Mestre Perninha

Marco Herrera began his journey in capoeira in 1998, joining Grupo Zema de Capoeira in Ecuador under the instruction of Marco Ayala, who would later become Mestre Marcos. The following year, in 1999, he received his first cord and the apelido "Perninha"—Portuguese for "little leg"—which has accompanied him ever since.

From 1998 onward, Perninha never stopped being connected to capoeira, whether through practice or teaching. As one of the early students of Grupo Zema after Mestre Zé Maria returned to Brazil in 1996, he was part of the foundation that Marco Ayala was building for Ecuadorian capoeira.

In December 2011, Perninha, together with his "companions and brothers" Henry Vizcarra (Carvão) and Daniel Herrera (Pandeiro), founded the Grupo Internacional de Capoeira Centro do Mundo in Quito. The founding date was December 17, 2011. The project was endorsed and promoted by Mestre Zé Maria, the pioneer of capoeira in Ecuador. Centro do Mundo emerged with the support of other capoeira professionals including Contramestres Mario Molina and Braulio Rosero (Pantera), as well as professors Jonathan Chala, Juan Misael Prado (Canguru), and Fernando Hidalgo (Fernandinho 22).

In May 2013, Perninha received the white cord (corda branca) of mestre de capoeira from the hands of Mestre Zé Maria (José Maria Da Silva) and his master Mestre Paulinho Salmon (Paulo Salmon), both from Rio de Janeiro. This ceremony marked his entry into a select group—he has the privilege and responsibility of being one of only three Ecuadorian mestres of capoeira, an honor shared with Mestre Marcos and Mestre Carvão.

Perninha serves as Director Ecuador of Centro do Mundo, the first Ecuadorian capoeira group with international branches in the USA, Germany, and Spain. He has visited other capoeira schools in both Ecuador and Brazil to learn and share knowledge, and has been invited to various capoeira events to participate, give workshops, and serve as a judge.

Beyond his capoeira work, Perninha brings significant academic credentials to his practice. He holds a bachelor's degree in education sciences and two master's degrees—one in education sciences and another in learning difficulties. This academic foundation leads him to promote capoeira as a valuable educational instrument. He has written short articles about self-understanding and psychomotor skills related to capoeira practice, bridging the gap between physical movement and personal development.