João Pereira dos Santos, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death
TweetJoão Pereira dos Santos
Capoeira mestres
Date of Birth: 
Place of Birth: Bahia, Brazil
About João Pereira dos Santos
- João Pereira dos Santos or Mestre João Pequeno de Pastinha (27 December 1917 – 9 December 2011) as he was known within capoeira circles.
- He began his life in Capoeira as a student of Mestre Gilvenson (C.
- Daniel Dawson's book "Capoeira Angola and Mestre João Grande" cites Mestre Barbosa as João Pequeno's first teacher, see Mestre João Grande) and later became a disciple of Mestre Pastinha - the father of contemporary Capoeira Angola.
- Together with Mestre João Grande he is later to share the honour of being one of the late Mestre Pastinha's two most learned students - the ones to whom he entrusted his legacy.
- Mestre João Pequeno died on 9 December 2011 at the age of 93.In 1970, Mestre Pastinha said the following about João Pequeno and João Grande, "They will be the greatest Capoeira players of the future and I have worked hard with them, and for them, to achieve this.
- They will be true masters.
- Not just impromptu teachers, as can be found anywhere, who only destroy our tradition which is so beautiful.
- I've taught everything I know to these young men.
- Even the Cat's Leap (lit.
- Pulo do gato, the one move that is kept to oneself to use in dire circumstances.
- It is usually never taught to anyone, to keep its element of surprise).
- That's why I have the greatest hopes regarding their future."
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