Best Carnaval Roles

As Brazilians like to say, New Year's Eve is the first cry of Carnaval. From January until the day of the parade, Canavalescos, Carnaval participants, rehearse, work on tan lines, and get ready for the special day. It is, after all, one of the largest competitions in Rio de Janeiro. The winning samba school not only gets the prestige of being the best samba school in Rio but also a significant cash prize.

But really, what is Carnaval without the amazing costumes? Below are photos of my favorite outfits and roles.

Porta Bandeira and Mestre de Sala. This is one of the most prestigious positions a samba school member can have. PB and MdS have the honor of carrying the school's flag, and unlike other parade members, there is only one male and one female PB and MdS for the whole school. The coveted position is often passed down from generation to generation, staying within the family for years.

Madrinha da Bateria (Godmother of the Band). The MdB holds one of the most glamorous positions in a samba school. Throughout the parade, she marches down the Sambodromo, the designated parade street, in front of the band. Her job, in addition to looking fab, is to excite the crown and dance her ass off. Since all eyes are on her, the pressure is on to look amazing in ever way.

Baianas. I love the role of the baianas. Normally, B are older women who have been members of the samba school for years. They are dedicated members who, behind the scenes, do most of the sewing and costume making for other members. Though the costumes are typically long skirts, each year, costume designer incorporate new designs, colors, and accessories that make the costume beautiful and glamorous.

Globeleza. Yeas ago, Globo, Brazil's top television network, began hosting competitions in search of someone who would serve as the face of Carnaval. For 10 years, Valeria Valencia held the position. Today, Globo hosts a yearly competition to find the right woman. She, in nothing but body paint, appears in commercials that promote the parade and remind me why I need to eat more brown rice and broccoli.

Samba Styles

Good friends, aging, and samba moves are like good wine. It doesn't get old; it gets better.

This week Lea Nouch is coming to visit from Africa! She not only is a great friend but also an amazing dancer. Her fusion of Cuban salsa and samba gives her dance moves a style I have never seen before. Really, when she dances, I have to stop and watch--in part because she is so damn good and in part because I try to see which moves I can steal : ) .

Thinking about Lea and her samba fusion got me thinking of other samba styles. Unbeknown to many, samba is not just a 1 and 2 count. It, as with any great style of dance, has a variety of styles that incorporate cultural and regional norms.

Here are a few videos of the many style of samba:

Samba de Roda:
I often connect this style of samba with capoeira and Bahia. From my observations and conversations with fellow dancers, I have noticed that Samba de Roda dancers appear grounded when performing. They incorporate more shoulder movements and the samba step is more open and out when compared to Rio style samba.

Axe samba:
This is truly a workout! Dancers mix samba steps with a variety of choreographed moves. Since the moves are specific to the song, it's difficult to count or transfer moves from one song to the next. But this is one of my favorite style of samba (Note that I say samba but dancers do very little of the move. It's really about the choreography and how cute you look while doing it :).

Pagode:
Ops, Axe is great but I love pagode. By far, this is my favorite style of samba since it's both a solo and couple dance. Dancers use their hips, feet, arms, and head to give the move a charming and involved look.

Rio:
I call Rio style samba the Barbie and Speedy Gonzales dance. From waist up, dancers are to look regal, fabulous, and charismatic (Barbie). From waist down, dancers are to move like a bat out of hell. With this style, the samba step is closer together but the knees open as the dancer steps back. Heels are a must!

Charismatic Samba:
In actuality, this is a version of the Rio style samba. Dancers use the traditional bikini with feather costume but little footwork is done. The focus is on the charm that comes from soft turns, arm movements, and dramatic pauses. To achieve this style, the right song is a must!

Over the year, I have performed a little of all sambas. I'm confident with some but need work on others, as with all dancers. But one thing is for sure, when I dance, regardless of the samba style, the music takes over and I enjoy every minute of it.