BRAZIL: SEAMSTRESS, DESIGNERS, SINGERS AND DANCERS PUT FINAL TOUCHES TO CARNIVAL PREPARATIONS

Record ID: 861159

  • Title: BRAZIL: SEAMSTRESS, DESIGNERS, SINGERS AND DANCERS PUT FINAL TOUCHES TO CARNIVAL PREPARATIONS
  • Date: 27th February 2003
  • Summary: MAGALHAES IN THE DANCING ROOM OF THE IMPERATRIZ LEOPOLDINESNSE SAMBA SCHOOL VARIOUS OF MUSIC AND DANCING PRACTICE SESSION IN SAMBA SCHOOL SINGER OF SAMBA SCHOOL CHILDREN IN THE SCHOOL VARIOUS OF PEOPLE DANCING (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) DANCER SILVIA DE ALMEIDA SAYING "It's going to be marvelous. There is no better thing." SAMBA SCHOOL PRACTICE
  • Embargoed: 14th March 2003 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL
  • City:
  • Country: Brazil
  • Topics: Arts
  • Reuters ID: LVA6A5XCOP34NMT4AZ2SXJUHBC7D
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: Seamstresses, designers, singers and dancers have begun to put the final touches on floats, costumes and performances as Rio de Janeiro's Carnival draws near.
    When the the sequins come out, when the samba music starts in Rio de Janeiro (REE-oh dae shzuh-NAIR-oh), and when Brazilians begin to wiggle their hips, everyone knows the world's most famous Carnival is near.
    On Friday (February 28), Brazilians and tourists from around the world will converge on Rio for the annual pre-Lenten celebration. Two days before the inaugural day, workers in the city were hurrying to finish their Carnival projects.
    Mask-maker Armando Valle (ar-MAHN-doh BAI-ae) put the final brush strokes onto the likenesses of United States President George W. Bush and Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, which he expects will dominate Rio's parades. Valle expects to produce close to 200,000 masks this year.
    Much of Rio's Carnival revolves around a competition between the city's myriad samba schools.
    At one school, Imperatriz Leopoldinense (eem-pair-ah-TREEZ lae-oh-pohl-doh-een-EHN-sae), some 300 workers pitched in to touch up the elaborate floats and costumes.
    "We are making each thing and after we seeing them all in the parade. It is a great feeling for us," explained seamstress Cristina de Souza (krees-TEEN-ah dae soh-OO-zah).
    Meanwhile, the samba dancers and musicians polished their performances.
    "It is a moment of letting go, of happiness, of singing, of dancing, of having fun. It doesn't matter that you're in the street, in ghe Marques de Sapucai (sambodrome) or if you are in your house singing in your living room. You're having fun," explained Carnival participant Rosa Magalhaes (ROH-sah mah-gahl-IENZ).
    It's a sentiment shared by the hundreds of thousands who participate in Carnival.
    Imperatriz Leopoldinese samba dancer Silvia de Almeida (SEEL-vee-ah dae ahl-mae-EE-dah) didn't miss a beat during her practice when she declared, "It's going to be marvellous. There is no better thing."
    Carnival will culminate with a highly-anticipated, colourful competition between the samba schools in the city's samba arena, the Sambadrome (SAHM-bah-drohm).
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