Clelgen Luiz Bonetti Norma Vasconcelos Saldanha Marinho
The dance must go on... In this critical period of the pandemic, many dreams were interrupted. People of all ages and classes who gathered socially at traditional balls had their only form of entertainment blocked. In honor of these individuals, we turned into an album the exhibition presented by us at Poupatempo da Lapa and also interrupted by this worldwide catastrophe. May the ball return as soon as possible and may joy be resumed and traditions preserved
O Baile deve continuar ... Neste período crítico de pandemia, muitos sonhos foram interrompidos. Pessoas de todas idades e classe que se reuniam socialmente em bailes tradicionais tiveram sua única forma de diversão bloqueada. Em homenagem a esses indivíduos transformamos em um álbum a exposição por nós apresentada no Poupatempo da Lapa e também interrompida por esta catástrofe mundial. Que o baile retorne o mais breve possível e que a alegria seja retomada e as tradições preservadas
The dance must go on... Everything began when we photo documented the Sociedade Beneficiente União Fraterna from our terrace where we can see the green and orange sign, in the middle of the gray of the night. A sign that only shines a few times a week, and that illuminates that stretch of street. We were curious about the meaning of the sign. We found out that it was from a traditional ballroom with many stories to tell.
Around the second quarter of 2018, we began to attend the dances promoted by the Sociedade Beneficente União Fraterna, which owns that hall. We met interesting people there who regularly attend the dances. They are generally middle-aged and older, with the presence of several elderly individuals who make this a means of fun, exercise and social interaction. Certainly we are not good dancers! Nevertheless, we had the idea of starting a photographic documentation of the events. Sociedade Beneficente União Fraterna is an assistance society founded on 1925. Since its creation, attention to the ones in need and needy community has been one of its fundamental activities. The quick acceptance and recognition of União Fraterna would allow that 9 years after its foundation, the beautiful building with its headquarters, on Rua Guaicurus, was inaugurated with great pomp and pride in the year of 1934. This building remains until today as its headquarters and despite having its facade degraded by vandalism, it maintains its original features. It is considered by the Rotary club as one of the 10 wonders of the Lapa neighborhood in São Paulo. The building was listed by the São Paulo City Hall in 1994. Famous for its imposing hall, stage for balls and dancing dinners, União Fraterna was the setting for the award-winning feature film “Chega de Saudade”, directed by São Paulo filmmaker Laís Bodanzky in 2007. The film addresses, in a single night, stories of love and loneliness in the context of the ball. Some of the characters are part of our project. With this work, we would like to show a unique Brazilianness, full of humor and drama, that only Brazilians living in the neighborhoods of big cities know. Another objective is to give visibility to this place, which is going through financial difficulties, and encourage people and companies to collaborate with its preservation. We did not realize how much the time we spent there taking pictures and photographing could change and enrich our lives. We used to take pictures and talk to them in the ball intervals. Perhaps we managed do reach our goal if you could feeg with us the magic present in this place.
Clelgen Luiz Bonetti e Norma V. S. Marinho E-mail: clelgenfoto@globo.com Instagram: @doctors.pics