Rio Carnival: A Show like No Other

Before the 40-day period of fasting known as Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, Brazilians hold a celebration of epic proportions called Carnival. This week-long riot of colors and sounds originated from European masquerade balls brought to the New World. While Carnival festivities raged on, social and gender differences were momentarily forgotten. In Rio de Janeiro, the custom became dear to Afro-Brazilians, who infused it with their own cultural signatures such as samba music.

Today, the culmination of Carnival in Rio is the Samba Parade, a grand spectacle focused within the Sambadrome, built specially in 1984. Rio's top samba schools — community-based performance associations, each between three and five thousand members strong — dance and drum their way through the brightly lit stadium. Each school's chosen theme for that year unfolds as a story through the samba music, lavish costumes and outrageous floats. Preparations last the entire preceding year, overseen by each group's carnavalesco: the designer responsible for envisioning and expressing the theme in the larger-than-life way so distinct of Carnival.

Forty judges spaced throughout the parade ground give scores based on the musical and visual elements, looking for harmony, progression, consistency and spontaneity, as well as a unified spirit. The following Saturday, the Sambadrome resounds with the Parade of Champions, after which the dedicated preparations begin again in earnest for next year.

里約嘉年華：無與倫比的視覺饗宴

在為期 40 天的「大齋期」齋戒於聖灰星期三開始前，巴西人會先舉行名為「嘉年華」的超盛大慶祝活動。這場長達一星期的聲色饗宴源自歐洲傳入新大陸的化妝舞會。在嘉年華慶祝活動熱烈進行期間，人們會暫時將社會與性別的差異拋諸腦後。在里約熱內盧，這項習俗深受非裔巴西人珍視，他們將自己的文化特色灌注其中，例如森巴音樂。
今日，里約嘉年華的最高潮是森巴大遊行，這個盛大場面集中在 1984 年專為此活動興建的森巴場裡舉行。里約的頂尖森巴學校皆為設置在社區內的表演協會—— 每所學校的成員多達三千至五千人—— 學員們一面舞蹈一面擊鼓穿梭於燈光明亮的場館裡。每間學校所挑選的年度主題以故事帶出，透過森巴音樂、豪華服裝及令人目不暇給的花車呈現。準備工作長達一整年，由每個團體的 carnavalesco 督導，這個設計師負責以嘉年華特有的誇大方式發想並展現表演的主題。
四十名評審分散於遊行場地的各處，根據音樂和視覺元素給分，尋找表演中的和諧度、發展性、一致性、即興度以及整體精神。在接下來的星期六，森巴場內會迴盪著冠軍隊伍遊行的樂舞聲，然後為了明年而投注全副心力的準備工作又再度展開。