Rio Games TOCA 2016
TOCA Events Triumphs Again at Rio Olympic Games 2016 Just like the arts, sports create a global language, building bridges between people and transforming lives through spirited competition, friendship, and peace. The 2016 Summer Olympic Games began with a highly emotional ceremony, with Rio de Janeiro as the first South American city to host such an event. At 1/10th the cost of London and 1/20th the cost of the Beijing Games, Rio was the perfect backdrop for a thrilling few weeks featuring the best of the best. Right Place, Right Time Once again, TOCA was at the right place at the right time providing VISA, one of the main sponsors and global partner of the Games, with exciting and motivating morning activities for their super VIP clients. Beginning on Aug 4th, our TOCA team provided impeccable attention to every detail, from ambiance to guided tours, catering, and everything in between. Starting Off the Day To start off each day of parties, business sessions, networking, and games, TOCA created customized morning activities for four separate waves of VISA VIPs, with activities offered to each group. With the sand and sea as our canvas, we created an enhanced beach club experience with branded elements including VISA colors to highlight activities including a volleyball clinic, beach tennis, slack line, Cross Fit training, and yoga. And of course, what could be better than being coached by some former Olympic greats like American gold medal diver, Greg Louganis; volleyball greats Jackie Silva and Sandra Pires; and the nine title winner for swimming, Missy Franklin! Keeping Everyone Inspired and Excited Other special events that TOCA provided included a beautiful bike tour of Copacabana and Ipanema, and a hike to Leme Fortress on the coastline of Copacabana. Our resident celebrity photographer, Fabio Pamplona, gave a wonderful workshop on how to use a smartphone camera, touring Sugar Loaf for inspiring photo ops of one of the world’s most iconic locations. We provided a gift kit for our guests, containing fisheye, macro, and wide angle lenses to clip on and screw in to each phone, along with a customized booklet filled with places of interest to shoot, which kept everyone inspired and excited. Creating a Seventh Heaven And as if all of this wasn’t enough, TOCA arranged a special VIP shopping experience complete with champagne and catered edibles. Covering an exclusive area in Ipanema, guests received a specially designed map with select stores featuring some of Brazil’s top clothing, leather, and arts & crafts designers. Moderated by our vivacious celebrity hostess, attendees received the perfect lesson in Ipanema fashion, including news on the latest trends and influences. Needless to say, everyone was in seventh heaven! Modesty Aside All modesty aside, we heard many of our Visa clients who are regulars at Olympic games around the world say that it was their best Olympic experience ever. The entire TOCA Events team is honored to have been selected as part of Visa’s team, and looks forward to participating again in this truly memorable global gathering. www.tocaevents.com
TOCA Culture Presents Bossa Nova Sinfónico in Havana, Cuba
TOCA Culture presents Bossa Nova Sinfónico in Havana Cuba MIAMI, USA (March 24, 2016) — The Miami-based cultural institution, TOCA Culture, will present Bossa Nova Sinfónico in Havana, Cuba on May 15th, as the opening concert for the 2016 Cuba Disco Festival. In a historic move, Cuba’s National Symphonic Orchestra will share the stage with U.S. artists based in Miami. This momentous occasion coincides with the Festival’s 20th anniversary. The orchestra, guest musicians, and the Cuban fans of Brazilian music are looking forward to this award-winning program that celebrates ever increasing cultural dialogue between Cuba, Brazil and the U.S. The collaborative performance will be led by the Symphonic Orchestra’s Maestro Enrique Perez Mesa. Bossa Nova Sinfónico is a project founded with the purpose of sustaining Antonio Carlos Jobim’s body of work and legacy among music lovers everywhere. Jobim was the most pivotal figure in Brazilian popular music over the last century. His music has permeated cultures around the world. Jobim’s compositions coupled with the symphony orchestra format and the traditional Brazilian Jazz quintet gives this project its unique appeal. The quintet is formed by singer Rose Max, guitar player Ramatis Moraes, bassist Jamie Ousley, pianist Michael Orta and drummer Carlomagno Araya. Conductor Jeremy Fox, from the original concert in Costa Rica, will be part of the encounter, working together with maestro Perez Mesa. In its first year, this project was performed in Central America, Mexico, and the United States. Its premier in Costa Rica along with the National Symphony Orchestra (March 2013) resulted in the release of a live recording. The CD “Bossa Nova Sinfónico Recordando a Antonio Carlos Jobim” garnered a Latin Grammy nomination, as well as winning “Best CD of the Year” at the 2014 Brazilian Press Awards. “The music of Jobim is universal, and provides the ideal framework to present our PanAmerican musical encounter,” states TOCA Culture director Robson Coccaro. “We are at such a transformative moment in U.S.