Samba School

Samba Schools are community "clubs" working together in the interest of Samba and the competitiveness of Carnival. Each one of the Samba School represents a different community or neighborhood from different areas of Rio de Janeiro

Samba Scholl Advanced

There is a certain procession and order that each school follows while parading. The first group, “Abre-Alas” is in charge of greeting the audience, setting the mood, and introducing the theme. This group, consisting of no more than 15 people, has very complex choreography and is many times performed by professional dancers.

The next big parts in the parade procession are the floats, or “destaques” in Portuguese. They are motorized, mechanical structures that carry special guests and dancers in elaborate costumes. Each float carries a “cherry” on the top of the structure, which is a person with an impossibly heavy and ornate costume. Given the 100 plus pounds of extra costume weight, these “cherries” are lifted into position by a crane at the start of the runway.

These floats have massive special effects: for example, a giant bird flapping his wings, a dragon spitting out smoke, and so on. The proportions of the floats are limited because of the narrow, tree-lined streets that give access to the Sambodrome. Oversized floats are at risk of losing vital parts of their decoration and presentation even before entering the runway. Although many floats are motorized these days, many are still pushed by men from the community, either in T-shirts, or wearing costumes that blend in. These men pushing the floats are not cheap labor for this event, these are usually men from the community the samba school represents and have the same passion for Carnaval as the other participants. Being part of the samba parade is an honor, and these volunteers would probably look awkward in a baiana costume, anyway.

The floats also carry the more beautiful men and women in the school. And although complete nudity is not allowed in this event, the floats carry topless, almost naked men and women, disguising their nudity with heaping amounts of glitter, body paint and a smile. The right stunts and moves are a guaranteed headline the next day, and many of the dancers atop the floats draw no lines for a chance in the spotlight.

Another segment in the procession is the “Ala das Baianas,” which translates to the Wing of Baiana (those that come from the state of Bahia). This is a wing with dozens of women dressed in long colonial-style skirts, which appear like huge twirling circles from above. These positions are reserved for ladies from the community, and their very expensive costumes are subsidized. Some of the Alas are mandatory and play a very important role in the schools overall performance.

Velha Guarda, another wing of the parade, is a group of men in the typical white woven suit and Panama hat, representing the “malandro”, a traditional Carioca character. They are usually accompanied by their female counterparts and may be the last wing to march down the avenue.

The “Porta-Bandeira” and “Mestre-Sala” is the leading couple in the samba school, bringing with them a regal air as they pass by. Porta-bandeira is a Brazilian beauty with poise that carries the school flag. Crowds stand and cheer as she passes by and her partner´s job, the Mestre-Sala, is to draw everybody's attention to his queen. This is done by performing the most elaborate samba steps and courtesies known to man. Samba Schools also have a children-only wing. They have their own version of the Porta-Bandeira and Mestre-Sala, and their dexterity often equals or surpasses the adults!

The “Bateria,” or percussion element, sets the beat for the entire school. This group is preceded by a queen, the “Rainha da Bateria,” who is usually played by a VIP, a TV star, or a beauty from the community. There are also Princess roles, and girls fight fiercely for these positions.

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