Reinaldo Ramos Suassuna

Mestre Suassuna
Suassuna Capoeirando 2004
Background information
Birth name	Reinaldo Ramos Suassuna
Born	(1938-01-16) 16 January 1938
Origin	Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil
Genres	Capoeira Brazilian Folklore
Occupation(s)	Head of cordão de ouro, musician, educator
Instruments	Berimbau, atabaque, pandeiro
Years active	1975–present
Labels	Wea International
Website	grupocordaodeouro.com.br

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]

Early life

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 in Itabuna, and later studied under Waldemar, Canjiquinha, and Bimba.^[3]

Professional career

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. He has graduated several capoeiristas individually and 5 distinct group generations known as "turma" (1970, 1975, 1980, 1988 and 2000).^[4]

References