-Cuban relations, and we are thrilled to be collaborating creatively with Maestro Pérez and Cuba’s National Symphony Orchestra. Much like Jobim’s subtle use of rich harmonies in his music, our hope is that this performance will encourage harmony and further stimulate the cultural dialogue between the U.S. and Cuba”. ABOUT TOCA CULTURE TOCA Culture is a not-for-profit cultural organization that promotes the visual and performing arts through cultural exchange and performative encounters throughout the Americas, with particular focus on Brazil-USA-Cuba interface. We support established as well as emerging artists, and produce live and virtual events to showcase their works and introduce their offerings to a global audience. Bossa Nova Sinfónico is scheduled to be presented at the Cuba Disco Music Festival in Havana, Cuba under the direction of Maestro Enrique Pérez Mesa with the National Symphony Orchestra. This showcase of Brazilian Bossa Nova, performed by Brazilian artists based in the US and Cuban musicians from the national orchestra, embodies the cross-cultural focus of TOCA Culture. www.tocaculture.org
Bossa Nova Then and Now
Who among you haven’t hear the song “The Girl from Ipanema?” Very few, we are sure, as the song has been ubiquitous ever since it was created by bossa nova king, Antonio Carlos Jobim. With its cool, laid back sound enhanced by the whispery voice of Astrud Gilberto, the song put bossa nova on the map, from Rio to NY and everywhere else beyond. The origin of bossa nova came from finding a new way of playing and singing samba, a musical genre with roots in Africa. Taking elements from jazz music and combining it with a soft and poetic sound, bossa nova came at a time when Brazil was changing and becoming more modern, and this sound surely became emblematic of the time. Born in 1927, Jobim was a revered songwriter, singer, composer, arranger, pianist, and guitarist who was a big part of the creation of the bossa nova style. With “The Girl from Ipanema” one of the most recorded songs in history, his music put bossa nova on the map, along with the music he wrote in collaboration with poet vinicius de Moraes in 1959 for the film, Orfeu Negro (Black Orpheus) directed by Michel Camus. Musicians like Stan Getz, Joaö Gilberto, and Astrud Gilberto helped to add fuel to the bossa nova craze all over the world, with Jobim at the helm. As one of the most important songwriters of the 20th century, his music was recorded by many famous singers, including Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald. Jobim died in 1994, but he had an airport named after him in Rio in 1999 and was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 54th Grammy Awards in 2012 . When it began, bossa nova was headquartered in a tiny alley in Rio called Beco das Garrafas in Copacabana, known to music afficianados as well as the great musicians who play and visit the local bars. Known as an after-hours place for musicians to play, it has been a hang out for greats such as Sergio Mendes, Milton Banana, J.T. Meirelles, and Edison Machado. Heavyweight jazz players like Coleman Hawkins and Herbie Mann were often regulars, and the beat goes on to today, where Beco das Garrafas continues to host some of the best bossa nova bands and the musicians who appreciate and contribute to the sound. In the latter part of the 1960’s pop and rock became the musical styles of choice in Rio, but bossa nova still held its ground as a staple. Today, bossa nova has evolved into a new sound, combining the style with electronic beats giving it a harder edge that makes it popular with a new generation of kids on the dance floor. The contemporary bossa scene is growing all the time. Bands like Bossacucanova combine the traditional sound with electronica. Nominated for a Latin Grammy in 2002 for Best Brazilian Contemporary Pop Album with “Brasilidade,” they are produced and engineered by Alex Moreira and boast stunning vocals by his wife, Cris Delanno. Innovators like Mitar Subotic, known as Suba, have pioneered a sound that is constantly transforming. Listen to his album Säo Paulo Confessions, or to Fernanda Porto’s bossa, drum n’ bass dance floor hit, “Sambassim” with its various contagious mixes. And then there is Mugamango, Marcelonho da Lua, Cibelle, Vanessa da Mata and Ramilson Maia, and so many more who are moving the bossa sound into exciting realms. Like all art forms that are alive with their times, bossa nova breathes new life into itself through the artists who expand the form through their own visions. Whether you want a soothing sound to soften your ears or a driving beat to lift you higher, bossa nova is a sound that can take you to many places, not the least of which is Rio de Janeiro where it all began. www.tocaevents.com
