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Closed 31/08/2021

0%
£9,826
raised of £5,000 target by 420 supporters

    Weʼve raised £9,826 to help build a safe community space in the Morro do Adeus favela, Rio de Janeiro

    Rio de Janeiro, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
    Funded on Tuesday, 31st August 2021

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    Story

    Millions of children across the globe dream about dancing – whether it’s hip-hop, salsa, swing, bachata or ballet. Some get the opportunity to learn, others don’t – perhaps due to time, money, problematic parents, cultural taboos, access to schools, or dozens of other reasons which lie well within the realm of feasibility.

    The risk of being caught in a crossfire should not be on that list – but it’s a very real danger for Tuany Nascimento and students of her Na Ponta dos Pés (“On Tiptoe”) project in the Complexo do Alemão, a sprawling cluster of favelas in the north zone of Rio de Janeiro.

    Last year, our documentary crew tasted that bitter reality while filming at an outdoor sports court in the Morro do Adeus neighbourhood, where the girls live. As Tuany put her pupils through their paces, stretching limbs and rehearsing routines – like any other ballet class, anywhere in the world – a flurry of gunshots ripped through the air.

    Morro do Adeus is at the heart of a perpetual conflict between rival drug trafficking gangs, which control different sections of Alemão – a vast network of communities with a population that may be as large as 120,000. Frequent police raids only escalate the tension.

    The scary situation that we captured on camera was a tiny glimpse of what these brave girls live through every day. Many have lost friends or loved ones; some nights, firefights rage for hours on end. Their tears of fear will not be quickly forgotten – along with a queasy sense of confusion as we left the favela, driving back to safety in stunned silence.

    With presidential elections on October 28, the likelihood of a more aggressive public security policy in Rio under the government of far-right frontrunner Jair Bolsonaro – a former army captain who wants “every citizen to have a gun at home” – heightens the need for Tuany’s ballerinas to find a safe space, away from the outdoor sports court where they currently train.

    The good news is that they are not far from achieving their goal: A plot of land has been secured, and foundations laid down. Locals have promised to chip in with labour and some building materials, but one final push is needed.

    We hope the film will generate a fresh impulse for the Na Ponta dos Pés community centre to finally become reality. Thank you for your support!

    Follow @frederickbernas on Instagram/Twitter and @tuany_nascimentoo for updates.

    Updates

    3

    • Frederick Bernas4 years ago
      Frederick Bernas

      Frederick Bernas

      4 years ago

      Construction is complete! In recent months, the girls have become a genuine media sensation as TV and newspapers flocked to cover the story of "Ballet & Bullets," which was selected by film festivals in Europe, Mexico, China and the US – as well as being shared on social networks by many prominent cultural figures in Brazil. A wave of subsequent donations will help to forge a sustainable future for the project. Tuany's incredible work has been recognized with national awards and we can't wait to see what she and the students do next.

      Update from the Page owner

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    • Frederick Bernas5 years ago
      Frederick Bernas

      Frederick Bernas

      5 years ago

      Construction of the new community space is in full swing! Tuany and her students helped carry materials to the building site, before painting their names on the bricks and placing letters about their aspirations inside gaps in the wall. “This is a place for protagonism and strength,” says Tuany. “The Na Ponta dos Pés cultural centre is about more than just dance – it proves that we can do anything.” More photos here: https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/kzm3de/the-teenage-girls-building-their-own-ballet-school-in-a-rio-favela

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    • Frederick Bernas5 years ago
      Frederick Bernas

      Frederick Bernas

      5 years ago

      To everyone who has supported this project – I'd like to express heartfelt thanks on behalf of the "Ballet and Bullets" team. We certainly didn't expect to reach the initial goal so quickly, and it's incredible to have exceeded it by such a wide margin. Tuany has written a personal message which was too long to fit in the character limit – see below. Happy Holidays!

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    6 years ago

    Frederick Bernas started crowdfunding

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    Page last updated on: 4/14/2021 17.37

    Supporters

    420

    • Anonymous

      Anonymous

      Apr 14, 2021

    • Anonymous

      Anonymous

      Mar 2, 2021

      £20.00

    • Anonymous

      Anonymous

      Mar 1, 2021

      Sending these ballerinas love and support from Australia.

    • Anonymous

      Anonymous

      Feb 26, 2021

      Thanks for your help to support this beautiful project. All my love to these powerful, beautiful girls

    • Eda

      Eda

      Feb 21, 2021

      Girls, you are the future! You are so brave and such an inspiration for us all! I hope you will make your dreams true. Never stop dancing (and fighting)

      £10.00

    • Anonymous

      Anonymous

      Feb 20, 2021

      £10.00

    • Anonymous

      Anonymous

      Feb 19, 2021

      £20.00

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    About the fundraiser
    Frederick Bernas

    Frederick Bernas

    Rio de Janeiro, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Audiovisual storyteller working on the intersection of journalism, documentary, music and cinema. Co-director of "Ballet & Bullets – Dancing Out Of The Favela" with Rayan Hindi. Twitter/Instagram: @frederickbernas // www.frederickbernas.com

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