| Mestre Suassuna | |
|---|---|
Suassuna Capoeriando 2004 |
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Reinaldo Ramos Suassuna |
| Born | January 16, 1938 |
| Origin | Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil |
| Genres | Capoeira Brazilian Folklore |
| Occupations | Head of Cordão de Ouro, Musician, Educator |
| Instruments | Berimbau, Atabaque, Pandeiro |
| Years active | 1975 - Present |
| Labels | Wea International |
| Associated acts | Mestre Suassuna and Dirceu |
| Website | [1] |
Reinaldo Ramos Suassuna also known as Mestre Suassuna (pronounced [ˈmɛstɾi swaˈsunɐ]; born 1938 in Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil) is the founder and head of the international capoeira organization Cordão de Ouro.[1]
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Suassuna was raised in Itabuna and began practicing capoeira, in the early 1950s, initially because it was prescribed to him by a doctor, as treatment for a physical handicap in his legs[2]. He graduated under Masters Sururu, Abine and Tonho Role in Itabuna, and later studied under Masters Waldemar, Canjiquinha, and Bimba[3].
In the early 1960s, Suassuna became a prominent practitioner of capoeira in Bahia, receiving numerous invitations to present his capoeira show in other Brazilian states and abroad. In 1965 he moved to São Paulo with the intention of opening an academy and making a career in capoeira. In September, 1967, after some financial hardship, he met Mestre Brasilia in Ze Freita’s Academy, and together they founded Associacao de capoeira Cordão de Ouro.
As Mestre Suassuna, he has produced many capoeira shows, recorded four compact discs, and directed the Show Group of Cordão de Ouro. He has also contributed to the development of capoeira itself, and is the inventor of Miudinho, which is a musical rhythm, along with a distinct style in the martial art. Suassuna continues to influence the world of capoeira today, conducting workshops and seminars in several states in Brazil and around the world[4].