VIDEO: The ballet school for under privileged girls from São Paulo favelas

Discover the ballet project teaching girls from one of Sao Paulo´s most brutal districts and offering hopes and dreams to children who could otherwise face exposure to crime, drugs and early pregnancy.


The dance studio in São Paulo is a world away from the neighbouring favelas most of these girls were born into. Here, they find a temporary refuge through a children's dance program.

Video: São Paulo from above

Take a virtual helicopter ride over São Paulo. Video courtesy of Eli Coory and his Solo on Moto project. Eli is doing a round the world motorcycle journey for children with cancer - alone, unsponsored and unsupported. Check out his page: https://www.facebook.com/SoloOnMoto

A futuristic tower for downtown São Paulo

Projects for towering, modern skyscrapers abound in new cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi. However, when proposed for Latin American metropolises, they're often taken with some skepticism and/or criticism. In fact, they rarely materialise. And when they do, it’s not always plain sailing.

Even projects in Europe such as The Shard in London and Agbar Tower in Barcelona have love-hate relationships with their host cities. São Paulo has already seen a few megalomaniac projects proposed and this time around, it is architect, Eduardo Camarena, who proposes a highly modern "vertical city" for a gritty part of downtown São Paulo, known as Praça da Bandeira.

Though only a concept, the tower would encompass indoor public spaces, a pay per hour capsule hotel, as well as offices, theatres and a rooftop domed garden. We’re not sure if the project will ever become reality, but it's certainly an eye-catcher!

The rooftop Garden of Eduardo Camarena's project

What do you think? Would it improve São Paulo’s centro or would it be a waste of money?

VERTICAL CITY // SAO PAULO from eduardo camarena on Vimeo.

The Dozape, a skate crew from the East side of São Paulo

Meet The Dozape, a seven-skater crew from the Eastern neighbourhoods of São Paulo. Their friendship goes back a long way and they've been skating together for the past 10 years opening up a skate shop and launching a clothing brand along the way

The video below has them showing off some tricks and explaining where their name comes from:

 

Vila Zelina; the neighbourhood you should have heard of by now but haven't

Residents of Vila Zelina

São Paulo is known worldwide as one of the major destinations for immigrants during the early 20th century. It's said to be home to the largest population of Italian, Japanese and Lebanese ancestry out of each of these home countries.

But while Bixiga is well known for its cantinas and Liberdade is famous for its sushi and karaoke, a small neighborhood in South Eastern São Paulo called "Vila Zelina" gets very little attention.

For the last 80 years, it's been the home of Russian, Lithuanian, Ukranian and other Eastern European families that came to São Paulo to flee WWI and the Bolshevik revolution in Russia. Despite living in fear of repression during the Brazilian military dictatorship, the community is alive and well and making efforts to revive its home culture through popular dishes, music, costumes and festivities.

You would be excused for thinking this scene was far from São Paulo

Just as the large Jewish and Arab communities in São Paulo get on relatively well, despite recent conflicts between Ukraine and Russia, local residents in Vila Zelina get along very well. Visitors to the neighborhood can find peace and quiet is the middle of this bustling metropolis, shop for Matryoshkas (traditional Russian dolls) or even try Varenykys, smoked herring and other Eastern European dishes.

The faces of São Paulo`s Cracolândia

Most have already heard about São Paulo`s drug-ridden and infamous district of Cracolândia. Rarely does one get an insight look into this part of the city. Photographer Sebastian Palmer took some powerful shots of the people who live in Cracolândia, the city`s notorious crack district. 

Check out his website: http://www.sebastianpalmer.com/

About Sebastian Palmer:

He was born in 1979 and currently divides his time between London and São Paulo.

Prior to photography, Sebastian studied French, History, Economics and went to the University of London to read both Management and Sociology. Deciding he wanted to take a more artistic route in life he left to study Graphic Design at Central St.Martins, London; where he discovered photography.

http://www.sebastianpalmer.com/