RIO DE JANEIRO — The beach volleyball venue on Copacabana beach is the biggest sports party in the world. You can see the waves crashing on the beach from the stands, but you can’t hear them, thanks to bumping speakers and the raucous, coordinated cheers the crowd does every time a significant volleyball event happens.
Nobody wants to be the odd person out at the party, so we made you this guide on how to participate in the beach volleyball cheering section.
HERE COMES THE BOOM
What it is: A repurposed snippet of the song “Here Comes the Boom” by P.O.D., as sampled by Nelly for his own song “Here Comes The Boom.” The “boom” repeats, like so: “here comes the BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM.”
When does it play: After a successful spike.
What should you do when it happens: Throw your hands into the air and yell the word BOOM when the word BOOM is played.
* * *
Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images
I haven’t seen anybody in Rio doing archery, or playing badminton, or working on their steeplechase skills. But walking up and down Copacabana or Ipanema beaches, you will see hundreds of people — both genders, from 10 to 50 — playing beach volleyball.
We all know Brazil’s national sport is soccer. But at least in Rio, beach volleyball doesn’t seem far behind. All you need is a ball and a beach — and there are plenty of beaches to be had.
* * *
MONSTER BLOCK
What is it? A deep, almost robotic voice repeating the phrase “Monster Block” over a techno beat. Here are the lyrics: “MONSTER BLOCK. MONSTER BLOCK. MONSTER MONSTER MONSTER BLOCK.”
When does it play? When a player blocks a big spike. Sometimes, a player blocks a spike and the PA staff does not deem it to have been a monster block. They are picky about which blocks are monster blocks.
What do you do when it happens? Lift both your arms in the air, and wave them forward and backwards. As the entire stadium does this, shifting part of their weight to the front and to the back and to the front again, you’ll feel the stadium’s bleachers begin to sway.
* * *
Brazil spent billions of dollars building venues for the Olympics. They also spent billions of dollars two years ago building venues for the World Cup. Ten years from now, they’ll be left with a series of useless buildings: A velodrome, built for six days of reasonably attended bike races, with no other purpose besides bike racing. A 40,000-seat stadium in Manaus, a city without a top-flight soccer team. A canoe slalom course. A canoe slalom course.
They did not spend billions of dollars on this beach volleyball venue. It is literally just bleachers on sand. The sand is not imported: It’s just the sand from the beach that it’s built on.
It’s a temporary structure: It was still under construction shortly before the games began, and it will be deconstructed shortly after they end.
And yet, it’s without a doubt the most memorable venue I’ve been at in Rio. In the day, you can see the islands off the Carioca coast. At night, floodlights illuminate the Olympic rings overlooking the ocean. The location is perfect, and the atmosphere is infectious.
The concrete-and-mortar buildings here are nice, but in some ways, forgettable. When I get back to America, I will not be able to remember the difference between Carioca Arena 1 (basketball) Carioca Arena 2 (judo/wrestling) and Carioca Arena 3 (fencing/taekwondo.) So many of the permanent buildings will be monuments to a long-gone sporting event, but the arena that made people the happiest will be a ghost.
* * *
ACE! ACE!
What is it?: The beat to “Danza Kuduro” plays, but instead of the lyrics to Danza Kuduro, somebody yells “ACE! ACE”
When does it happen? When a serve is not returned.
What do you do when it happens? Clap on each repetition of “Ace.”
* * *
Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
Whoever put together this show is well aware of the fact that it’s supposed to be a party. There are dance breaks, at which point some garishly dressed women with elaborate headwear emerge in the second level and dance in front of a “VISIT RIO” flag.
When it’s time to play one of the hits, such as MONSTER BLOCK or ACE ACE, a slew of enthusiastic cheerleaders will emerge onto the court. They’re not the cheerleaders we expect in America — they’re of both genders, wearing perfectly normal clothing, and have no bullhorns. But they’re distinctly here to lead cheers. One member of the squad does a series of backflips onto the court, and then the whole team begins egging on the crowd.
The crowd responds. American crowds often turn their nose up at Jumbotron “fun.” We sneer at the wave, we’re kinda creeped out by the kiss cam. This snobbery is completely absent in Brazil. They are passionate about their wave, they are more passionate about their kiss cam kisses. (I have seen tongue, so, so many times.)
But there’s also a sporting event here. The cheerleaders appear to be under strict marching orders to get off the court before play starts. Often, they backflip out, lead cheers for 15 seconds, and then sprint back off the court.
* * *
LEFT/RIGHT
What is it?: A deep, almost robotic voice — maybe the same guy from “Monster Block???” — repeating the words “left” and “right.” Here are the lyrics. “Left. And right. Left. And Right. Left. And Right.”
When does it play? On intervals of seven, when the teams have to switch sides of the court.
What do you do when it happens? Point to the left, then point to the right.
* * *
Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Brazil has about 2⁄3 the population of the United States, but Team USA has 28 gold medals here in Rio, and Brazil has three. The scarcity of medals makes heroes out of athletes in sports the Brazilians aren’t actually big on, like pole vaulting.
But with beach volleyball, Brazil has a chance to win gold in something it cares about. Barbara and Agatha will play for a gold medal in the women’s tournament Wednesday night, and Bruno and Alison will play for a gold medal in the men’s tournament Thursday night.
And the crowds will cheer.
* * *
Just any random Brazilian song
What it is? It’s a Brazilian song you’ve never heard. Maybe it’s “Ai Se Eu Te Pego” by Michel Telo. Maybe it’s “Tempo de Alegria” by Ivete Sangalo. It doesn’t matter to you — you’ve never heard it before, and everybody else in the building has.
When does it play? Any time Brazil does anything good.
What should you do when it happens? Sing. Sing as loudly and as happily as you can.
Do you know the song? Probably not. You’d have to be Brazilian to know the song, and you’re not Brazilian. You don’t even speak Portuguese. But as the song goes on, you pick up the melody. Your voice joins in.
You’re not Brazilian. But you’re now a part of a chorus of unfettered joy, celebrating the sandy success of Brazil’s heroes.
If you’re just in Brazil for these two weeks, there is no possible way you can come to understand the experiences or struggles of the people that live here. But if you come to this iconic Rio place and follow these instructions, you can share a moment of sports joy with them.
Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images
