Angelica Galvao and the 100+ females on the mats at AOJ. Photo: Personal Archive
On Saturday, April 26, over 100 females entered the mats at GMA Art of Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Costa Mesa, CA to learn from Angelica Galvao. It was a day for females to get together and train with one another through the lead of Atos’ leading female. Angelica is a brown belt under husband and mentor Andre Galvao at the Atos Jiu-Jitsu Academy in San Diego.
The hosts of the event, Rafael and Guilherme Mendes were thrilled with the outcome: “We feel honored to have a champion like Angelica teaching at our academy. We chose to invite her because she is a great image of a strong woman–wife, mother and a champion. The girls had a great time on the mat, Angelica taught some good techniques and we could celebrate another great day for our sport! We want to have girls’ open mats more often and help to share the Jiu-Jitsu lifestyle to the women of our community.”
We also asked Angelica a couple questions about her experience leading such an event and how it speaks to the female Jiu-Jitsu community as a whole:
GRACIEMAG: What was your expectation or goal with your seminar at AOJ and did you accomplish it?
ANGELICA GALVAO: Yes, what I saw there was beyond my expectations, way beyond. I was expecting a good group but not a huge group. Anyway, when we compete, we get used to that group of competitor women and it’s growing so much. But what I saw yesterday was an amazing group that is behind the scenes, non-competitive women who love our sport so much. This group is also growing from kids to senior age, moms, wives, doctors, successful business ladies and I really believe that this group needs attention as well. It was priceless for me. I have never been on a mat with so many ladies together, it smelled like flowers haha.
Do you think having women-only seminars is the key for building the women’s community?
I do believe that events like that are essential for a strong growing of the women’s community in Jiu-Jitsu. It’s natural for us ladies to appreciate a special time only for us, and that is how it works in events like that, a time just for us, in between us, learning and practicing techniques that are good for our game. It is pleasant to gather together with other women that have the same passion. It was a great experience for me not only as a BJJ player but as a woman as well.
To follow all the Mendes brothers’ endeavors into the female community as well as their future events, go to www.artofjiujitsu.com
For more of Angelica Galvao and her Atos academy, go to www.galvaobjjsd.com
