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#Brazil! Brazil!- capoeira, football, samba, and chocolate men!
I could think of no better way to indulge my love of travel, football and good-looking athletic men, than with a visit to Brazil! Brazil!.
Brazil! Brazil! was part of the Festival of Brazil taking place at the Southbank Centre. The festival brings ...
"... the vibrant, dynamic culture of contemporary Brazil to the heart of London, Festival Brazil celebrates the country's rich cultural heritage – including music, visual arts, dance, literature, debates and food." (Southbank Centre)
The 70 minute Brazil! Brazil! show features Capoeira (a movement that combines, music, martial arts and dance), sensuous samba, breath-taking freestyle football skills, and my favourite six athletic men each a different shade from the chocolate spectrum; they really are good enough to eat.
The 13 strong Brazil! Brazil! cast, six Capoeirstas, seven musicians and one freestyle footballer, come from the favelas and ghettos on the outskirts of Salvador de Bahia, Brazil, where they provide social projects specifically working with children. I later learnt that most of these performers escaped the poverty, violence and drug-dealing of favela life by engaging in Capoeira and music. The Brazil! Brazil! cast have entertained audiences all over the world, their next stop will be the Edinburgh fringe festival.
It's raining men
The show started, with an introduction from Capoeira dancer Rayson Santana,(picture right) sporting six-pack abs and his trademark wild afro, told us through the show we would be taken on a journey of Capoeira, samba and football.
Rayson was then joined by five other Capoeria performers. They then athletically but gracefully, leaped, flipped, rolled and kicked their way through a number of routines. With each routine, they seemed to fly higher and further.
It's all about the music
This acrobatic feat was accompanied by pulsating samba music that had me shimming my shoulders and winding my waist in my seat, looking around at the packed audience, I was not alone. The music was played by Rhythm Carnival, Brazil’s hottest samba band, providing a carnival-like atmosphere with popular samba songs such as ‘Mas que nada' by Jorge Ben. The percussionists of Rhythm Carnival come from the favela of Candeal, where the young people were encouraged to turn from a life of violence by trading their weapons for musical instruments.
Brazilian women were represented by the colourfully petite Paloma Gomes, who delighted us all with her powerfully 'come hither' vocals. For each of her appearances she wore a dress of vibrant colours, that swirled and wrapped around her petite form as she danced, swivelling her hips and deftly shuffling her feet. Paloma reminded me of the beauty and confidence exuded by the women I met in Salvador de Bahia.
Football acrobatics
In between the exciting Capoeria routines, we were wowed by the
memorising freestyle football skills of Arthur Mansilla, who is the national freestyle street
football champion. His complex
routine of keepy-upys, cross-overs, roll-overs and more, reminded us
why the world is always excited by the prospect of seeing Brazilian
football (shame up this year's world cup campaign).
The children join in
About 10 minutes before the end, the audience were invited to participate, well the children were. The Capoeira performers took five children from the audience and lined them up by height. One little girl seemed very nervous, and despite being given her cuddly toy by her mother, could persuade her to stay put. Perhaps she knew something we didn't. Like a flash of lightening, one after another, the Capoeira performers, flew over the line of children in acrobatic moves that would have scored a ten out of ten at any gymnastics championships.
Can't get enough of Brazil
The 70 minutes went by too quickly, I wanted more. As the performers took their leave, the samba music, now louder, I could no longer remain seated, up on my feet, dancing to the rhythm and clapping manically in appreciation of the show and the chocolate dipped capoeria performers.
I can't wait for Brazil 2014, where I hope to once again enjoy Brazilian culture alongside the next World cup
Fortunately, you don't have to wait till 2014 to enjoy the best of Brazil. Although Brazil! Brazil! has finished at the Southbank Centre, you can catch the show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival from August 5th to 30th, 2010
And click here to find out about the other Brazilian arts and culture events at the Southbank Centre Brazilian Festival, until
September 5, through music, visual arts, dance literature, debates and free performances.
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