Samba School

Depart to the Sambadrome to see the Carnival Parade!!!!!!! A samba presentation takes 80 minutes showing off the joint effort of a staff that has dedicated itself to long working hours the most of the previous year! Just like an opera, each school has a ‘theme’ and every wing and costume tells a part of the story. School members in what “cariocas” call the “avenida/avenue” average from 3,500 to 5,000, dressed in rich costumes. A “theme” selected by the Board of Directors can be singled out from a number of subjects, but have to carry out a Brazilian story/history. A personality, a landmark, a city, a state, Brazilian history, etc. Floats with highlights of the story parade in the middle of the school, somewhat dividing the several stages of the story being told. Floats number vary from 5 to 8 and from 8 to 15 mt high. The songs’ lyrics are easy to understand and if onlookers carry out their song, it wins the school several points. The 1.5km of the sambadrome area brings back to memory the Presidente Vargas Avenue where parade used to take place. During the year, the Sambadrome is a school and the main plaza, the venue of popular shows and activities. The Rio de Janeiro Samba Schools have grown to such a high level of quality that one is always expecting to see the novelties that they will bring for the coming year’s parade. Of the 12 parading, 8 will be nominated champions by the number of points acquired during the parade. After the parade, the only conversation in town is the potential of this or of that school of winning, many times by a very narrow margin! A week after the Parade, the Sambadrome opens up again for the Winners’ Parade, where the 5 runners up now, without the compromise of winning points, revel in the “avenue”. And this is Rio’s Carnival!!! – and why this festival has become such a fantastic attraction worldwide and why “cariocas” love it!
Ringside boxes, with 6 seats and a small table. Called Frisas are at street level and the parade is at arms’ length. Perfect to see all the details and to sing and dance with the passing school. They are as close to the parade ground as possible and according to some, too close. Ringside boxes/Frisas are colored red in this map.

Map