In Rio, some of us decided to tough out the next day on just a few hours' sleep, in order to check out the very late-night gathering of the Salgueiro Samba School. The major samba schools, which are more like large dance/social clubs than schools, spend 10 months of the year preparing for the next Carnival. They meet one night a week to work on their moves and music, and to test drive tiny but elaborate costumes. During the day our tour guide took us to the vast empty linear stadium where the samba schools compete during Carnival. They are judged on choreography, costumes, and original music, and points are deducted if they don't proceed through the stadium in the allotted time limit.
The Salgueiro Samba School draws a huge crowd of friends and fans; many attendees are also very impressive on the dance floor. There's a band on the stage, and a precise percussion section of thirty or more performers jammed into the mezzanine balcony. We witnessed a few dazzling routines where the lovely young dancers' feet were moving so fast that they were almost a blur, amazing given that they were wearing sky-high platform heels. There were also presentations featuring large flags, and a special troupe consisting of mature women, proving the inclusive reach of the samba "familia". The moves, the beats, the colorful costumes and social excitement were pure joy.
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