Capoeirista and berimbau player DERALDO FERREIRA is the founder and Artistic Director of the Brazilian Cultural Center of New England, bringing a 30-year tenure in capoeira and a similar lifetime involvement and commitment to samba drumming, musical composition, and choreography to the institution. Of equal importance is Ferreira’s talent and experience as an instructor. He has trained children, teens and adults in his own academy in Santos and in his teaching throughout New England for the past 18 years.

Ferreira began studying capoeira at the age of 14. He created and taught at the Academy of Capoeira in his hometown of Santos, Sao Paulo, Brazil. In 1984, he was awarded certification as a Mestre by m Sombra. Deraldo studied Capoeira Angola with Mestre João Pequeno. Mestre João Pequeno graduated Deraldo as a master of Capoeira Angola in 2004. Mestre Joao Grande was also a teacher of Mestre Deraldo, and he considers Mestre Joao Grande one of his greatest inspirations in Capoeira Angola.

Mestre Deraldo traveled to North America and became one of the first capoeiristas to bring the art form to the United States and Canada. In addition to his work at the BCCNE, Ferreira currently teaches classes and workshops at Hampshire College, Amherst College, Smith College, Wellesley College, Wheaton College, the Dance Complex, and in Sardigna, Italy.

The Brazilian Cultural Center of New England (BCCNE) is dedicated to the promotion, preservation and advancement of Brazilian culture, especially Afro-Brazilian culture and the performing arts. The center is home to two long-standing performing entities, Group Capoeira Camara Angola and Samba Tremeterra.  Instruction is provided in Capoeira Angola and Samba drum and dance, as well as traditional instrument making. The BCCNE also offers training and rehearsal space for a full range of other martial arts and performing arts, including African and Latin dance and percussion.

His goal is to bring the roots of Capoeira Angola to the US annually to bear the fruit of old Traditions.