Chinlone video

"Chinlone is a combination of sport and dance, a team sport with no opposing team. In essence chinlone is non-competitive, yet it is as demanding as the most competitive ball games. The focus is not on winning or losing, but how beautifully one plays the game...

Chinlone means “cane-ball” in Burmese. The ball is woven from rattan, and makes a distinctive clicking sound when kicked that is part of the aesthetic of the game. Players use six points of contact with the ball: the top of the toes, the inner and outer sides of the foot, the sole, the heel, and the knee. The game is played barefoot or in chinlone shoes that allow the players to feel the ball and the ground as directly as possible. The typical playing circle is 6.7 meters (22 feet) in diameter. The ideal playing surface is dry, hard packed dirt, but almost any flat surface will do.

Chinlone is over 1,500 years old and was once played for Burma royalty. Over the centuries, players have developed more than 200 different ways of kicking the ball. Many of the moves are similar to those of Burma dance and martial art. Some of the most difficult strokes are done behind the back without seeing the ball as it is kicked. Form is all important in chinlone: there is a correct way to position the hands, arms, torso, and head during the moves. A move is considered to have been done well only if the form is good."

Text credit above from Wikipedia. "Mystic Ball," an award-winning movie about Chinlone is at this link.

p.s. - even if you don't like sports (or perhaps I should say especially if you don't like sports), you should watch this video for just 30 seconds to see what it's about... Trust me on this.