The ball is light and beautiful - hand-woven from strips of rattan (a kind of cane), about the size of a small grapefruit. It makes a quiet 'tock' sound when it is kicked. The players stand in a ring about 6 metres across and keep the ball moving from one person to the next.
What makes chinlone unusual is how artistic it is. Each player has a few 'moves' - a heel flick, a knee bounce, a behind-the-back kick - and they string the moves together like dance steps. Watching good chinlone players is a bit like watching ballet, only with a ball.
Music often plays at chinlone matches. The players move in time with the rhythm. The audience claps when a player does a particularly tricky move. Nobody keeps score - everyone is on the same team, even though there are six of them.
Chinlone has been played in Myanmar for around 1,500 years. Kings used to watch it for entertainment. Today, you see it in school yards, in town squares and at festival grounds. Anyone can learn - all you need is a ball, six friends, and a few weeks of practice.

