CHUVISQUINHO'S BIOGRAPHY

Born on June 26 th 1979, Lindemberg Souza is most commonly known as Contra Mestre Chuvisquinho in the Capoeira world. Son of Gutemberg Moreira de Souza and Dalva Lucia de Lima, Chuvisquinho is a 3 rd generation ‘Capoeirista' (Capoeira Player). In his family, his grandfather Manoel Zacharias Rodriguez, was the first to practice Capoeira. He was a student of ‘Mestre' (Master) Brasilia from the Associa çã o de Capoeira S ã o Bento Grande . The next ‘Capoeirista' in the family would be Mestre Chuvisco, founder and president of the Associa çã o de Capoeira Mandingueiros dos Palmares (A.C.M.P.). Mestre Chuvisco (Chuvisquinho's father) was a student of Amadeu Martins (a.k.a. Gr ã o Mestre Dunga from the Associa ção De Capoeira Cord ão De Ouro - Eu Bahia - A Senzala ) who is considered a living legend in Capoeira.

Following in his family's foot steps the rhythms, movements, stories, and songs of Capoeira are woven into Chuvisquinho's being. He began practicing Capoeira movements around the same time he was learning to walk, and until this day he continues to perfect and refine the work he began as a child. In September 1986 at the age of seven, Chuvisquinho received his first Capoeira rank ‘cordel'. Another major event in his life happened when Chuvisquinho and his family, immigrated to the United States on September 18 th 1997. Life in a country where the culture was completely different than what he was used to was not easy. Adjusting to life in a foreign country was challenging, but Chuvisquinho would not let that interfere with his passion for Capoeira.

Along side with his father, since 1997, Chuvisquinho has been teaching Capoeira in various parts of Massachusetts , mainly in the Boston area. These places include:

-The Crunch Gym, - Tufts University , -The Everett Elks Club, -Mass Motion Dance Company, -Phunk Phenomenon,
-The Center of Creative Movements, - East Boston Social Center , -World Gym, - Umana Barnes Middle School ,
- West end House, -Roshankish Tae Kwondo - Brazilian Martial Center , -Tenants of Harvard Mission Park , -Inner Space,
-Chinese Kickboxing Club, -YMCA, -Jeannette Neill's Dance Studio, -BE ONE Multicultural Center, -Christine's Fitness Vibe, and others .

In addition to teaching Capoeira at these locations, Chuvisquinho has also been responsible for designing and teaching workshops for different local programs. These include:

- Teens on Stage – Fund of Boston Neighborhoods, Inc. (this is a three week artist residency program sponsored by the city of Boston that outreaches violence targeted teens);
- Teen Peer Leaders Programs – La Sociedad Latina (this is a six week program specifically for teen leaders in Roxbury);
-The Seedlings Summer Program – La Sociedad Latina (this is a seven week program that its focus is to expose young children to different experience and concepts that focus on positive values); and,
-Hot Spot Residency - Neighborhood of Affordable Housing in East Boston (this also a three week artist leadership development residency program sponsored by the Boston 's Mayor's Office of Arts).

Furthermore, focusing on displaying the art and culture of Capoeira, he has also performed in many shows. Just to name a few:

-Red Bull-The Blue Party, -The Amistad Foundation / Dance Connecticut ( Under Mestre Jelon Vieira who is the Founder and Artistic Director of Capoeira Foundation and Dance Brasil. A world renowned master, choreographer and teacher who brought Capoeira to the United States ),
-Sixth Annual Latino Culture Show, - Gobee Industries Inc. Entertainment @ Jillian's and Club Car in Worcester , -14 th Annual Hospitality Night @ Emmanuel College , -International Multicultural Show @ Massachusetts Institute of Technology, -Several multicultural shows @ Harvard University ,
-Brazilian Independence Day Festival ( Boston & Danbury , CT ), - Fleet Center , -Various Night Clubs (Roxy Night Clubs, Matrix Night Club, Rio Night Club), -Walk for Hunger and, -The 2006 Youth for Human Rights Concert.

After many years of training with his father and eighteen years after receiving his first cord, on October of 2004 Chuvisquinho receives the contra-mestre rank in Capoeira, handed to him by his ‘Mestre' in the I st MANDINGUEIROS OPEN 2004 . This happened in the presence of many Capoeira ‘mestres' such as:

-Mestre King/ Rio de Janeiro , Brasil, -Mestre Itabora/ San Francisco , USA , -Mestre Roni/ Florida , USA , -Mestre Loka/Massachusetts, USA ,
-Mestre Demetrius/Philadelphia, USA , -Contra-Mestre Zumbi/ New Jersey , USA , -Contra-Mestre Ze com Fome/Massachusetts, USA ,
-Contra- Mestre Glauber , New Jersey , USA and, -Various teachers and instructors. The A.C.M.P. holds this event every year in the city of Boston led by Mestre Chuvisco.

On April of 2006, after a mutual agreement between Chuvisquinho and his ‘Mestre'/Father, Chuvisquinho separated himself from the everyday activities of A.C.M.P. but always keeping the group in his heart. Beginning his own journey with his students in the Capoeira world, today Chuvisquinho is responsible for SINHA CAPOEIRA . Sinha Capoeira's ideology is not just being another Capoeira group, but a family. Today Sinha Capoeira is just a seed on the ground, but it will grow into a tree in which its fruits will be collected in the future.

“ I have chosen to walk the path towards mastering myself. I am not just talking about the part of me that does Capoeira, but all aspects of my life. For me Capoeira is a tool, I use it to become healthier, stronger, smarter, happier, more coordinated, more playful, more self aware, and more expressive . In life, the key to triumph is not having the fear of starting over. ” C.M. Chuvisquinho