Nestor Capoeira was initiated in the 1960s by Mestre Leopoldina (Demerval Lopes de Lacerda, born 1933), a legendary figure in the capoeira world. Later he became part of the Grupo Senzala do Rio de Janeiro and received the coveted corda-vermelha (red-rope, Senzala’s highest graduation) in 1969.

In 1990, at the age of forty-four, he left Senzala and opened the Escola Nestor Capoeira, structured according to his personal vision and understanding of capoeira, where he teaches using his own method.

For the past forty years, he has dedicated himself to practicing, training, studying, divulging and teaching capoeira, in its different styles and lineages, in Brazil and abroad. He has done shows in theatres and nightclubs, and given lectures in universities.  He has books published in 8 countries, and has also done DVDs and CDs.  Mestre Nestor also has a master and PhD (focusing on capoeira) in Communication and Culture by the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.

When in Brazil, Nestor gives classes on mon/wed/fri at 7 P.M. at the Galpão das Artes Urbanas, in the Gávea neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro.