Rio de Janeiro Carnival

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Rio de Janeiro Carnival 2009

There are other Carnivals in other cities in Brazil but none can compare to that of Carnival in Rio de Janeiro!!!!

When is Rio de Janeiro Carnival 09?
Carnival in Brazil usually occurs during the days of Friday thru Tuesday.
This year Rio Carnival 09 is schedule to take place on February 20 and ends on February 24th which is called "Fat Tuesday"

Where does the Rio de Janeiro 09 Carnival take place?
Previously in years past Rio Carnival took place in Centro, Centro in the Downtown area of Rio. Centro has most of the Churches, , Museums, & Bars in the city. Rio de Janiero Carnval is now held in Sambódromo, which is a stadium built for Carnival. Sambodromo can only seat 70,000 people.

Can I take part in Carnival 09 in Rio de Janeiro?
Samba schools participate in Carnival. To join a Samba school all you have to do is attend one of the rehearsals in the schools head quarters and pay about US $200 (this cost includes a admittance ticket)

Rio de Janeiro 09 Carnival Schedule

Feb 20th, Friday
13:00 Opening Ceremony - the Carnival King (Momo) is crowned by the city mayor and receives the city´s keys
19.00 Children´s Samba Schools Parade

Feb 21st, Saturday
09.30 Street Band Cordão do Bola Preta (Downtown)
16.00 Banda de Ipanema meets at Praça General Osório, Ipanema
19.00 Official Costume Competition in Hotel Gloria
20.00 Street Band Competition in Av. Rio Branco, Centro (Downtown)
21.00 Parade of the Samba Schools in the Access Group
23.00 The Magic Ball at Copacabana Palace Hotel

Feb 22nd, Sunday
21.00 Parade of the Samba Schools in the Special Group

Feb 23rd, Monday
21.00 Parade of the Samba Schools in the Special Group

Feb 24th, Tuesday
16.00 Banda de Ipanema marches for the last time
21.00 Parade of the Samba Schools in Group "B"
23.00 Gay Costume Ball in Rio Scala

Samba Parade, Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro Carnival has gained much of its popularity due to the world famous Samba Parade. The Samba Parade is a show, display and competition of the Samba schools in Rio.

The Characters in the Samba Parade

• King of Carnival (King Momo) - "Momo" is the name of the god of mockery in the Greek mythology, and according to Carnival tradition, King Momo should be jolly and as big as a house. He opens all major Carnival events including the Samba Parades.
  
  
  
  
• Queen and Princesses of Carnival- The Queen of Carnival is chosen by contest based on her beauty, self-assurance, sociability, ease of expression, congeniality and samba abilities but all in all she must have the "carnival spirit".  The 2nd and the 3rd place candidates in the contest are named the Princesses of Carnival.
• Wing (Ala)- The Wing(s) are the building blocks of the Parade. The Wing consist of 20-100 people wearing the same costume and having the same purpose. The costume will illustrate a particular aspect of the school's theme.
• Vnguard Commission- This is the opening wing of a school. A group of 12-15 dancers with a highly choreographed routine, who parade at the front of the school, "introducing" it to the crowd. Their costumes do not have to reflect the school´s theme.
  
  
  
• The Flag Bearer and her Escort- She is carrying and presenting the school's flag, as the symbol of the School, while the couple is dancing down the Avenue.
• Swirling Ladies (Baianas)- Consist of older women dressed in glitzy variations of the traditional costume of Bahia state, with huge skirts having tubes inserted inside so that they lend themselves for some beautiful swirling. Swirling down the Avenue, they represent the soul of the samba schools, their African roots.
• Percussion Band (Bateria)- This is the beating heart of the School comprising of 250-350 percussionist mainly drummers. It lends life and energy to the whole parade. A community wing, thus the costumes are paid for by the school.
• Vocalists- There is main male well-known vocalist who is accompanied by many others. They are usually on top of the sound truck right behind the percussionists or march along the samba run-way.
• Queen of the Drummers- A beautiful female samba dancer in front of and introducing the Percussionists to the crowd. She is supposed to motivate and inspire the hundreds of male drummers behind her.
  
  
  
• Samba Dancers (Passistas)- A small wing of the finest samba dancers of the school - no more than 15-20. It's very hard to dance the samba at Rio´s speed whilst moving forward at nearly walking pace for 700m (1/2 mile) - the samba dancers are a star turn. They are chosen through competition each year and is certainly high honor to take this role.
  
  

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