They are men, women, poor, rich, black, white, young and old. The destination? The world’s biggest party at the Sambadrome arena of downtown Rio de Janeiro. It is five days before Ash Wednesday, and the Carnival is about to begin. Emotions run high and the air is thick with tension. In Brazil, samba is larger than life. Like football, it is both so much fun and serious business; but more than this, it is art beyond imagination.
This is the party for the people of Rio de Janeiro – Cariocas – many of whom live their lives with so little. The carnival has art for all, and all is given for the art of the samba. It is the moment to celebrate and dance one’s heart out. To wear a fancy (but often hot, heavy and uncomfortable) costume and to act like a star in the Sambadrome parade helps the people to forget the daily hardships of their lives and for all of Rio to feel equal. "Call it the dance therapy of Rio," one of the organizers says.
Months are spent for the rehearsals, and substantial payments are made to samba schools for costumes and for the chance to participate in the parade. Each school has its passionate devotees, almost of a religious nature. And while performing or attending a night in the Sambadrome competition is the highlight of the Carnival, dozens of street parties and bandas are organized around the neighborhoods of Rio. Actually these street bandas which have become increasingly popular, are the most traditional aspects of Carnival in Brazil.
The highlight of the Carnival takes place on the second and third night, when the top 14 samba schools of Rio de Janeiro (Special Group) compete for the championship at the Sambadrome, which is the special samba runway built in 1984 and located at the heart of Rio.
Each school works for more than 10 months to prepare for the parade: Creating the concept, building the magnificent floats, designing and finishing thousands of costumes and composing the school’s theme samba, which is played over and over during the 80-minute parade time at the Sambadrome.
Around 60,000 people occupy the seats of the Sambadrome every night to experience the spectacular Samba School Parade. It resembles street operas with carefully chosen themes, acts, mobile sets (floats) and the music played by a live, marching orchestra. The 700-meter long Sambadrome avenue is filled nightly with over 50,000 dancers performing spontaneously and moving passionately to the hypnotic beat of the samba which is played by some 4,000 drummers.
The parade at the Sambadrome provides only one opportunity for the entire samba school to perform together; no second chance is given, if something goes wrong. Each year one school is downgraded from the special group to a lower category, called the access group, others are upgraded – the pressure and the tension among the competitors are enormous.
Samba stars, passistas, are the real eye-catchers with their fabulous costumes – or lack of them – performing their solo acts which build up the frenzy among the wildly dancing, cheering and singing audience. These positions are fiercely fought for, and are often filled by the most famous Brazilian models and actresses, whose pictures are found in every cover of the local magazines.
Every moment, every step in the competition counts. Forty judges spread throughout the Sambadrome meticulously watch the performers and look out for mistakes. The hotly contested championship is judged on the merits of the selected theme and its overall interpretation, the samba song, costumes and accessories, floats, the drumming section called bateria, schools´ flag bearer and ballroom master, and the harmony or togetherness of the entire parade.
Salguiero Samba School’s theme is fire. A float featuring a grand volcano spits out flames. Women on the float dance wildly making it rattle and shake. The audience goes into a dancing frenzy while clapping their hands and repeating the samba theme "E Salgueiro... O laia."
Behind the glitzy floats are groups of ecstatic dancers dressed in fabulously lavish costumes. The samba school organizers, diretores de harmonia, walk along the side of the floats running and shouting at the dancers to make sure that the 80-minute time limit is kept and that no gaps are formed between the groups.
Float after float follow seamlessly across the Sambadrome. People of all sizes, ages, color and nationalities perform with pride and joy. Men and women dance in wheelchairs; even an amputated leg or crutches do not slow down the speed of a samba pirouette.
The audience was totally captivated by the entrance of last year’s first runner-up, the Unidos on Tijuca Samba School. Its first float was dazzling with 250 people dressed in all white – like clones – making simple, but strikingly choreographed movements with flags, pompoms and small umbrellas. The school took the audience, guided by Don Quixote, into imaginary places like Atlantis and El Dorado seeking the way to eternity. On the way, one met one of the most innovative of floats featuring a four-floor tower of coffins with Draculas jumping in and out and while swaying their hips wildly to the beat of samba.
Beija-Flor Samba School’s theme was a more traditional and religious one. It portrayed the life and work of the Jesuits in Brazil. The beautifully composed samba theme, brilliant costumes in the colors of orange, rust and brown and almost perfectly and most harmoniously executed parade warranted Beija-Flor school its third consecutive championship.
In samba, drama is essential but sometimes it is unexpected and can become a tearful part of the show. When Portela, one of the most prestigious samba schools with most championships, entered the Sambadrome – featuring supermodel Naomi Campbell – something went terribly wrong. A huge silver bird float, which was mysteriously destroyed in a fire the day before broke, down in the middle of the parade. The harmony of the parade was destroyed as several gaps were created between the performing groups. The clock ticked, and when the allotted 80-minute time expired, the entrance gate was closed. Floats and hundreds of people were left behind. Dreams, hopes and months of hard work vanished into the smokey air. Suddenly, the Sambadrome was filled with disbelief, sadness and anger. And it was only after persistent clapping and yelling by the audience that the other dancers were allowed to enter the Sambadrome. Once the gates were reopened, somber dancers, including children dressed as angels, walked quietly with their heads down, endless tears flowing on their cheeks.
Each float was pushed by the samba schools maintenance men, and when the last float passed the finish line, gates were closed.
The most furious applause was reserved for the Rio municipality’s worker who entered into a wild samba in the middle of the cleaning process. He paused and set two brooms standing on the Sambadrome runway. From the top of one broom he pulled out a Brazilian flag, and from the other a white flag with the word paz (peace) written on it. For a brief moment it felt like the air was filled with so much of love it could have healed all the evil in the world.
That is the magic of Rio.