2018 WOMEN'S EVENT FLOR DA CABAÇA

An event organized by women from the groups União de Bahia, Dendê de Pernambuco, Associação Salve Capoeira and Canoa Grande groups. Mestra Shirley Guerreira (Capoeira), Professor Paula (Capoeira / Frevo), Professor Bamba (theater / Capoeira dynamics) taught the approximately 100 women, men and children in workshops. This first collaboration between the organizers was a great success for everyone and was the birth of the Flor da Cabaça movement.

 

August 2018 CANOA GRANDE in GERMANY

Contra Mestre Betinho and Professora Bamba performed with Capoeira and Maculelê at street festivals in Berlin and Leipzig.

 

2018-2019 CONSTRUCTION OF THE CANOA GRANDE CULTURAL SITE

 

June 2019 2nd EVENT FLOR DA CABAÇA

A full day of exchange of experiences in Capoeira with Mestra Shirley (Mãe Arte), Mestra Bel and Mestra Dani (São Salomão), Romena (Angola Herança), organized by women from the groups União da Bahia, Dendê de Pernambuco, Canoa Grande and Associação Salve Capoeira.

 

August 2019 CANOA GRANDE in GERMANY Professor Bamba represented in Hanover and taught during the Grupo Capoeira Paixão event. CM Betinho shows his acrobatic talents on stage shows with Mestre Rizadinha in Berlin. At the Pusteblume Festival in Gerolzhofen, Betinho and Bamba gave a workshop for adults and children.

 

December 2019 6th BATIZADO and OPENING of the Espaço Cultural Canoa Grande.  Again the group invited Mestres Azeitona, Shirley, Sombra, Estigado, Leão, Pequena and other professors of capoeira to attend the festivities. The students of Canoa Grande presented music, poetry and capoeira sequences that they had rehearsed and trained throughout the year.

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