Exclusive interview with Hungary’s Face Team

What do you get when you mix basketball, handball, korfball, acrobatics and ball juggling? The answer might seem complicated, but it’s actually easy: Face Team, Hungary’s first & only Acrobatic Sports Theatre. They perform extraordinary shows all around the world and they hold the audience spellbound. They are currently on tour in France but were kind enough to answer some questions.

DailyNewsHungary: When and how was Face Team created? Where did the idea come from for creating such an innovative formation? And where did the name come from?
Face Team: In 2003, Áron Takács won the “Nike-It’s Right” freestyle competition. Not long after this, he was asked to perform his freestyle basketball show at the Eötvös József Grammar School in Tata. He called up some of his friends to create a show together. This is how Face Team was formed is 2004. The name represents the many faces and characters of our ‘little company’.

DailyNewsHungary: Can we say that the real fame came with Britain’s Got Talent? What was it like to take part in a talent show like that?
Face Team: It feels nostalgic to think back; it is a very good memory since we were highly acknowledged. We amazed people like Simon Cowell and Alesha Dixon. The judges really liked us and our performances so we got quite far in the competition which was a big achievement in a field so strong and diverse. The show was watched by so many that it broke a record. So, yes, many people found out about us and what we do by watching the show.

DailyNewsHungary: How was your video with Devin Graham (devinsupertramp at Youtube, he produces adventure and extreme sport videos) made? How was it like working with him?
Face Team: Our management called him up to make a video together. This was way before he became famous and reached the top of his career. It was really easy and fun working with him at different locations in Budapest. He is a professional. The video “Slam Dunk Supertramp Style – Face Team basketball” is the 5th most watched video on his channel. We are not shy to say that this video is one that contributed to his success and vice versa.

DailyNewsHungary: In this video you also show the spectacles of Budapest. Do you find it important to advertise the country?
Face Team: We’ve always found it important to represent our country abroad. We bring our team’s and Hungary’s fame all around the world.

DailyNewsHungary: The dunk named Áron Gannicus, which was shared by Whistle Sports, has been viewed over 12 million times and the photo depicting the dunk has won an award. Was that the debut of the dunk?
Face Team: Yes. The photo and the video were taken at the Basketball World Championships in 2014, in Spain. It was the first time that Áron performed the dunk named Gannicus in front of an audience. Watch the dunk HERE!

DailyNewsHungary: How long does it take to practice a new dunk or movement? Do you have a choreographer in the team?
Face Team: It depends on the difficulty of the trick. It can take hours or weeks. We always try to widen our repertoire with new tricks or a whole new show and to make our performances interesting and spectacular. We don’t have a choreographer in the team; we create the new moves together, although we ask for the help of professional dancers and choreographers from time to time.

DailyNewsHungary: Is this more of a hobby or a profession to you?
Face Team: On one hand, it is definitely a hobby because we do something which we enjoy. On the other hand, it is like a job because this is how the N° 1 team makes a living. Besides this, some of the team members help in the training of the new generation.

DailyNewsHungary: Can we imagine you as the ‘Indispensables’? I mean, does everyone have their own role in the team?
Face Team: Yes, we can say that we are like them in the meaning that there are many different characters in the team but all together we make a superb whole. All of the tasks are distributed between us. Some help in training, some help in organization or marketing.

DailyNewsHungary: You have travelled the world and you get more and more requests to perform. Which was your most memorable performance if you can highlight one?
Face Team: Well, this is different for every one of us. Some would say Japan, some would say Indonesia. One of the most memorable trips was to Spain where we got the chance to entertain the lovers of basketball during the Basketball World Championships. We visited six cities: Granada, Sevilla, Gran Canaria, Bilbao, Barcelona and Madrid. We performed in the fan zones and in the arena of Madrid in the quarter finals. One night, when we had some free time we went to a club with one of our Spanish friends. We accidentally met with Klay Thompson and Kenneth Faried there, who are famous players of the Team USA, and we got to know them better. It was an amazing experience.

DailyNewsHungary: Currently, you’re on tour in France. Tell us about it!
Face Team: We perform in the 3rd most famous revue circus of the world. We are here for ten months and we prepared a completely new show, in which eight performers (six acrobats, one ball juggler and one break dancer) try to amaze the audience from day to day.

DailyNewsHungary: What decides which requests you choose to accept?
Face Team: We try to accept all of them as much as our energy and time allows and if the circumstances are adequate for a show like ours. With the N° 1 team we mostly perform abroad at different events, theatres, business events; whereas the new generation team performs in most of the Hungarian events.

DailyNewsHungary: What you guys do is very dangerous. Has anything more serious happened before? How much does an injury affect a performance?
Face Team: Unfortunately injuries happen in our genre but we try to prevent them and get ready for situations like this. It has happened a few times before that someone needed to be replaced during a show. In that case the show cannot stop, the others have to improvise. During longer performance series we prepare understudies just in case something like this happens.

DailyNewsHungary: Big fame comes with many fans. Have you ever got an extreme request from a fan?
Face Team: Generally they ask for autographs and photos but it has happened before that they asked for a shirt, trouser or ball that we used in our performance. May the other request stay our secret! 😉

DailyNewsHungary: Let’s play a little game with thoughts. If you had the chance, where would you rather perform: at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Rio or in the finals of the NBA?
Face Team: We have had the chance to work with NBA more than one time, at the NBA Europe Live Tour and NBA Global Games. But the Olympic Games is something very divine that it would be a great honor to show what we do.

DailyNewsHungary: You put big emphasis on the education of the new generation. Are there many talents in who you see the stars of the future?
Face Team: We meet many talented youngsters every day. Our goal is to create a community where girls and boys, younger or older get on well and help each other to improve. We want them to come to the training happily and to think of this team as a big family. They all have the chance to travel the world like we do if they are persistent enough.

DailyNewsHungary: Where can we find you? When is your next performance in Hungary?
Face Team: You can find us at the Nagy Sportágválasztó this weekend, where everyone can try what we do. Other than that, you can follow us on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube so that you can stay updated.

Check out the boys’ amazing show!

Written by Alexandra Béni

Source: Daily News Hungary