Dance overnight in Carnaval

The samba school competition is held on Feb 26 and 27 in a place called Sambodromo -- a wide street of hundreds of meters long with fixed and tentative stance. Forteen schools are divided into 2 groups -- 7 on Feb 26 and another 7 for Feb 27.  Each school has to send out 7 floats and thousands of samba students to perform within 80 minutes. The top 6 will enter the final next Saturday to compete for the champion.

I have bought a ticket for Feb 27. A brazilian English teacher sits next to me. She changes seat with her friend when her friend who sits next to me at the beginning tells her I speak no Portugese but English. Sitting at my right-hand side are a brazilian man, in his 50s, and his girlfriend, i guess.

The brazilian man gives me a thumb-up and says Good

At about 9, the show begins. Crowds follow live samba songs to sing and dance. Some of them show passions towards the Carnaval, singing along and dance vigorously. Too bad, I do not speak Portugese, or I can understand the lyrics and sing along with them.

The floats are enormous and well decorated while the costumes are colorful and beautiful.

I did not think i would dance much, but the music, crowds, atomosphere and the brazilian man next to me motivate me to dance. When the floats apporach, people stand on seats and dance on it. The brazilian man dances simply but vigorously. I am afraid the plastic seat with aluminium-like metallic frame on a tentative stance cannot support me dancing on it, but the dancing of the man convinces me. I follow and begins to believe it is well made and tested.

We dance from 9pm to 8am. Yes, 8am in the next morning. I never thought i would be that crazy but i really enjoy it.

In our small area, there is a girl very passionate about the Carnaval. She never stops dancing and singing along. Also, there is an old man, in his late 60s I guess, keeps dancing while smoking and drinking bear sometimes. There are some girls and women next to us and behind us dance much and sometimes samba dance. Then it comes to the brazilian man and I dance passionately on the seats. Once, my hand hits the head of a girl standing between us. She does not get angry though but makes a joke that it is dangerous to dance between we two.

The brazilian man and his gf leave at about 5. He gives me a thumb-up and says Good. The sky begins to brighten up. Before the last team starts at around 7, I am allowed to get to the first row of the stance where no other audienes will block my view to take photos. I can even touch the performers of the parade. It can be so coz some people leave before the end of the show.

It begins to rain. Some performers are old men and women. Some of them do not dance well but they try their best to do it. Most importantly, they enjoy it. Raining makes it harder for them to proceed. They are already wearing bulky costumes (not sure heavy or not) When they see us dancing with them, they smile back and dance with more energy. Audiences can encourage them to do it better.

At 8:30am, i go back to my youth hostel and sleep all day long.

What an experience! I am glad I buy the ticket to come here, though it is quite expensive. It is definitely worthwhile.

Note. The English teacher says the tickets are available online. So check it out well ahead of the Carnival if you plan to join the Carnaval next year. A friend in my youth hostel says tourists can pay to buy the costumes and perform with other samba school students in the parade. The costs depend on the material and design of the costume. Normally an amount of R300 secures a place in the team.