Mayor Gavin Newsom and the City of San Francisco will declare Friday, May 18 2007...
Mestre Carlos Aceituno Day
in gratitude to the artistry and dedication of our beloved teacher
Founder of Fogo Na Roupa and Mestre of Omulu Guanabara
The ceremony will be in conjuction with the Annual SFCarnaval Reception
Friday, May 18 2007 @ noon
San Francisco City Hall
To Participate:
Plan on coming in full Carnaval regalia with a previous Fogo Na Roupa
carnaval costume (preferrably Fogomorphosis) email metziquez@aol. com for further
instructions
To Support:
All of Mestre Carlos' students and friends who wish to support please come
wearing red and white in solidarity with Mestre's work. Lets show the city how
many of us he impacted!
For our friends around the world... a short bio of Mestre Carlos Aceituno:
Carlos Aceituno’s artistic
background encompasses various forms of music and dance study: Latin, Afro-Brazilian,
Jazz, modern, and African. In 1989, he formed the award winning Carnaval Group Fogo Na
Roupa; consisting of both a performing company and a Grupo Carnavalesco (Carnaval Group),
Fogo embarked on what is now more than a decade of Afro-Brazilian parade, performance and
promotion
The group’s repertoire has broadened through his strong 27-year commitment the
study, training and teaching of Capoeira. Carlos is currently working with the leadership
of his teacher, Mestre Preguica, a first generation student of legendary Mestre Bimba, the
founder of "Capoeira Regional". In May 2000, he received
the prestigious title of "Mestre", the first one achieved outside of
Brazil in the United States.
Carlos Aceituno stems from a legacy of Afro-Brazilian dance and music culture,
pioneered in the San Francisco Bay Area by Jose Lorenzo’s Batucaje. He continues to
be a stalwart in the community with the consistent programming of annual travel study
tours to Brazil. He has worked directly with such master artists as Jorge Alabê, Mestre
King (renowned pioneer of Afro-Brazilian Dance in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil), Rosangela
Silvestre, and the Bale Folklorico da Bahia.
While educating and encouraging others, he conducts annual study tours to Brazil with
Fogo Na Roupa. These tours serve to enhance his knowledge of Regional Dance and Music Art
Forms while keeping abreast of ever-changing popular trends. He trains children, youth and
adults throughout the Bay Area and currently teaches at the Mission Cultural Center in San
Francisco, and Citicentre Dance Theatre in Oakland.
Under his artistic direction, Fogo Na Roupa’s performance highlights include Bay
Area opener for Brazil’s popular Olodum and collaboration with prominent Bay
Area jazz ensemble, Mingus Amungus, opening for Carlos Santana. He also
directed Fogo Na Roupa’s performance at the annual KMEL Summer Jam during the
‘96-’97 season. In 1999, he led Fogo Na Roupa in the opening of internationally
acclaimed Brazilian recording artist, Carlinhos Brown, at the Galleria Trade Show
Center in San Francisco.
Under his direction, Fogo Na Roupa has earned the grand prize of "Best Brazilian
Contingent" in the San Francisco Carnaval Parade for multiple years. Additional Performances: Brazilian Independence
Celebrations in San Francisco, the Afribbean Festival, Oakland’s own Carijama
festivals, Chinese New Year Parade, and TV appearances on KGO, Channel 7.
We were deeply saddened by the devastating news of the untimely passing
of Carlos Aceituno on September 27, 2006.
Carlos, you will be forever missed....