ALMA BOA PROJECT

"We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean but the ocean would be less because of that missing drop."

- Mother Teresa

The Alma Boa Poject is a grass roots organization founded by Sharon Göpfert (Chicago, USA) in 2003. Currently the project collaborates with Grupo Capoeira Canoa Grande in Igarassu, Brazil to create free arts programming for local youth.

MISSION:

• provide salaries for local participating artists and teachers
• provide free instruction in the arts to
  local youth
• create self-sustaining community projects

Alma Boa Project Arts Exchange with
Grupo Capoeira Canoa Grande in Igarassu

ABP Arts Exchange offers artists and educators the chance to work with youth in a rural environment while living close to Recife, Pernambuco’s capital. A prominent statue of Zumbi near the Praca do Sao Pedro is a strong symbol for the city’s commitment to cultural events and its people’s awareness and celebration of the past. Pernambuco is the state of Capoeira, Maracatu, Ciranda, Forro, and Danca de Coco.

Visiting artists will share their skills with participating youth while living in the Igarassu community.

• there will be an open enrollment for Igarassu’s youth who will be provided with a daily meal and snacks
  
  
• any profit made from the art or film work will support future events with Grupo Capoeira Canoa Grande
  
  
• Project personnel are not responsible for any loss or injury during its programming
  
  
• Collaborating artists supply their own airfare

Capoeira provides the space to work together to create positive energy in our local communities; to contribute to the whole by creating such energy in a micro environment is a great contribution to the world community that is in need of good, strong, positive thoughts, feelings, and actions.

When we sense the positive energy we share with others it changes our physical make-up, shifts our nervous system and we generate out of what we have received – something that reaches out and beyond ourselves.

Many sand corns make a beach; many drops make the ocean and so forth. We are talking about nature, traditions and evolution and we are talking about basic human connection.

As a capoeirista I do not wish to lay claim to the word and meaning of “roots capoeira”, but I think that Grupo Capoeira Canoa Grande and projects like it can lay claim to being a part of something that has grown over time from traditions of African slaves surviving under oppressive conditions.                                                                       

Sharon Danielle/Bamba

We are accepting applications from artists and educators with a sense for social justice, and interest in Brazilian culture and the ability to improvise logistics.

Interested artists are asked to submit a resume/CV with examples of their work and a short essay on personal interests and experiences.

Web-designers, bloggers, filmmakers, recording artists and visual artists are encouraged to apply! Please submit your application to bamba525@earthlink.net with Alma Boa in the subject line.