Tuesday, 13 February 2024

Escape from Rio: Carnival is Back

 Revellers from Academicos do Tucuruvi school perform during the second night of the Carnival parade at Anhembi Sambadrome in Sao Paulo

Thousands of samba dancers have been seen partying in Brazil for the opening of the city's world-famous carnival. 

The country's 12 top samba schools kicked off the annual parade competition in the giant avenue-turned-stadium known as the 'Sambadrome' in Sau Paulo. 

At the two-night competition, the samba schools battle for the title of parade champions with dazzling floats, thundering music, and thousands of singers, drummers and dancers in revealing, jewel-encrusted, feather-covered costumes.

At least 70,000 spectators will cheer them on from the packed stands of the city's designated parade venue, with millions more expected to watch live on TV. 

Revelers of the Aguia de Ouro samba school perform during the second night of carnival

Revelers of the Aguia de Ouro samba school perform during the second night of carnival

Invented a century ago by the descendants of African slaves, samba is one of the great symbols of Brazilian popular culture, and of Rio. 

Each samba school has 60 to 70 minutes to dazzle its way down the 700 meters (yards) of the Marques de Sapucai, the avenue through the concrete carnival parade temple designed by modernist architect Oscar Niemeyer. 

A jury will judge each school down to the minutest detail, with potentially devastating fractions of points deducted for being out of sync, running overtime or lacking flair. 

Carnival is also big business for Rio: the party is expected to generate 5.3 billion reais (more than $1 billion) in revenues this year. 

Although the parade contest is the climax, Rio has in fact been celebrating carnival for weeks with free-for-all street parties known as "blocos."

A colorful crowd of revelers descended on the iconic beach neighborhood of Ipanema on Saturday.

Pictured: Drum Queen Paolla Oliveira from Grande Rio samba school

Pictured: Drum Queen Paolla Oliveira from Grande Rio samba school

Pictured: Members of the 'Unidos da Tijuca' samba school parade on their brightly coloured  sea-themed float

Pictured: Members of the 'Unidos da Tijuca' samba school parade on their brightly coloured  sea-themed float 

Pictured: A member of Mocidade performs in a green and yellow costume in the Sambadrome

Pictured: A member of Mocidade performs in a green and yellow costume in the Sambadrome

A member of the Salgueiro samba school performs during the first night of the Carnival parade at the Marques de Sapucai Sambadrome

A member of the Salgueiro samba school performs during the first night of the Carnival parade at the Marques de Sapucai Sambadrome

Drum queen Paola Oliveira from Grande Rio samba school parades during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early on Monday

Drum queen Paola Oliveira from Grande Rio samba school

A jury judges each down to the minutest detail, with potentially devastating fractions of points deducted for being out of sync, running over time or lacking flair


Performers from the Unidos da Tijuca samba school parade on a float featuring a giant pink unicorn on Monday morning

A giant pink unicorn

Members of the Unidos da Tijuca samba school perform during the first night of the Carnival parade at the Marques de Sapucai Sambadrome

Members of the Unidos da Tijuca samba school perform

A reveller from Imperatriz Leopoldinense samba school, dressed as a lizard, performs during the carnival on Monday

A reveller from Imperatriz Leopoldinense samba school, dressed as a lizard

Members of the Unidos da Tijuca samba school parade during the Rio de Janeiro carnival

Members of the Unidos da Tijuca samba school parade

Party spirit: The celebrations feature colourful floats, marching bands and exotically clad dancers

New Orleans

In this sketch from 1867, James E. Taylor drew the 'Procession of the Mistick Krewe of Comus.' The Mistick Krewe is credited with starting the popular celebration of Mardi Gras in the 1850s

New Orleans 1867

Joker floats roll down St. Charles Avenue on Mardi Gras in 2007 during the second celebration after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast region

Jokers

The day is known for being over the top. From floats, to food and drinks, dancing and music, and of course crowds, the Nola city center plays host to hundreds of Mardi Gras events, including dozens of parades each year

Zulu float

A member of the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club Parade dances during the 2022 celebration. Mardi Gras parades have historically been executed by Krewes - social organizations, some secret, that get together to celebrate Mardi Gras

A member of the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club Parade

A member of the Krewe of Zulu marches through the streets as part of the popular parade on Tuesday morning

A member of the Krewe of Zulu

7 A member of the crowd poses for a photo with a member of The Krewe of Zulu as they march through the streets as a part of Fat Tuesday Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, 21 February 2023

The Krewe of Zulu

People in costume sit on a float in the 2023 Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club parade during a Mardi Gras Parade. Zulu Krewe and social club are one of the best established krewes still marching each year

Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club

During the pandemic, many traditional Mardi Gras activities were canceled, including parades. Instead, New Orleanians opted to decorate their homes as immovable floats, so that residents could walk through neighborhoods and see opulent displays in every direction


A person is pictured wearing a Union Flag outfit and a mask with 'Brexit' painted on it

Notting Hill

A group of revellers are seen dancing outside a property in Notting Hill as the first day of the annual Carnival celebration is underway

A group of revellers are seen dancing outside a property in Notting Hill

A group of revellers dressed in costumes gather for the start of the two-day extravaganza in west London

west London

The Adults Day Parade and Carnival will take place on Sunday from 10.30am to 8.30pm along the parade route

Notting Hill

Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife is one of the biggest and most notable Carnivals - it's believed to be the second largest after Rio

Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife is one of the biggest and most notable Carnivals - it's believed to be the second largest after Rio

Tenerife looks like one huge rainbow for a whole month and as well as the parades, costumes and marches, there is also a gala party to choose the Carnival queen

Tenerife looks like one huge rainbow for a whole month 

The Trinidad and Tobago Carnival is a two-day celebration known across the world for it's colourful costumes and street parades

The Trinidad and Tobago Carnival

Dubbed the 'best Caribbean Carnival in the world,' it originated as a rebellion against slavery

Dubbed the 'best Caribbean Carnival in the world'

It offers a mix between ancient Andean and Spanish colonial traditions and religions, as well as featuring a lot of catholic symbolism

Bolivia


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