Ginga with Nike

Next year is World Cup year! That means many of my friends are going to be losing muito dinero and sleep (due to the time difference in Germany) on World Cup matches. That also means Brazil will again be pushed to the forefront of global consciousness. You know, Brazilians and their “Samba football”. Guess people have no other nice name to call it… since Brazil=Football+Samba.

Interestingly enough, the peeps at Nike sponsored a new football documentary by Fernando Meirelles—the director of City of Gods (Cidade de Deus), that super gritty movie based on the lives of two kids who grew up in the favellas of Rio de Janeiro in the 60’s and how one turned to violence and another turned to photojournalism during the disco 70’s. This new football documentary is called ‘Ginga‘—loosely translated for the masses as ‘The Art of Movement’—and how it influences Brazilian football. So now when you talk to your friends about Brazilian football, call it “Ginga football”.

Cool huh? A friend of ours at Nike invited us to perform the opening gambit at the launching of the ‘Ginga’ documentary at the National Art Gallery this past Saturday. The special launch was by invite only and comprised of the who’s who of the local movie scene. In the words of the MC, ‘What better way to illustrate the Ginga than to invite some friends on stage who practice the Ginga everyday. Lets give a big round of applause to the Bantus Capoeira Troop!’.

What followed was a fast and furious 5 minute music, solo and game sequence on stage that left the audience amazed and asking for more!

Look out for more collaborations with Nike as the World Cup draws near! We’ll also be getting a copy of the movie shortly (and also hopefully a TV and DVD player… hint hint) at the academy for those of you who wish to view it.