Flames, feathers and fangs function in spectacular parade

The Beija-Flor samba faculty has been topped winner of Rio de Janeiro’s celebrated carnival parade competitors.

Thousand gathered on the metropolis’s big Sambadrome enviornment to look at the highest 12 samba colleges battle it out for this 12 months’s title.

Beija-Flor was topped winner on Wednesday for the fifteenth time, narrowly beating second-placed Grande Rio.

Its efficiency was an homage to its late director, Luiz Fernando Ribeiro do Carmo, higher referred to as Laíla, who died in June 2021 with Covid-19.

Whereas the overarching theme of Beija-Flor’s parade was a tribute to its late director, it additionally featured floats with pyrotechnic shows and dancers dressed as devils.

The performances are judged over 10 classes by a complete of 40 judges.

One of many prime 12 samba colleges competing for the title was Paraíso do Tuiuti, whose dancers paraded in exuberant feathers.

Among the many unbelievable number of costumes and performances, Vila Isabel’s ghosts clad utterly in white have been a counterpoint to the kaleidoscopic costumes typical of Rio’s carnival.

Performers from the Grande Rio samba faculty, which got here an in depth second behind Beija-Flor, saved a watchful eye on the parade.

Mocidade delighted spectators with a large puppet.

Lots of the Mocidade’s dancers wore futuristic costumes, impressed by its theme track, which this 12 months was entitled Again To The Future – There Are No Limits Dreaming.

Imperatriz got here third this 12 months with a parade which included revellers adorned with gold and white skulls.

Portela samba faculty paid tribute to the legendary Brazilian musician Milton Nascimento. The 82-year-old singer-songwriter waved on the crowd through the parade.

Regardless of their spectacular floats, Unidos de Padre Miguel got here final this 12 months and subsequently is not going to be competing within the prime tier in 2026.

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