Teachers
- Mestre Gato (Fernando Albuquerque)
- Mestre Gatuno (Pedro Albuquerque)
- Professora Paula
- Professor Gabriel Calado
- Professor Ourico
Mestre Gato
Mestre Gato (Fernando Albuquerque), began Capoeira in 1963, at the age of 16 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In the early 1990′s Mestre Gato he began studying in Newcastle at the University. As a student, he discovered “the English have rhythm and like to fight”; he organized various capoeira rodas at the University. It was such a success that Mestre Gato ended up creating the Senzala Group of Great Britain, a branch of the original. Mestre Gato is one of the founding members and one of the lead teachers of Group Senzala, as well as being the head of Group Senzala in Great Britain and other parts of the world.
Mestre Gatuno
Mestre Gatuno (Pedro Albuquerque), moved to Scotland back in 2000, and has been practising Capoeira for more than 20 years with his father, Mestre Gato. Mestre Gatuno has been teaching Capoeira since 1995 and regularly teaches in several locations where Group Senzala is based throughout the UK, and is often invited to teach workshops at Capoeira meetings and events worldwide. Mestre Gatuno is extremely committed to developing Capoeira by sharing his knowledge and experience with others and he recently received his red cord, the Master’s cord, this summer (2011) in Brazil.
Instructora Paula
Professora Paula, Mestre Gato’s daughter, was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Her interest in Capoeira started at a very young age and she started training Capoeira with her father at just 7 years old. Over the years, she has not only developed her skills and understanding of the Brazilian art but Capoeira is also her passion. Paula moved to Edinburgh in 2008 and since then has helped develop Capoeira by introducing the art form by teaching regular classes in and around Edinburgh and throughout Scotland. Paula has just recently received her green cord, professor´s cord, at the 2011 Batizado and well deserved it is!
Professor Gabriel Calado, youngest son of Mestre Gato, has been training capoeira since an early age and
and has been influenced by many masters in Group Senzala and other groups as well. Gabriel has taught
Professor Gabriel
capoeira in schools throughout Rio de Janeiro, together with Mestre Garrincha, and has also taken part in traditional rodas and events that took place in Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Espírito Santo and Bahia. Professor Calado received his green chord in Edinburgh in 2007, and he recently received a grant from the Brazilian Ministry of Culture to run The Socio-Cultural Rhythms Exchange, a capoeira course that emphasises the development of capoeira through the assimilation, practice and understanding of it. The exchange is taking place in several locations in the UK including Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, St. Andrews, Cambridge and Rhyl.
Professor Ourico
Professor Ourico (William Michael Macdonald Thorburn), is a capoeira teacher, performer and choreographer. His vision of capoeira comes across in his classes and workshops – the focus on the game, fun, creativity, music & hard training. Influences from many other martial arts and movement analysis inform his approach and unique vision. He started capoeira age 14 with Doug Elkins, a choreographer from New York, was baptized into Senzala in 1999 and won a scholarship to travel to Brazil to study capoeira. He formed Senzala Mirrim for youth capoeira & also teaches adults across the UK.