Mestre Chicote's biography

Mestre Chicote began Capoeira at the age of ten years old by playing in the streets. Then, noticed by Mestre Matias (today in Switzerland), he started to train in the group Berimbau de Ouro. In 1996, he became part of group Cordão De Ouro and has never looked back. He's traveled all of Brazil, gaining knowledge from many Mestres and enriching his diversity in the art and culture of Capoeira. All the while he's maintained a successful Cordão De Ouro branch within Patos de Minas (Minas Gerais). This social and educational project makes it possible for several teenagers to be fully invested and to reach high levels, such as Professor Piolho, Instructor Tizil, Tineca, Dino... and many others who, in Chicote's absence, have taken charge of the overseeing of this project and are continuing to make it a grand success.

Once Chicote arrived in the UNITED STATES In 2001, he settled in Iowa, where he taught Capoeira for the PLAIN club of the local university (Cedar Falls). This is a project founded and maintained by Jill Hartleip, Instrutora Pulginha. He continued to contribute to the establishment of Cordão De Ouro in the Midwest by assisting with the arrival of Contra Mestre Denis (2003) and Instructor Xara (2004). He then made his way west to California where he established other schools being led by his teachers in LA, Oakland, Emeryville, and Vallejo. Professors Berinjela and Xangô, Instructor Preá, and Estagiario Zumbi are currently leading this branch of his schools.

A subsequent course of events led him to France where he settled in Paris in March 2005. He began sharing his knowledge and his experience with the pupils of The Association of Capoeira Cordão De Ouro – Paris. He invited then Instructor Piolho to join him in France. Since their arrival in France, the Cordão de Ouro capoeira - Paris branch has flourished and enjoyed several successful events and a substantially growing contingent of students.

He became a "Mestre" in 2010, during the 5th Festival Passo à Frente in Paris.