Sambadrome

There was a huge security presence on the streets. All access to the Metro station was restricted to one funnelled entrance. There were a lot of people about, but everyone was in a good mood. The atmosphere was of a relaxed, happy party. Our journey to our stop for the Sambadrome passed without incident. Finding 'sector 9' where our seats were, proved somewhat difficult, though! We got there eventually, having asked several police officers and security personnel on the way. Google Translate is a godsend!

The Sambadrome Marquês de Sapucaí is the home of the Rio Carnival Sambadrome Parades. It is a purpose-built stadium designed by the world-renowned Brazilian architect Oscar Neimeyer. It was constructed in 1984 especially to host the annual parade of Samba Schools. The Rio de Janeiro Sambadrome is comprised of free-standing individual structures for spectator viewing, called sectors, which sit on both sides of a long alleyway down which the Samba Schools parade. A few days before the big event, the Carnival runway is painted white in preparation to host a dazzling spectacle of rhythm and dancing as the members of Rio de Janeiro’s most elite Samba Schools strut their stuff down the 13-metre wide and 700-metre long stretch of the Passarela Professor Ribeiro Darcy. At the end of the parade route is a complex called Praça da Apoteose, or Apotheosis Square, where parade participants can celebrate, gather and take off their magnificent costumes as their school’s procession ends.

The Sambadrome Parades take place every night and are the backbone of Rio Carnival, as 30000 annual participants and 90000 nightly ticketed spectators take part in what is known around the world as the greatest party on the planet! The parades are dazzling spectacles of gorgeous handmade costumes, lavishly decorated floats that are as tall as the grandstands, meticulously choreographed dances, pulsating percussions, rhythm, beats and of course, the music and steps of the samba. It is also important to remember that the Sambadrome parades are more than just fun and games; they are ferociously competitive judged events.

The most prestigious of Rio de Janeiro’s Samba Schools square off as each school gets its turn to parade down the samba runway, with judges seated in specific locations spread along the parade route analysing the songs, checking for enthusiasm and audience engagement, and watching every dance move and every sequin on every costume. At the end of Rio Carnival, a winner is announced, and every samba school is ranked according to who receives the highest scores from the judges. Government funding and corporate sponsors are involved, so the Sambadrome means big business!

The first Samba School begins its procession at 9pm. Each school has approximately 85 minutes to complete the entire procession (points are deducted from a Samba School’s overall score if the procession runs shorter or goes longer than the allotted time). Therefore, the Sambadrome Parades turn into a highly anticipated marathon, each parade trying to outdo the other. It’s not uncommon for the Sambadrome parades to last until 6am the following morning!

We arrived at the stadium at around 7.30pm, so we had plenty of time to watch the build-up and enjoy the growing sense of excitement. As advised in the information sent with our tickets, we had brought a blanket with us to make the concrete steps a little more comfortable to sit on. By the time the first parade started, though, most people were on their feet and remained standing for the duration. The grandstands were packed, making for a very hot and sweaty audience experience!

The start of each parade was marked with a spectacular firework display. Then, the Samba School members and their magnificent floats made their slow progress down the runway, entertaining the crowds as they went. It was certainly spectacular! We loved it!!

We never intended to stay to watch the parades all night, despite the fact that the Metro system is running 24 hours a day throughout the carnival. In the event, we only watched one complete parade and left the Sambadrome at around 10.30pm. It still took us until gone midnight to get back to our Airbnb. I'm glad we experienced being there. We don't feel like we missed out by not staying longer.Leia mais