Mestre João Pequeno
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 and later became a disciple of Mestre Pastinha. Together with Mestre João Grande he is considered 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.
Revival of Pastinha's academy
On 2 May 1982, with the world barely starting to recover from the recession, João Pequeno founded the Academia de João Pequeno de Pastinha with the purpose of continuing the lineage teaching of Capoeira Angola in the manner it was taught in Mestre Pastinha's academy. This lineage was very nearly destroyed when Pastinha's academy was closed down by the government to "renovate" the buildings. The subsequent death almost a decade later of the great Angoleiro only made things more difficult.
The authenticity of João Pequeno's academy in following Pastinha's academy was not limited exclusively to the technique and teaching methods, but also in the manner of spiritual and cultural development. In a way, João Pequeno revived and succeeded in achieving the original purpose for which Pastinha's Centro Esportivo de Capoeira Angola was established - that is, to preserve and promote the traditions of Capoeira Angola, the fundamental tenets of the Angoleiro and to provide a community based support for Capoeiristas.
Later life and death
Mestre João Pequeno dedicated his life to teaching Pastinha's style of Capoeira Angola ever since and has graduated students who today are well-known Mestres in their own right. Into his 90s, Joao Pequeno continued to teach and practise capoeira at his academy in Forte de Santo Antônio Além do Carmo which has, through the work of Mestre João and GCAP, come to be called the Forte da Capoeira which is off to the north side of the historical center of Salvador, Bahia which is also called Pelourinho. Mestre João Pequeno died on 9 December 2011, at the age of 93.