Eric "E" Johnson (Instrutor Frade) began training capoeira in his native Chicago with Mestra Marisa in 1996. He earned his blue Instrutor cord in 2016. He taught classes in Chicago at Old Town School of Folk for 10 years before moving to Vermont with his family in 2014. He began teaching capoeira classes in the Upper Valley as an extension of Mestre Marisa's group Gingarte Capoeira Chicago.
Heather Pogue, (Dourada), began training capoeira with Mestra Marisa in Chicago in 2002. She earned her yellow cord in 2007. She had twin daughters, Maya and Amara, with her husband, Eric Johnson in 2008. After taking some years off to raise their children and teach elementary school, Dourada began training capoeira again in 2014 and earned her blue/yellow cord in 2016. She helped to establish GCVT in 2015 and takes care of management and advertising as well as teaching classes.
Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian art developed by enslaved Africans and their descendants in colonial era Brazil. It blends elements of martial art, dance, music, song, history and culture.
Mestre Marisa Cordeiro is the founder and director of Gingarte Capoeira and a shining symbol of the Brazilian community in Chicago. Born in Curvelo, Brazil, Marisa trained at the prestigious Cordão de Ouro Capoeira Academy in São Paulo with top instructors such as Mestre Suassuna, Mestre Canguru, and Mestre Urubu Malandro. She is one of the highest-ranking female capoeiristas in the world. In July 2016, she was given her 2nd level Mestre cord.
Mestre Marisa first came to the United States in 1989 as a performer with the renowned international group Oba Oba. They performed throughout the United States and Latin America. Two years later, she returned to Chicago and established Gingarte Capoeira in 1991.
Mestre Marisa Cordeiro, Founder Gingarte Capoeira Chicago,
Instrutor Frade (Eric "E" Johnson) Cordao Azul, Lead teacher for Gingarte Capoeira Vermont, student of Mestre Marisa
Monitora Dourada (Heather Pogue), Cordao Amarelo/Azul, manager and teacher for Gingarte Capoeira Vermont, student of Mestre Marisa
Gingarte Capoeira Vermont is an extension of Gingarte Capoeira Chicago. Monitor E and Dourada began GCVT in order to continue training capoeira, with the dream of one day being able to bring Mestra Marisa and other Gingarte Capoeira instructors and students to visit to teach and share the art they love with the Upper Valley community.