My Journey in Capoeira

My name is Leandro Umbelino, known in the Capoeira world as Professor Da Lua. My journey began in Rio de Janeiro in 1995, and for more than 30 years Capoeira has been a continuous path of practice, learning, teaching and personal development.

After moving to the Netherlands, I continued to deepen my knowledge and gained extensive experience across the two main traditions of Capoeira. This broader journey gave me a deeper understanding of the art — not only as a martial practice, but also through its movement, strategy, music, history and cultural foundations.

My first four and a half years as a teacher were dedicated exclusively to children. That experience became an essential part of the teacher I am today. It taught me the importance of patience, trust, clear guidance and, above all, respecting the individual rhythm of each student. When I later began teaching adults, I carried those same principles with me, adapting the training to different ages, abilities and levels of experience.

Today, my work is dedicated exclusively to Capoeira Angola. My teaching is rooted in preserving its foundations, malícia, musicality, movement, strategy and traditions, while creating a structured and welcoming environment in which students can develop physically, mentally and culturally.

My previous experiences remain an important part of my formation, but my direction today is clear: to teach Capoeira Angola with depth, respect and integrity, while keeping the training relevant to the people who practise it today.

For me, Capoeira is not simply something to be taught. It is knowledge to be studied, experienced, shared and preserved across generations.