Contra Mestre Claudinho has been learning capoeira since the age of 13 with Mestre Pintor of Bantus Capoeira in Belo Horizonte, Brazil since he first stumbled onto a class conducted by Mestre Pintor in his favela. At 18, he became an instructor and has taught and conducted workshops in Brazil, Israel and Germany. In 2005, when Bantus Capoeira Singapore was incorporated, Claudinho was sent by Mestre Pintor to lead his new school.
Pix courtesy of Ashish
Since then, Claudinho has also given workshops and performed in Australia and Malaysia. In August 2006, Claudinho was promoted from the rank of Instrutor to Graduado and conferred his Cordao Azul (a blue cord) to signify his new rank.
With Mestre Joao Pequeno at Grupo Bantus Capoeira’s 15th Anniversary cum Batizado, Belo Horizonte (2006)
On 29 August 2009, Claudinho was promoted not once but twice at the 19th Festival Bantus Capoeira back in Belo Horizonte, becoming Professor Claudinho.
Recently, at Bantus Singapore’s 5th Annual Batizado & Troca de Corda Festival on 30 October 2010, Mestre Pintor sprang a surprise on everyone by according Claudinho with the corda for Contra Mestre. This is highest ranking belt level before a capoeirista attains the level of a Master (mestre). Currently, Claudinho is one of the three contra mestres of Bantus Capoeira worldwide and he is the only one who is working outside Brazil.