Jose Pereira Sena Jr. – Mestre Nego Gato

Jose Sena ( Nego Gato )Office: Nego Gato Inc.

100 43rd Street #113

Pittsburgh, PA

15206

ABOUT NEGO GATO (JOSE SENA)

Jose Sena (Nego Gato) is Founder, Artistic and Executive Director of Nego Gato Inc. a Pittsburgh based organization. He is a Master Capoeirista, Composer, Choreographer, Percussionist, Vocalist and Dancer. He was born into a spiritual house of African Brazilian tradition. He has served as a consultant with status of Master Folklorist of African Brazilian Heritage to Lisangua Ya Bato Drum and Dance and the Oliveros Foundation for their production of Nzinga, the Queen King. He has been performing professionally since the age of 10. Since coming to the United States in 1984 he has presented performances and residencies in primary and secondary schools and cultural institutions throughout the US, Europe and Japan. He formed the Nego Gato Afro Brazilian Music and Dance Ensemble to share with audiences the rich history of his diverse culture and ancestry.

ARTISTIC STATEMENT:

Artistic Director Jose Sena (Mestre Nego Gato) makes the artistic decisions for the organization based upon the vision and mission of the organization. The music and dance presented is traditional folkloric and requires specialists in the field, particularly the martial art of Capoeira. All of our disciplines require years of training and most of our members who are African Brazilian grew up in this culture and are experts in their field.

“I was born into a spiritual house of African Brazilian tradition. In Brazil this spirituality is known as Candomble and has it’s roots in Congo-Angola, Benin, Togo and Nigeria. My mother was a Mae de Santos (Mother of Saints) and danced for the spirits. When I was in my mother’s womb I floated around to these rhythms. As a child I witnessed nightly ceremonies whose memories became the driving force of the dedication of my life to my ancestral culture. At the age of 7, I began practicing acrobatics off of the stilt bridges that surrounded the houses in my impoverished neighborhood. I went on to win several gymnastic championships. I began performing professionally when I was 10 years old and at 16 began to study with various Capoeira Masters including Ze Mario and Vermelho De Pastinha a student of Grand Mestre Pastinha. I firmly believe in The African roots of Capoeira. I made it a priority to research the correct historical information. I had the Opportunity to go to Lisbon in 1992 as a cast member of a play entitled Nzinga, the queen king who ruled Angola in the 1500’s. In the Lisbon library I found manuscripts written by missionaries who had witnessed Nzinga”s acrobatics before going into battle with slavers. I saw documentation that a form of Capoeira was a martial practice from Africa. In 1993 I had the opportunity to be at a conference in California with Dr. Fu Kiau, a Congolese linguist and scholar of Congolese history. He told me of the Congolese origin of the words Capoeira, Au, Berimbau, Samba, and Maculele. I am deeply proud of what I have accomplished through my dedication, and expertise in my artistry and culture. I can only hope that my work in every community pays respect to my ancestors and my heritage. “

JOSE SENA (NEGO GATO)

Jose Pereira Sena Jr. was born March 21, 1961, the youngest son of Jose Pereira Sena Sr. and Maria De Lourdes. Jose’s mother was a Mae De Santos so he often says he began his ginga and dance in his mother’s belly as she danced for the Orixa in ceremonies held in their home. Jose Sena, known professionally as Nego Gatois a Master Folklorist of African Brazilian Culture, a Master of the art of Capoeira and playing the Berimbau, Percussionist, Choreographer, Composer and Vocalist. He has traveled throughout the United State, Europe and Japan sharing the knowledge of his culture.

1968-1984Trained by his mother, Maria De Lourdes in traditional African Brazilian Culture and Spirituality

1971-1984Capoeirista, Principal Dancer, for Alto de Ondina under Vermelho de Pastinha and it is there that he first met and worked with Joao Grande. He then joined Tenda Dos Milagres, Moenda, and Viva Bahia, all premier folkloric Dance Companies with whom he toured South American and Europe.

1984Jose comes to the United States for Joselito Santo Zumbi Organization

1985Marie Brooks Dance Theater - Lecture Demonstration

Capoeira Demonstration at The White House for President Ronald Regan

1987-1988SOB’s Zumbi Festival - Capoeira Demonstration

1987-1991Instructor of Capoeira at The Karate School for Women, NYC

and The Bath House, Harlem, NYC

1988Capoeira Specialist, Carnegie Hall Festival of Latin American Arts Performed with leading musician from Brazil and the Caribbean

1988Capoeira Specialist, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall

“Kinetics” The Jazz Compositions of Walter Lee

1990Invites Master Joao Grande to come to live in NYC from Atlanta and gives Master Grande the Bath House Capoeira Academy in Harlem

1990“Sesame Street” Capoeira Class Television Performance

with Master Joao Grande

1990Afro Brazilian Percussion and Dance Specialist for St. Louis Conservatory of the Arts

1991Capoeira, Fight Choreographer; Samba Specialist for Geoffrey Holder’s production of “House of Flowers” with Patti Labelle

1994Capoeira Fight Choreographer Bill T Jones Dance Company

1995Matanga Ethnic Music and Dance Festival, Folkloric Dance Instructor, Santa Cruz, CA

1996 – 1997 Capoeira Instructor, Vassar College and SUNY New Paltz, NY

1991 – 1997Lead acting role of Mbandi, Prince and King; Folklore Consultant; Capoeira and Fight Choreographer, Percussionist With Mestre Joao Grande as his Father, Ngola Kiluangi for the Oliveros Foundation Production of “NZINGA THE QUEEN KING” including performances at Brooklyn Academy of Music, The Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington DC; Walker Art Center,MN; Gulbenkien Foundation, Lisbon Portugal

1996Live recording and release of “Baiano In New York” CD

1997Bardavon Theater Fundraiser, Poughkeepsie, NY

Dance Party with performance by Harry Belafonte

1999Lincoln Center Out of Doors, Lincoln Center, NY

1999Kennedy Center, Washington, DC Opening performance for Daniella Mercury

2000New Years Eve. Centennial Celebration, Time Square, NY

1985 - 2004Instructor of African Brazilian Folk Arts including Capoeira, Dance and percussion for Lisangua Ya Bato Drum and Dance Camp, Woodstock , NY

1985 to presentFounder, Executive /Artistic Director of Nego Gato Afro- Brazilian Music and Dance of Pittsburgh, PA, NY and FL with whom he performs and conducts workshops in Capoeira Angola, and Percussion