Samba School - Rio and Sao Paulo

Rio and Sao Paulo

"Cariocas", the Rio natives, and "Paulistanos", São Paulo natives, are overtaken with emotion while performing or watching their favorite school, much more so in Rio, where a carnival samba school culture has been developed since the 1930s and samba rehearsals, costume making, and planning is a year-round event. It is often said that samba school slum dweller may not have a job or food on the table the whole year, but they will make sure they have the money for their costume to show their "samba no pe'" or dancing skills expertise.

As samba schools originated in Rio de Janeiro, they are today the most famous ones and, arguably, produce the most spectacular parades or, as it is often said, the "greatest show on Earth." The city of São Paulo also has a number of samba schools with some tradition that is linked to an interesting mixture of African-Brazilian display of pride, immigrant or working class activism, and soccer team fondness, as schools such as "Gavioes da Fiel", "Mancha Verde" began as rooting singing/dancing group that cheered during matches in São Paulo stadiums. Nearly all Brazilian states have samba schools, but states such as Bahia and Pernambuco tend to have floats that lead a crowd composed of general people, without the need for membership, rehearsals or even a special attire. Some groups do charge a certain amount of money for the "abadás," or colorful t-shirts that display affiliation to a specific group, or "bloco".