The Transformation of Rio’s Favelas
Favelas first appeared in Rio in the 19th century where they were built by soldiers with nowhere to live. Also called “barrios Africanos,” the favelas were home to former slaves with no claim to land or work. Then came the 1970’s when the migration of people from the deep countryside came to Rio to find work, finding themselves encamped in crowded and increasingly dangerous communities without sanitation, running water, or protection. Cities within the city, favelas have long been considered off limits. But with recent movements to “pacify” these areas through social change, many favelas have become more self-sustaining and productive. With running water, electricity, and other services, Rio’s municipal government is also putting in place green initiatives that are changing the face of these inner city areas. With approximately 763 favelas providing homes for over 1.4 million people, they provide a vital picture of a city that is known for diversity and flavor. Santa Marta is one of the best known favelas in Rio de Janeiro. When Spike Lee filmed Michael Jackson’s 1996 video for “They Don’t Care About Us” community pride coupled with this vibrant view of favela life started a positive chain reaction. This included the Favela Painting Art Project, inspired by the Dutch team Haas & Haan, inspiring locals to paint their homes in bright colors. Santa Model serves as a model for other favelas, with its new houses and free tram, along with its famous Michael Jackson statue. With local artisans contributing to this colorful community, Santa Marta is one of the main stops for tourists interested in becoming acquainted with the many facets of Rio de Janeiro. Vidigal is another favela favored by tour groups. With spectacular views over the Atlantic Ocean, the community now offers a beautiful walking trail for taking it all in, as well as guesthouses (pousadas), restaurants, clubs, and bars inside the favela itself. At Toca Events, we enjoy visiting the bohemian Santa Teresa district where artists and young locals provide a tangible excitement that is contagious. At TOCA Events, we are excited to be a part of creating a positive consciousness about these neighborhoods by sharing a new perspective on favela culture. Offering tours to view life in these neighborhoods is one way we help to open up communication and awareness. Recently our Director of Brand Interface, Fabio Pamplona, did a fashion shoot in one of Rio’s favelas, celebrating the spirit of the people. With Rio’s efforts to create a greener city through incentives such as reforestation to lower greenhouse gasses and attract more birds, the city has also created the “Morar Carioca Program” in the South Zone favelas of Bablilonia and Chapeu Mangueria. Encouraging sustainable buildings and other green solutions, these areas are helping to encourage eco-tourism and micro-industries that provide residents and visitors with a higher level of exchange. With holistic urban planning, favela infrastructure is improving, with better zoning and upgrades. Rio expects that by 2020 all of the favelas will benefit, meaning that a whopping 232,000 households will be affected! Visiting Favelas has become a big part of Rio’s tourism, especially since 2013 when the city’s tourism minister expanded plans to help residents develop new skills as a response to outside visitors. Government intervention has helped to expand resources, providing residents with more opportunities to work, live, and raise their families in a environment that supports a better quality of life. As an event production company always keen on providing our clients with creative options, TOCA Events is proud of every aspect of culture in Rio de Janeiro. In this spirit, our destination management team provides exciting tours of the city’s favelas as a compliment to your event. www.tocaevents.com
The Quintessential Fashion of Rio
There’s something in the air in Rio de Janeiro that no other city on earth shares. It is a combination of the deep and burning sensuality that comes from the city’s history, combining Portuguese, French, and African roots with an electrified atmosphere that the landscape itself invites. In Rio, the 20’s to the 50’s were considered the “Golden Age,” with the first big wave of international society flocking to the city for all the glamour it offered. Through all of the ups and downs in between, Rio de Janeiro has become a city that combines leisure with commerce, inviting an increasingly stabile economy and a contemporary pulse that cannot be denied. And with this, comes the quintessential flavor that is all Rio’s own. Captured by our own TOCA Events photographer, Fabio Pamplona, it is easy to see why fashion is the big metaphor for the Rio de Janeiro lifestyle. From famed Brazilian models such as Giselle Bündchen to the inimitable and ubiquitous Brazilian bikini, this is the place where sensuality and beauty meets an industry that thrives on all that the city has to