Блог: The Samba Muses

Carnival is the third religious cult after roman-catholic Christianity and soccer in Brazil – no irony in these words. This cult has countless denominations and sub-denominations, parishes, followers, idols; this collective form of adoration varies in symbols of faith from one group to another all over the country. Absolute majority of Brazilians - I believe so - confess three cults in one time, but there is a minority that does something one apart.

The day before it seems Rio grows fussy, impulsive as if whole the city emitting fluids of impatience. Seems, every face in the streets you see from Ipanema to Tijuca- you see the look of 'hell, how I tired of waiting for it!'.





Up to the day Rio kept getting packed – a whole week before thousands inhabitants of Estado do Rio + tens of thousands tourists from around the world had been filling the city daily. Police squads in streets are visibly doubled, if not tripled. Close to midday almost all Rio' avenidas from East to West got swarmed.



Next up to the evening lots of those named bateria add to whose that already are the streets. Bateria is a huge group of people – up to 500 – an percussion orchestra performing batucada. All the percussionists are not professionals – 1/3 of them is a part of any Rio's club torcida ( this is not only in Rio, but everywhere in Brazil), other 2/3 represents any local samba school pertaining to Rio's certain district. The rhymes and sounds each bateria drums – no matter what the district it represents – very similar. What is not similar that is a color of bateria participants: no likehood admitted, at least it is an unwritten rule that no color ( + or a chord) should be repeated in clothes of bateria's members.





Deixa Falar, Mangueira, Mocidade, Beija-Flor and many others. These samba schools had been an endless rivalry between (mainly) Rio and San Paulo for years. Samba scholarship in Brazil is more than just a rivalry – it looks like way of lifestyles or even mentalities comparison. The same, I believe so, had been in Britain just 20 (plus or minus 5) years ago when there was not social networks and consolidation around football clubs weren't just the groups of soccer fans chatting who's good as defender or bad as a winger – it was, apart of soccer, a way of socialization of interests beyond football as the better, and as the worse, a kind of sectarian philosophy that now rules in Scotland between Сeltic and GR fans. It had been in time when soccer not yet grew enormously commercialized.

Samba as a way to express oneself through dance, differs a little from other world dances if we talk just about dances. But with regard to Carnival as the rivalry of samba schools, it tied with the thought 'what you want you say with your dance' as Brazilian carnival is unlike meaningless open air chill-out party: this is a well-staged theatrical show with clear-cut repertoire and scenario - themes can be taken from history, culture or politics – but ARE to be taken. Otherwise you won't be enrolled in Sambadrome list.



Carnival samba school performance is unbelievable without those who are to represent it skilfully and artistically – so-called 'muses' of the schools. Samba dance ( at least at the carnivals) is totally female job. The muse is a face of school, a cover girl we can see ahead of each bateria startsgoing along the sambadorme. It is so in any of Brazil cities. Before, as a rule, the muse had beem selected by barteria + all the people relating to a specific school. I had thought before that all the carvival muses are professionals, but I was wrong . Actually, it is srongly on competitive basis. What's require for this? First, it is natural beauty of applicants. In Brazil, the criteria of female beauty are slightly other than in Europe: IMO, it is a vital ( not anorexic like one's of fashion stereotypes) body with relief hips and shaped buttocks and breast. Second, being a perfect samba dancer. Third, it is one's natural artistry. Finally, the perfect taste in - well, call it 'outerwear' a short strips on body decorated with plume + semiprecious stones.



It is a really great honour to be elected a 'musa da escola'. Thousand of pretty women + artful samba dancers apply to the contests but only bests of the bests are finally hounored to get the muse and represent the school.

So what do I think about it? Amazing. Stunning.)
What making life full of color.


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