Mestre José Carlos Gonçalves

Date of Birth: July 22, 1956
Education: Secondary Level

Professions: Tacograph technician; battery installer; bus mechanic; plumber; refrigerator operator; Capoeira Master.

He began learning Capoeira with the Capoeira Angola Group of Mestre Moraes in the Gurilândia Club in Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro, in 1973.

He was made a master by Mestre Moraes on December 16, 1978 in Rio de Janeiro’s Lage Park (Parque Lage).

He founded, together with other capoeiristas, GCAP – Grupo de Capoeira Angola Pelourinho, on October 5, 1980 in Cosme Velho, Rio de Janeiro, RJ

In 1983 he began teaching Capoeira Angola in Nova Iguaçu, Baixada Fluminense, RJ.

Mestre José Carlos has taught classes at: Academia Maia, Nova Iguaçu; Academia Denis, Nova Iguaçu; Crian de Nova Iguaçu; and on the grounds of his own home.

In 1991 he definitively separated from GCAP.

He began teaching capoeira in the Casa de Cultura in Nova Iguaçu with the intention of creating a capoeira group. He gave classes at the América Football Club in Nova Iguaçu.

On December 10, 1991, he founded the Grupo de Capoeira Angola N’Golo in Nova Iguaçu.

In November 1992 he damaged his Achilles’ tendon and was required to halt capoeira, and in the spring of 1993 received an operation.

He returned to Capoeira in November 1993 during the First National Symposium on Studies and Debates on Capoeira, held at the State University of Rio de Janeiro.

In February 1994, now without a space in which to train, he recommenced his classes with a part of his group in the backyard of his own home.

He subsequently began teaching classes in the Irmãos Reis Academy in Catete, Rio de Janeiro, from 1995 until January 1997.

In February 1997, by invitation of Mestre Braga, he moved to the UNE building in Catete.

N’Golo ended its relationship with CCARJ and its classes in UNE in early 2002, and moved to BADALO, in Santa Teresa.

From 2003 to 2005, classes were held at the Laurinda Santos Lobo Cultural Center.

MERCADO DAS PULGAS (click for Map!)
Rua Almirante Alexandrino - Largo dos Guimarães
Santa Teresa, Rio de Janeiro RJ
Mondays and Wednesdays from 7 to 10 PM
Saturdays from 10 AM to 1 PM

Prices: single class R$ 30 / Monthly R$ 100