MESTRE CHITÃOZINHO | Chief Instructor

Mestre Chitãozinho began training Capoeira in 1986 at the age of 11 in his hometown of Fortaleza, Brazil with Grupo Zumbi Capoeira and then with Grupo Abada. At the age of 14 Mestre Chitãozinho went to train with Mestre Espirro Mirim of Grupo Cordao de Ouro, a Capoeira group founded by the Grand Master Suassuna in 1967. Mestre Chitãozinho spent the next 15 years training and teaching Capoeira under the guidance of Mestre Espirro Mirim.

In 2005, together with his students, Mestre Chitãozinho founded Grupo Negaça Capoeira in Fortaleza, Ceara. Later that year Mestre Chitãozinho was formally recognised as a Master (Mestre) of Capoeira by the Capoeira community and his students. Since 2005 Grupo Negaca Capoeira has gone from strength to strength. Mestre Chitãozinho, now has 1 Mestre, 26 Professors and 6 Contra-mestres across 10 cities in Northeastern Brazil, all of which are actively involved in promoting the cultural, practical, and intellectual development of Capoeira.

In 2000 Master Chitãozinho initiated a Capoeira scheme for disadvantaged children in Fortaleza, teaching Capoeira to children from a poor neighbourhood just outside the town under the shade of the trees. Over the years Master Chitãozinho raised enough money to build a small hall where the children could train Capoeira, attend a Spiritist Sunday School, and attend special events such as the Children's Day and Christmas Day parties. Before leaving Brazil to move to Cambridge, Master Chitãozinho arranged for one of his own experienced students - Professor Tropeco - to take over the Capoeira lessons while the other activities remain under the supervision of volunteers from the Sociedade Espirita Cristianismo Redivivo (SECRED).

Master Chitãozinho has studied and researched many aspects of Capoeira, including its philosophy, traditions, techniques, and the game in itself. With this research Master Chitaozinho has so far published three books on Capoeira:


A Capoeira sob uma nova visão (2000) was the first book Mestre Chitaozinho published. It studies ethics and discipline in the lives of Capoeiristas both within the roda de capoeira and in everyday life.	ABC da Capoeira (2004) is a basic guide to both the practical and theoretical principles of Capoeira, including a description of attack and defense movements, musical instruments involved in the Capoeira game, and a response to one of the most fundamental questions in Capoeira: what is Capoeira?	Consciencia Capoeiristica (2008) attempts to analyse the Capoeirista as an individual; questioning how he or she should relate to the morals and philosophy of Capoeira, to other Capoeristas, and to his or herself as a Capoeirista. In other words, this book takes the (Capoeirista) reader on a journey of self-awareness and understanding, based on the philosophy of Socrates and some of Freud's psychoanalytical ideologies.

In 1997 Master Chitaozinho undertook a two-year course in Spiritual Sciences (ESDE) at the Federacao Espirita Brasileira in Fortaleza, Brazil. Since then, Master Chitaozinho has also graduated as a qualified History teacher from the Universidade Estadual Vale Acarau, Fortaleza, Brazil.

INSTRUTOR DOIDÃO | Club Secretary

Matthew Fagg's first contact with the 'jogo bonito' was in 1998 in Egypt learning from a friend. He then trained in Puerto Rico, USA & Brazil before returning home to the UK in 2001. He continued training with Amazonas Capoeira under Professoras Rilene, Rejane and Professor Boneco where he gained the nick name 'Doidão'.

After moving to Saffron Walden in 2005 he began training with Grupo Senzala under Mestre Gato in Cambridge until moving back to old London town in 2007. He continued training with Capoeira Ceara and graduated to 'Monitor' in 2008. Monitor Doidão began teaching his first classes in Harrow until a growing family promted Doidão's move back to Saffron Walden where he joined Mestre Chitãozinho. After his long journey through the world of Capoeira, Doidão felt very much at home with the style of Chitaozinho's teachings and philosophy of the art.

On May 8th 2010 Doidão was graduated to 'Instrutor' after his dedication to Capoeira and its development in the UK.

When not 'gingando' and playing berimbau to his children, Doidão runs a product photography studio, www.revolutionphotographic.com.