Rio de Janeiro Samba Schools

 Carnival has been celebrated in Brazil and in Rio de Janeiro for centuries, but samba schools were only first inaugurated in Rio Carnival in the 1920s.

Samba School History


At the end of the 19th century, immigrants from Bahia state brought with them the tradition of playing candomble and dancing a bahian dance called the samba. In the slums of downtown Rio, a place referred to as 'Little Africa', they established a number of religious houses devoted to religious ceremonies where they played and danced the early forms of samba.

However African religions were illegal in a dominantly catholic Brazil. These roots of samba remained invisible to the white elite for a long time.

The samba schools' parading structure originates from groups marching during Carnival in the 19th century. In that period of time they already had the Vanguard Commission, a chosen theme, floats, and the flag bearing couple, all of which are essential parts of today's samba schools.

The first group to call itself a samba school was a group founded in 1928 and called Deixa Falar, which came from the district of Estácio, located on the hill above Praça Onze, considered the cradle of samba. They called themselves samba school because they met right next door to a local children's school.

Deixa Falar and Mangueira were both founded at the end of the 1920's, Deixa Falar first, in 1926, and Mangueira soon after, in 1928. Deixa Falar was disbanded and later refounded as Estácio de Sá. Mangueira is the oldest existing samba school, although it was not the first.

Deixa Falar paraded for the first time on Praça Onze in 1929. In 1930 there was already 5 schools parading including Mangueira and Vai Como Pode, later known as Portela. The parade of the samba schools had become a contest, which Deixa Falar won in 1930 and 1931. By 1932 there were 19 schools parading. In 1933 the parade started to be sponsored by the biggest Brazilian media group 'O Globo'. They established a list of 4 marking criteria for the judges.

Many of the Rio de Janeiro samba schools were originally part of a soccer club in the area where they were founded, such as Porto da Pedra.

In the last few years Rio Branco, the main financial street downtown, has become the principal place for the carnival bands and groups to parade in over carnival weekend. Although there are parades in almost all parts of the city at that time. The street becomes packed with groups of revelers from mid afternoon to the small hours of the following morning (starting from the Cinelândia end of the street). You can also find  many street bands around Lapa, all through Carnival.

Working Grounds

According to their two functions, the Rio samba schools usually have two physical locations:

• the samba halls, function as huge dance clubs for all types of people (the young and the aged) playing live samba music by the schools' percussion bands. You will also find the schools' main administrative center and president at these locations
• the production units are where the floats and some of the costumes are produced. Since 2005, all of the principle Rio samba schools in the Special Group have their production facilities at the same location, called Samba City. It is open to all visitors.

The samba schools represent the community spirit of a neighborhood, which is usually a particular shanty-town (favela). They bring a sense of community and belonging. The schools have a huge impact on their neighborhoods. They are the best organized entities in the slums, with thousands of people joining rehearsals, samba nights and carnival preparations. They are often politically involved, too. They are absolutely essential parts of Rio's life and culture. Everyone from Rio truly supports the football teams and the samba schools.

Do not think of the samba schools as colleges where they teach you how to dance samba. They are not teaching institutions as their name suggests and do not offer samba classes. However you can attend any of their samba nights and learn how to dance just by watching others. The origin of the name samba school comes from the fact, as legend suggests, that the early sambistas used to rehearse in an empty lot near a teachers' college. "We also teach! Here the students learn to breathe and live samba!"

There are over 70 samba schools in Rio de Janeiro and they all parade during the 4 days of Carnival. They pick themes, write music and lyrics, make costumes and floats and practice all year to succeed in their parades. They are subject to a strict hierarchy and are organized into 6 competitive leagues. They are the Special Group, Group A, B, C, D and E. The first three groups parade in the Sambodromo. All other samba schools parade on the streets and are free to watch and join in.

The biggest, most spectacular and leading 12 schools are from the Special Group. They create a pageant with 3,000-5,000 people to compete in the Samba Parade in the Sambodromo on Carnival Sunday and Monday. See their 2010 Parade Schedule.

ach year a lower scoring school is downgraded from the Special Group to the Access Group (also called Group A). Group A comprises the 10 less successful schools which also parade in the Sambodromo, on Carnival Saturday. Inversely the best school of the year in Group A joins the Special Group in the following year.

The lowest rated schools parading in the Sambodromo belong to the Base Group (Group B), They are smaller and less spectacular, each school having approximately 1,500 participants.

Each samba school has its own distinctive colors (of its flag) and costume style. The color scheme is reflected in many parts of a school's parade.

The schools raise money from ticket sales for their samba nights, television broadcasts and dance events. Some of the money given by members and sponsorships comes from illegal gambling. They are a true mixture of big business and big fun.

Samba Nights

The samba schools offer samba nights (rehearsals for the Samba Parade) at their samba halls, which are open to anyone. Going to one is the best way to make contact with real samba and learn how to dance it. The nights are informal and very popular, a bit like a mega club with people of all ages, with lots of dancing and boozing.

Such a night is definitely an experience not to be missed and which won't be forgotten. On these samba nights, the school's samba song of the year is repeated over and over again, to be learned in preparation for their Carnival Parade.

You can go to the samba night of any school. Three of the best known ones, Mangueira, Unidos da Tijuca and Salgueiro, are located within a reasonable cab ride from the South End (Zona Sul).

Other samba halls are in the distant suburbs, but are not a place to wander about without someone who knows his way around. Some of them are very far away, even outside of Rio and can be quite rough.

We recommend going to Mangueira which has the biggest, safest and most famous hall with many tourists and lots of security (even so you might be a bit intimidated if not shocked, at first). A note of warning - the samba halls are in very poor areas, often on the borders of the slums so don't go flashy, dress down and do not have anything very valuable on you. However do go!

Source: Rio Carnival