Menino Assum Preto

Inspired by the emblematic song “Assum Preto,” by Luiz Gonzaga and Humberto Teixeira, Menino Assum Preto is a manifesto in motion, inscribed in the bodies and memories of Flying Low’s performer-creators, all from the peripheries of São Paulo. The work draws a moving parallel between the imprisoned, blinded bird — singing without seeing the world — and the urban worker, pushed to survive within a daily life of exploitation and invisibility.

Combining breaking and contemporary dance, the artists bring their bodies to the stage to create a visceral narrative about the struggle for dignity and freedom. With original music, lighting, and costumes, the work invites the audience into an atmosphere that moves from density to playfulness, evoking the pain, poetry, and strength of bodies that insist on dreaming. It does so through virtuosic breaking acrobatics and a singular expressiveness.

Since its premiere in 2019, the performance has toured festivals and cultural venues, adding its voice to the affirmation of art from the peripheries as a critical, sensitive, and transformative expression.