offer. Combine the exquisite landscape of golden sand, green waters, and lush tropical mountains with the everyday sights of gorgeous inhabitants and you have an aesthetic recipe made in heaven. Here street fashion is just as potent as the pages of design you find in the magazines. From the beach to the runway, Rio’s exuberance is evident in the rich colors and breezy fabrics used by local designers, as well as the fit and tanned models who wear them. No matter in what corner you find Rio fashion, you will always find a sense of joy and festivity in the wearing… brought out by the sun, the music, and the rhythm of this city that brings out the best in everyone. At TOCA Events there is not a day that goes by where we are not celebrating our presence here in Rio. With heart-stopping views of local flora and fauna, we are constantly inspired. And of course, having the opportunity to introduce so many of our clients to the excitement and beauty of the culture is an extra bonus. For information on offering your event here in Rio, contact us at: www.tocaevents.com www.tocaevents.com
Rio de Janeiro: Passion, Pleasure, and Practicality
Rio de Janeiro… immediately the name evokes steamy nights, sun-filled days, samba, Carnival, and so much more. If you’ve already been to Rio, you might remember the first time you arrived, with that view of Corcovado rising from the ocean, the long stretches of beach, and the fragrance of possibility permeating all. Known as the happiest city in the world, it is no wonder that TOCA Events is based here, as well as in sexy Miami. In fact, TOCA co-owner Robson Coccaro is a Rio native, with all the charm, spice, and flair that is so emblematic of his culture. Soccer at sunset in Ipanema: Carioca life style Exceptional Weather, Exceptional Culture At TOCA, we love Rio for uncountable reasons. The hot summer weather that sends us straight to the water; the temperate winter that has us donning light sweaters as our friends in colder climes wish they were here; the exceptional culture that captures cuisine, entertainment, and all the rest that defines Rio’s sultry and fun-loving way of looking at life; and the exuberance of the people, which keeps us smiling 24/7. A Passion for Life We don’t have to tell you that the Brazilian passion for life is contagious. Go to one Carnaval celebration and you’ll be hooked for life. The greatest party in the world, this is just one facet of Rio that keeps revelers coming back for more. Architectural Imagination and Respect for the Past Rio is a combination of gorgeous Colonial buildings and modern skyscrapers. With so many cities losing their character to overdevelopment and poor city planning, Rio maintains its soul by fusing architectural imagination with a respect for the past. Unparalleled Nature And then of course, there is the natural scenery, with 55 miles of gorgeous beaches, including famed Ipanema and Copacabana. Visit the 8,000 acres of Tijuca National Park and you will be in the midst of the largest urban forest in the world, found right at the base of the Christ statue. Venture further out and you will experience breathtaking flora and fauna in natural habitats that are unparalleled. The Perfect Meeting Ground As global event planners, it became obvious to us right from the start that Rio de Janeiro is the perfect meeting ground for businesses around the world. With its growing infrastructure, the city boasts great hotels, a good subway system, an international airport that is only 25 minutes from downtown, and exceptional convention venues. Event Planning Whether planning an event in the trendy Tijuca district at Riocentro, with its five pavillions and one million square feet of space, or in Lapa, the artistic neighborhood that features the Rio Scenarium, options abound. Every event venue offers a plethora of activities all around, including live music events, hotels, and excellent restaurants. Our event planning team often opts for locations around Sugarloaf where there are various meeting areas highlighted by the stunning view. Knowing the City Like the Back of Our Hand Having a main office in Rio makes us very lucky event planners indeed, and we know the city like the back of our hand. From sports hospitality, B2B forums, product launches, and everything in between, TOCA is often called upon to host major events such as the 2014 World Cup, along with the upcoming 2016 Summer Olympics. Our international team has also been a part of enhancing activities at the NBA Rio Games 2013 and 2014 at the HSBC Arena and the FIFA World Cup 2014, where we used multiple venues for our multimedia presentations. Passion, Pleasure, Practicality Businesses from the world over clamor to come to Rio. They know that any event hosted here will be a success with their clients, as there are few on earth who don’t appreciate a place that so successfully combines passion, pleasure, and practicality. Contact Us For more information on bringing your event to Rio, contact us today! www.tocaevents.com