Samba School

The traditional Samba Costumes are incredibly elaborate.  Pictured here is a member of Mangueira at the 1998 Carnival, wearing the signature pink and green colors. 

SAMBA is synonymous with Brazil - the music captures the energy and essence of the people.  Every year, the culmination of the samba energy is CARNIVAL - a huge festival celebrated annually in February.  Here massive parties, parades, music, and costumes collide for four nights on the eve Lent.  Unfortunately, we will not be in Rio for Carnival, however we were fortunate enough to experience one of its major elements in the form of a night at its most famous SAMBA SCHOOL, Mangueira.

The street in front of Mangueira was packed with people from all walks of life - with everyone smiling and dancing to the overwhelming street music.  At midnight you could hardly even move it was so busy!  

Mangueira is one of the oldest and most respected Samba schools, dating back to its founding over 80 years ago.  It is located on the border of the North and South Zones of Rio, attracting a very eclectic mix of people.  According to my semi-accurate source Wikipedia, Samba Schools can be defined as:

Samba schools are very large, well-financed organizations that work year round in preparation for Carnival. Parading in the Sambadrome runs over four entire nights and is part of an official competition, divided into seven divisions, in which a single samba school will be declared that year's winner. Blocos deriving from the samba schools also hold street parties in their respective suburbs, through which they parade along with their followers.

Mangueira competes against 15 other favelas in a stiff competition to determine the best school in Rio.  Marcus knew many people there, and thus our safety was assured.  However, nothing could have prepared me for the scene when we arrived around midnight (yes, midnight) to document the energy for our documentary on Zola Acai.  The streets were overflowing with people, giving off a crazy mix of danger and energy.  Despite what Marcus said, you just never know in a crowd that big!     

Bartenders in traditional pink and green.  Each samba school has its own colors, just like a sports team (any relation to the Palermo soccer team?)

Cuv and I sipping 100% Kiwi Juice - so thick you could barely use a straw!

DJ's with huge speakers banged out songs on the rooftops.

Marcus poses with a long-time Manguiera legend.  This is his 154th year at Samba School.

Eventually we were told it was time to go inside, as it was only 2 am, and followed Marcus through the crowd to the door.  The venue for the actual Samba School Practice (which is what we were attending) was in a building the size of a high school gymnasium.  Thousands of people were packed inside, and as we made our way up the stairs you could begin to hear the driving drum beat of 70 drummers in unison.

The inside of Mangueira Samba School.

The drummers were AMAZING!

Please, no guns inside.

Once inside, the energy was literally tangible.  The drums fell and rose in a series of crescendos, and the crowd sang along with two leaders on microphone.  It seemed as if everyone in the crowd knew the words - which were printed on a sheet of paper for those who were "newbies."  It actually reminded me a lot of the Spanish kids I would come across in Europe... incredible!

We finally left around 5 am, the party still in full swing.  By the time we reached the hotel, the sun was rising in the most amazing sunrise you can imagine (which you won't have to because I pictured it below!)  This prompted Chris to look directly at me and say the one word I was thinking: BODY SURFING!  We grabbed our suits and swam in the ocean as the sunrise... a perfect end to a crazy experience!

Sunrise over the Sheraton

~ J. Twice