A Brief history
Born in Moji Guacu, Sao Paulo, Contra-Mestra Meirelou began practicing and continues to train Capoeira under Mestre Peixe Ensaboado of Grupo Capoeira Brasil Australia. She remains one of Peixe's longest serving and highest graded students.
After moving back to Brazil in 1995 with her husband and newborn daughter, Meirelou trained under Mestre Railson of Grupo Capoeira Gerais, Sul da Bahia. During this period she met and participated in workshops by renowned Mestres such as Ezequiel, Suassuna, Medicina, Mao Branca, Curumin, Bocao, Antonio Dias, Zumbi and many others.
In Rio de Janeiro, the birthplace of Grupo Capoeira Brasil, she trained periodically under the group's highest level cords, such as Mestres Paulinho Sabia, Espiga and Curumin, and Contra-Mestra Magali.
Achievements in capoeira
Having moved back to Australia and after her second child, Contra-Mestra Meirelou has been teaching since 1997. Her training and achievements have awarded her with her blue, green (instructor), purple (professor) and brown (contra-mestre) cords, all of which were given directly by Mestre Boneco, co-founder of Grupo Capoeira Brasil, in regular sojourns to Brazil.
Besides training adults, Meirelou has had continuing success in conducting classes for children as young as five years, as well as running workshops, courses, and participating in festivals, television programs and other performances.
Related experiences
Contra-Mestra Meirelou is a qualified PE teacher with a diploma from PUCCamp Sao Paulo (graduate 1985). She took preparation and studies for a post-graduate degree in "kinesiology" at UNICAMP. She therefore understands the biomechanics of Capoeira movements and provides optimum training for her students, working around and beyond their limitations. Her understanding of Capoeira and the body ensures that students perform movement correctly, preventing injury and ensuring the longevity of the art.
Work experience with children
In Brazil
After university Meirelou worked with underprivileged children. Gaining experience in teaching blind children to swim, she pioneered swimming programs for infants and babies in 1986. She became a successful personal trainer in the late 80's where she developed a program of localised exercises of body toning combined with aqua-aerobics in a weight loss clinic and retreat in the state of Sao Paulo.
In Europe
In 1987, she continued working with children by teaching swimming in condominiums in London, and in recreation and leisure holiday camps of Ibiza, Spain.
In Australia
Meirelou has developed programs for fine and gross motor movements and co-ordination, balance and reflexes for child care centres. With her qualifications and experience, she has been developing her work with capoeira, always preoccupied with the physical, emotional and social development of the children. She also offers classes to parents who wish to participate in their child's activities, thus creating one more form of communication through physical expression.
Always with the support and supervision of Mestre Peixe Ensaboado, Contra-Mestra Meirelou has ben acquiring teaching space in primary and secondary schools (state and private) as well as at the University of NSW. She has thus impacted on current curriculums in sport and culture. She is recognised by the Australia Sports Commission (ASC) as a community coach under the active after school communities programs she has been teaching at various public schools in Sydney.
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