Mestre Leopoldina (born Demerval Lopes de Lacerda on 1933 in Rio de Janeiro – died October 17, 2007, in São José dos Campos, SP) was a significant figure in Capoeira Carioca and a respected mestre in the velha guarda (old guard) of Capoeira. Known for his unique and quick playing style, Leopoldina became famous for his mastery of the berimbau and his role in preserving the traditions of Capoeira.

Early Life

Leopoldina's childhood was marked by hardship. Born into a difficult family situation, he was often neglected and beaten, growing up without his mother. As a young boy, he left home and lived on the streets, sleeping in train wagons and selling sweets at public places. This challenging upbringing led to his nickname, which he attributed to a locomotive he used to imitate, although many people believed it was named after one of Rio’s train stations.

At the age of 18, he entered the Serviço de Assistência ao Menor (SAM), a Child Care Service for street children, where he spent some time learning skills like swimming, which helped him develop physically. After leaving SAM, Leopoldina worked various jobs, including selling newspapers and peanuts, eventually building a network and managing his own team.

Introduction to Capoeira

In the early 1950s, Leopoldina met Joaquim Felix (Quinzinho), a notorious gang leader and capoeirista. Quinzinho became Leopoldina’s first teacher, introducing him to “tiririca”, a version of Capoeira practiced without the berimbau, popular among the gang culture of Rio de Janeiro. After Quinzinho was arrested and later murdered in prison, Leopoldina sought a new direction in Capoeira.

In 1954, he met Artur Emídio, a capoeira mestre from Itabuna, Bahia, who played Capoeira Angola with the berimbau. Under Artur's guidance, Leopoldina embraced the Bahian style of Capoeira, which was played to the rhythm of the berimbau and marked a significant shift in his practice.

Career and Contributions to Capoeira

Leopoldina’s life and career as a capoeirista evolved with time. He worked at the Cais do Porto (Port Dock) for many years but retired early due to a work accident. Despite the hardships he faced, Leopoldina continued his commitment to Capoeira, bringing it into new spaces and contexts.

One of his major contributions to Capoeira was his involvement in samba. He was a passionate samba performer and became a key figure in Mangueira, one of Rio de Janeiro’s most prominent samba schools. In 1961, Mangueira became the first samba school to include Capoeira in its parade, which brought much-needed visibility to the art form. Leopoldina even organized a group of 60 capoeiristas to showcase Capoeira at Mangueira's performance, further cementing his role in the integration of Capoeira into Brazilian culture.

Legacy

Mestre Leopoldina’s influence on Capoeira and Brazilian culture cannot be overstated. His mastery of the art and his ability to preserve and share Capoeira with the community made him a revered figure in the world of Capoeira. He was also a pioneer of the velha guarda (old guard) style of Capoeira, emphasizing malicia, a traditional Capoeira approach that embodies trickery, skill, and strategy in the game.

Mestre Leopoldina left a lasting legacy in both Capoeira and samba, and his contributions to the Rio de Janeiro Capoeira scene were groundbreaking. His commitment to preserving the traditional teachings of Capoeira while embracing the evolving nature of the art made him a pivotal figure in the development of contemporary Capoeira.

He passed away on October 17, 2007, leaving behind a rich legacy carried forward by the old guard masters and his students, and he remains remembered as a symbol of resilience, skill, and cultural preservation in Capoeira.