Beauty reigns in first Carnival parades in Rio de Janeiro

By Ana Maria Pomi Feb 19, 2007, 17:31 GMT

Dancers of the \' Vila Isabel\' samba school takes part in the Carnival celebrations at the dance centre \'Sambadrome\' in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday 19 February 2007. EPA/MARCO TERRANOVA

Rio de Janeiro - From the origins of games of chance to the birth of the Portuguese language to an homage to the Hunchback of Notre Dame - an array of stories filled the stage with beauty at the first parade of the world-famous Carnival in Rio de Janeiro.

The 'escolas de samba' (the schools of samba) Estacao Primeira de Mangueira, Unidos da Viradouro and Unidos da Vila Isabel were audience favourites in the parade that started Sunday night and continued into the early hours of Monday.

They are part of the Special Group of six schools that compete for the Carnival championship and shook the traditional Marques de Sapucai walk at Rio's Sambodromo with their rhythm and colour.

With its allegory 'Viradouro turns the game around,' the group surprised the audience with 300 people climbing up to a 40-metre-long float representing a huge chess board, and then climbing down - in the middle of the parade without losing step.

The 3,300 members of the group wore innovative and colourful costumes as domino and chess pieces, dice and pieces of children's board games. They drew an ovation from the audience, which cried 'here is the champion.'

The traditional Mangueira dyed the stage in its characteristic green and pink and encouraged the audience to join its over 4,000 members to sing the words 'Come to the rhythm of Mangueira, come to dance the samba, my language has the gift to transform.'

With its allegory: 'My homeland is my language, Mangueira my great love. My samba goes as far as the Lazio and picks the last flower,' the group paid homage to the Portuguese language and its transformation in Brazil through the influence of indigenous languages and African slaves.

The show featured a 3-D representation of the work Abaporu, by Brazilian modernist artist Tarsila do Amaral.

To close the parade, Unidos da Vila Isabel told the story 'Metamorphosis: From the natural kingdom to the popular court of Carnival. Life's transformations.'

The 2006 champion of the Rio Carnival showcased a lizard - more than 15 metres long - which changed colour as the parade went on. The audience was amazed by butterflies 'flying' over the lizard. The 3,400 members of the group were cheered in their effort to defend their Carnival title.

Other 'escolas' also participated in the first night of parades at the Sambodromo. Imperio Serrano worked with the theme 'Being different is normal,' while Mocidade Independiente spoke of the evolution of Brazilian crafts in several regions. Estacio de Sa told the story of the fruit 'sapoti,' at the origin of chewing gum.

On Monday night, in the final parade, the show will feature the 'escolas' Unidos do Porto da Pedra, Unidos da Tijuca, Académicos do Salgueiro, Portela, Imperatriz Leopoldinense, Academicos do Grande Rio y Beija-Flor de Nilopolis.

In Rio and throughout Brazil, the atmosphere of joy and celebration spilled onto the streets. Hundreds of parades draw crowds and combine night and day with a mix of excess, dancing, kissing and alcohol.

Everything is set to go back to normal on Wednesday, when the Rio Carnival names its 2007 winner.