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Carnival of Rio de Janeiro
Carnival is a great feast which is celebrated every year 40 days before Easter. It is a profane event whose origins were in the pagan "Saturnalia". The carnival was a fun time, to eat meat, make love and live joyously before the lent, which is an abstinence period. Carnival was brought to Brazil by Portuguese, who occupied the Rio de Janeiro’s zone. Nevertheless, the Portuguese carnival was a celebration very different named “entrudo” which was quite violent and consisted to throw water, flour, eggs and mud to unsuspecting passers in the streets; this tradition is still conserved in some parts of Brazil and South America. Entrudo was celebrated mainly by poorer classes who took the streets in unplanned and unformed revelry. While, the high classes preferred to celebrate this feast privately in their homes.
The actual carnival of Rio de Janeiro had its origins in 1845; when the city imported the mask parties and holding balls from Paris’ celebrations; little by little local people was adding to European celebration African and Amerindian culture elements. During the XIX century were also introduced the famous “cordoes”(strings) also known as “blocos” (blocks) which are groups of people who cross the streets dancing and playing music. Now these groups also dress special clothes according to certain themes and usually are associated to specific neighborhoods of the city. Rio de Janeiro has around 100 “blocos”, and each year this number increases. Every “bloco” has their own places and streets to parade and commonly they close the traffic during five days that carnival lasts. Most of these groups parade in the Downtown, Ipanema, Copacabana, Leblon and the Botanical Garden. Some of the most important blocos of the Rio de Janeiro’s carnival are “O cordao do bola preta”, “Suvaco de Cristo” and “Monobloco”.
Nevertheless, the main attraction of the carnival in Rio de Janeiro are without doubt the Samba Schools and its impressive parades which take place in the World famous Rio’s Sambodrome, which was designed by the Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer and was opened in 1984. All schools prepare its performances during all year. Each school is composed by thousands of dancers amongst professionals and amateurs. Carnival is the opportunity those who have always dreamed to write a song, dance in public or play a musical instrument. The parades inside the sambodrome allow also merging aristocrats and common people. Currently it can see famous models, actors, football players and still politics parades with a school in the sambodrome.
The samba schools spend several millions of dollars to prepare its presentations in the sambodrome; this fact is quite ironic; since most schools are from the poorest sections of the city known as “favelas”. The samba schools presentations are usually inspired in political or social themes, which praise or criticize the Brazilian reality. The competition amongst samba schools began in 1930’s and now it is a competition very similar to competitions amongst football teams; there is a great rivalry amongst samba schools; this rivalry transcends the boundaries of sambodrome. Therefore; each school save carefully its choreographies, themes and songs; nevertheless many schools allow to tourists for a little fee to watch the trainings before the carnival, but probably you can’t see the amazing costumes and decorations that they will use in the sambodrome.
The parades in the sambodrome usually begin at 20:00 and last until dawn. But the celebrations in the rest of the city continue all day. During the 5 days that lasts the carnival many nightclubs opens their doors 24 hours. Carnival is celebrated between February and March; in 2008 it will celebrate from February 2 to February 5. If you want to get a place in the sambodrome, there are tickets available from $99 to $800 depending on location and date. Nevertheless, you can see some of the spectacle free at “Rio Branco” street, where the schools parade and rehearse before to enter into Sambodrome . Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival is definitely the greatest party in the World.
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